For Some People Covered Through Work, An Exchange Might Be A Good Option For The Family
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about what might be available on the new insurance marketplaces next year when employer-provided insurance seems too expensive for a family and whether those exchanges will be available to people who are in the middle of a plan contract.
Questions Arise About Robotic Surgery’s Cost, Effectiveness
Health plans generally pay for robotic surgery just as they would any other surgical procedure, but that could change, some say, as research helps make clear when robotic-assisted surgery helps improve patient outcomes-and when it doesn’t.
Questions About Colon Screening Coverage Still Vex Consumers
Although the federal government has tried to clarify the preventive care provisions that mandate no out-of-pocket expenses for patients on screening exams, there is still a good bit of confusion.
Same-Sex Spouses Can Face Barriers On Health Care Under Federal Law
Even when states legalize gay marriage, couples may have to pay extra federal taxes on the value of health policies and not get some protections because the federal government is barred from recognizing such unions.
Why You May Want To Reconsider That Plan With A Health Savings Account
Health plan deductibles keep getting higher — the proportion of workers with a deductible that topped $1,000 for single coverage nearly tripled in the past five years, to 34 percent. Since high-deductible plans often mean you pay more out of pocket for medical care, it might seem like a no-brainer to sign up for a plan that […]
Despite Fears Of ‘Sticker Shock,’ Young Adults Should Have Reasonable Plan Options On Exchanges
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about the premium prices for young adults, pre-tax contributions to health savings accounts and choosing between work-provided coverage and buying a plan on their own.
Large Companies Are Increasingly Offering Workers Only High Deductible Health Plans
Firms with 1,000 employees or more once offered a variety of coverage options, but a recent survey found nearly 15 percent today provide simply these plans and a savings account for medical expenses.
Group Appointments With Doctors: When Three Isn’t A Crowd
More doctors are holding appointments with multiple patients, a trend some say may help ease a forecasted shortage of physicians.
Consumers Don’t View Curbing Costs As Their Job When Choosing Treatments, Study Finds
Researcher says she and colleagues were “surprised at how firmly and frequently people talked about not wanting cost considerations to factor into decision-making at all.”
Caveat For Contraceptive Coverage; Early Retirees May Get Cheaper Plans On Exchanges
Columnist answers readers’ questions about birth control provisions and subsidized coverage on state-based insurance marketplaces.
Key Long-Term-Care Insurer To Raise Women’s Premiums
Although the Affordable Care Act seeks to end health plans’ use of gender to set prices, the new rules don’t apply to policies for long-term care.
Today Few Public Family Planning Centers Accept Insurance
Most women can expect to get contraceptives without paying out of pocket for them thanks to the federal Affordable Care Act. Women who are young or those who are poor and rely on publicly funded family planning centers for reproductive health services are covered, too. But there’s a catch. Many of the state and local health departments, […]
New Coverage May Spur Younger Women To Use Long-Acting Contraceptives
The health law specifies that birth control is a covered service in many plans ending the burden of a high up-front cost for IUDs and hormonal implants.
Observation Units Can Improve Care But May Be Costly For Patients
Sometimes patients who are kept in the hospital to monitor their condition are not formally admitted and must pick up a bigger share of the cost.
Long-Term Care Protection May Be Toothless
There aren’t many investments people make to protect themselves against something that may happen 20 or 30 years down the road. Yet that’s exactly what long-term care insurance purchasers do. But a provision in those policies that people rely on to help ensure their coverage will meet their needs decades hence may do nothing of […]
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about the new pregnancy benefits offered in the health overhaul, assurances that current insurance policies will be honored in the future and switching employer health plans.
Long Waits For Consumers When Medicare Is ‘Secondary Payer’
A new law sets schedules for providing details about medical claims in cases where a beneficiary suffers a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence.
Hospices, Wary Of Costs, May Be Discouraging Patients With High Expenses
A survey finds that more than three-quarters of hospices have restrictive enrollment policies designed to keep away patients with high-cost medical needs.
Health Law Offers Dental Coverage Guarantee For Some Children
The requirement is only for individual and small-group health plans, and some advocates worry that the new benefits may not be sufficiently comprehensive or affordable.
When An Employer Drops Coverage, Workers Lose Their Tax Advantages
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions, including how alternative medicine might be treated under the health law, and offers more details about coverage for adult children.
