The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Moderate-income consumers may get subsidies but will also be required to pay up to 9.5 percent of their income toward monthly premiums, which some say will put coverage out of reach.
Consumer columnist answers questions about getting insurance for children under the health law.
The nation’s most diverse political swing state is ground zero in the battle over the federal health law.
Estes Park Medical Center escaped the flood damage that hit most of the area. But two roads leading to the town known as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park are impassable. One snowstorm could close the remaining road and ground helicopters, leaving the hospital and its patients stranded.
Experts expect people who are between jobs to gradually transfer to exchanges, a trend projected to save large employers billions in medical claims for ex-employees.
In Missouri, a decidedly low-profile campaign stems from a voter referendum last year barring the governor from moving forward on an exchange. In Illinois, officials partnered with the federal government to build the marketplace. Nonetheless, neither exchange has given any cost information to consumers.
When consultants ran simulations of the exchanges that open for enrollment Oct. 1, they found that price was a major consideration. But so were hospital networks — more so than retaining doctors.
Currently many plans sold on the individual market do not provide maternity coverage. But that will change under the health law.
In Washington state, 80 percent of Democrats surveyed approve of the Affordable Care Act while 80 percent of Republicans don’t, according to an Elway Poll conducted on behalf of The Seattle Times.
The online exchanges that open Oct. 1 are not aimed at Medicare beneficiaries, but the 2010 health law does affect seniors in other ways.
Those plans must also provide the same “essential benefits” as the plans set up for the exchanges and have similar out-of-pocket standards.
With implementation of major provisions of the law looming, Republicans see this fall’s budget showdown as their last chance to slow or stop the president’s signature legislation from taking effect. Mary Agnes Carey and Politico Pro’s Jennifer Haberkorn discuss.
The federal overhaul will help some immigrants who are not citizens gain insurance, but there are no provisions to help those who are in the country illegally.
Even proponents of the federal health law have the same expectation: The rollout of the biggest new social program in nearly 50 years is not going to be pretty.
