Study Finds Coverage To Help Kick Smoking Can Be Tricky
A recent review of 39 health plans finds details about who is covered to smoking-cessation treatments and who pays for them can be confusing and inconsistent.
Michelle Andrews
Michelle Andrews is a contributing writer and former columnist for KFF Health News. She has been writing about health care for more than 15 years. Her work has appeared frequently in The New York Times, where she wrote the Money and Medicine column and contributed regular news and features. Her work has also been published in Money, Fortune Small Business, National Geographic and Women’s Health magazines, among others. Michelle previously worked as a senior writer at U.S. News & World Report and at SmartMoney magazines. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.
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When A Plan Overpays For A Service, Is A Patient Responsible For A Refund?
Experts say that overpayments occur for a variety of reasons and they can create headaches for providers and patients alike.
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Weighing A State Mini-COBRA Plan; Premiums Based On Pay
Insurance columnist answers readers' questions about choosing coverage after leaving a job, health law requirements for small businesses and salary-based premiums.
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Medical Questions About Gun Ownership Come Under Scrutiny
High-profile law in Florida prohibiting doctors from asking patients about guns was overturned in the courts. But the 2010 federal health law restricts insurers, employers and HHS from asking.
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Advocates Of Medical Marijuana Face Another Hurdle: Insurance Coverage
Even as more states move to allow the drug for medicinal purposes, health policies rarely cover its use. Some patients spend hundreds of dollars a month or more on the drug.
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High Deductible Plans Offer Low Premiums But Steep Risks
More employers are offering these insurance options, but they can leave workers paying thousands of dollars for care before the coverage kicks in.
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Dispelling Some Rumors About Medicare And The Health Law Limiting Care
Insurance columnist answers readers' questions, including two about whether some older seniors are denied access to surgeries and whether the health law restricts the number of prescription drugs for patients.
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Consumer Advocate Cautions That State Rules Will Impact Scope Of Health Law
Timothy Stoltzfus Jost talks to Michelle Andrews about a report he co-authored for state insurance commissioners about setting up the federal law.
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Insurers Are Again Selling Child-Only Health Policies After Interventions From States, Study Finds
Many companies stopped selling the plans that cover just children after the federal health law prohibited them from rejecting kids with preexisting medical conditions.
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As More Employers Drop Coverage, Retirees Turn To Specialized Insurance Exchanges
Counselors help consumers who are eligible for Medicare enroll in plans that replace their old workplace benefits.
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Federal Retiree Weighs Whether To Keep FEHB Or Switch To Medigap
Insurance columnist answers readers' questions about federal workers' best deal on supplementing Medicare and signing up for Medicare if you're living abroad.
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Insurance Dependents Can Face Special Challenges On Privacy
The health law may create new challenges for maintaining dependents' medical confidentiality.
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Health Plan Open Season Brings Rising Premiums And More Expensive Dependent Coverage
As employees review their health plan options for 2013, they can expect changes.
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Often Overlooked In Nursing Home Admission Paperwork Is An Arbitration Agreement
Signing the form means that if a problem can't be amicably resolved, the patient or family agrees to take the dispute to a professional arbitrator rather than file a lawsuit.
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Shingles Vaccinations Not Covered For Some Medicare Beneficiaries
Answers to readers' questions about how seniors can qualify for coverage for the inoculations, whether parents are required to keep young adults on their plan and getting pregnancy care for dependents.
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HHS Says Health Plans Cannot Discriminate Against Transgender People
In a letter, federal officials say employers, insurers and others cannot deny coverage or benefits based on "gender identity."
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Health Law Has Gaps In Men’s Care
At the urging of women lawmakers and advocacy groups, the overhaul provides coverage for some specific preventive care, especially for sexual and reproductive health, but men's coverage is more limited.
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Health Law Prompts Review Of Some Medigap Plans; Defining Who Gets Dependent Status
In responses to readers' questions, columnist Michelle Andrews looks at efforts to curb spending by Medigap insurance. In addition, she explores how health plans determine who can be on your coverage.
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Many People Would Like To Know Their Risk Of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease
Current testing provides only limited information and is generally discouraged by experts. In addition, health insurance generally doesn't cover it.
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Some Plans Deny Pregnancy Coverage For Dependent Children
Although group health plans must cover workers or their spouses if they become pregnant, they don't have to extend that insurance to children.
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