States Simplify Medicaid Sign-Ups
Forty-nine states now take Medicaid applications by phone and 49 also accept online applications, reports the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Obama Seeks To Offer New Incentive For States To Expand Medicaid
The White House would like to extend full federal funding for three years to states that now opt to expand Medicaid, but Congress would have to approve any change.
Health Plan Watchdog Still Seeks Progress After 25 Years
Increased comparative information on health plans is helping consumers shop, says Margaret O’Kane, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
2016 Health Law Exchange Enrollment Tops 11.3M
The government’s most detailed release of figures shows insurance plan sign-ups beat the Obama administration’s goal for the year.
Obamacare Insurers Sweeten Plans With Free Doctor Visits
Some insurers are betting that lowering the barrier to seeing a doctor will encourage people to get needed care sooner. If it works, the health plans could save more than they spend on the benefit.
State Obamacare Exchanges ‘Sustainable’ Without Federal Aid, Official Tells Congress
But CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt declines to predict fate of the 13 remaining state exchanges in congressional testimony.
Uninsured People Eligible For Obamacare Face Average $969 Penalty In 2016
Average penalties are set to rise 47 percent next year for Americans who can afford insurance but choose to remain uncovered, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.
Kentucky Strategy Will Test Need For State-Run Obamacare Exchanges
Experts say Gov.-elect Matt Bevin’s plan to drop Kynect and use the federal healthcare.gov marketplace would have little impact on consumers, if it happens.
Study: Health Plan Buyers Will Save Money If They Shop
Premiums could jump 15 percent next year for millions if they keep 2015 plans, reports the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Aid-In-Dying Advocacy Group Girds For Battles After California Victory
Compassion & Choices counts on human-interest stories to shape debate as 23 states weigh aid-in-dying bills this year.
Obamacare Recruiters Seek Uninsured At Food Fairs And Churches
Floridians without health insurance query experts and ponder options as the health law’s open enrollment season gets underway.
Kentucky’s Exchange Success Doesn’t Translate To Small Business Participation
Despite strong enrollment in Kentucky’s online health insurance marketplace, participation in its exchange for small employers also created by the Affordable Care Act has mostly been a dud.
Small Businesses Snub Obamacare’s SHOP Exchange
Software problems, better health insurance options elsewhere are said to hold enrollment well under projections after almost two years.
Exchanges Face Sign-Up Challenges As Health Law’s 3rd Open Enrollment Begins
After millions of people signed up for Obamacare over the past two years, the ones still lacking insurance may be harder to both find and persuade to enroll.
Medicaid Spending Soars — Mostly In Expansion States
New report finds the annual increase in Medicaid spending is the largest in at least two decades, spurred by the federal health law expansion.
Birth Centers Boost Deliveries While Easing Labor Pains
Staffed by midwives and bolstered by Obamacare, low-tech birth centers away from hospitals are up almost 60 percent since 2010.
Chronically Ill Pay More in Obamacare Plans Than Employer Coverage
Patients on typical silver plans pay twice as much as workers with job-based insurance for prescription drugs each year, researchers find.
GAO: More Oversight Needed Over Medicare Advantage Provider Networks
Congressional watchdog says the government checks few health plans to ensure accurate provider listings and adequate access for seniors on Medicare Advantage.
Ouch! Vaccination Rates for Older Adults Falling Short
Millions of Americans over 60 are risking illnesses by skipping their shots.
New Hope Beats For Heart Patients And Hospitals
The number of heart valve surgeries has risen more than 50 percent since 2012, demonstrating the hospital industry’s record of finding new ways to fill beds and increase revenue even as advances in health and technology shrink demand for inpatient care. Still, patient risk and cost concerns persist.
