Readers Ask: What Options Do Parents Have To Get Coverage For Their Kids?
Consumer columnist answers questions about getting insurance for children under the health law.
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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.
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.
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.
Number of policies offered will vary depending on the state.
New measures are announced after 17 states hostile to the law restrict the work of consumer navigators.
Government actuaries estimate that health care will account for 20 percent of gross domestic product by 2022.
With the Congressional Budget Office projecting a reduced cost for a long-term "doc fix," Congress may seize the opportunity to end the annual adjustments to Medicare reimbursement rates. Mary Agnes Carey and CQ Roll Call's Emily Ethridge discuss.
Open enrollments will be held annually for beneficiaries.
Various legal challenges to the health law's contraception coverage mandate are continuing to wind their way through the system.
Employers are raising deductibles, giving workers health savings accounts, mimicking the health law's online insurance marketplaces and nudging patients to shop around for treatments.
The uninsured rate for 2012 dropped slightly from 15.7 percent to 15.4 percent, largely because of an increase in people enrolled in public insurance programs.
The Affordable Care Act could have easily put eHealthInsurance.com out of business; instead, eHealthInsurance will be another place to buy plans in the 34 states that have federally run insurance exchanges.
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