Latest KFF Health News Stories
Vermont Is ‘Single-Payer’ Trailblazer
Vermont plays the maverick again in trying to be the first state to implement a single-payer health care system.
Short-Term Health Plans Might Offer Some Relief But They Have Significant Gaps
These plans, which can last from a month to nearly a year, do not guarantee many of the benefits of regular health insurance.
Obamacare Creates ‘Upheaval’ At Free Clinics
With many of their patients now insured under the law, most W. Va. free clinics are choosing to get paid by Medicaid.
A Tennessee Insurer Uses Its Monopoly To Deliver Bargain Premiums
BlueCross BlueShield’s near dominance and hospitals’ lack of negotiating clout are key reasons Chattanooga has among the lowest priced coverage in the nation.
Cleveland’s Early Medicaid Expansion Paying Off
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, created its own Medicaid program for 28,000 residents. So far, E.R. visits have dropped 60 percent.
Health Law Calls For Some Workers To Be Automatically Enrolled In Coverage
A provision of the ACA that could be implemented as early as next year requires employers with more than 200 workers to sign up employees in one of the company’s plans. Workers may opt out, however.
Hospital, Insurer Earnings Show Mixed Messages About Health Spending
Hints of cost spikes matter because much is riding on spending forecasts.
A Doctor’s Perspective On Obamacare Plans
Low reimbursement rates cause one doctor to reject two out of three companies selling Affordable Care Act insurance in his state.
Allynne Noelle: Ballerina Gets Insured
Ballerinas risk injury and high health care costs every time they perform. Allynne Noelle, 32, principal ballerina with the Los Angeles Ballet, says the new health care law offers some relief.
Restaurant Owner Struggles To Afford Health Insurance
Sandra Lopez, 41, owns Las Fajitas, a popular Mexican restaurant in Newport Beach, Calif. She has to make decisions about health insurance coverage for her family and her business under the Affordable Care Act.
Covered California Rates Up Modest 4.2 Percent
Covered California says health care premiums will go up modestly for most people buying coverage on the state exchange next year by an average of 4.2 percent. “We enrolled a lot of people, they’re healthy, and that’s kept rates down,” Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said at a press conference on Thursday in Sacramento […]
Florida’s Largest Health Insurer Is Raising Exchange Rates An Average Of 17.6 Percent
Florida Blue cites cost impact of older and less healthy adults who use more services.
Good News On California ACA Rates. But Why?
Two top insurance officials in California have competing theories on what’s keeping prices in check for 2015.
A Reader Asks: With Job-Based Coverage, Can I Still Qualify For Cost-Sharing Subsidies
KHN’s consumer columnist Michelle Andrews explains that if the insurance offered through an employer is considered affordable, you can’t qualify for the health law’s program to provide financial help to cover costs such as deductibles and co-payments.
The HHS is contacting hundreds of thousands of people with subsidized health plans bought under the ACA to verify their eligibility,
California Makes Significant Progress In Enrolling Previously Uninsured, Survey Finds
But more than 40 percent of those who lacked coverage last fall still don’t have insurance.
Limitations Of New Health Plans Rankle Some Enrollees
Consumer groups complain people have been misled about the narrow networks of hospitals and doctors in their plans. Insurers say they are trying to hold down prices.
Pitfalls Emerge in Health Insurance Renewals
Automatically renewing your Obamacare policy could cost you thousands.
A Reader Asks: How Can I Get Health Coverage For My Grandchildren?
KHN consumer columnist Michelle Andrews points out various options through Medicaid, CHIP and the online insurance marketplaces.
New Health Law Court Decisions Could Have Limited Political Impact
Analysts say it’s hard to see either party broadly benefiting in the fall elections.
