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.
When Employers’ Health Plans Disappear, Workers Often Have Few Options
Unexpected events, such as a corporate bankruptcy or sale or a decision by an employer to discontinue insurance, can undermine the security of on-the-job coverage.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
