Latest KFF Health News Stories
Tales Of Obamacare: From Elation To Frustration
Chicago-area consumers navigate the health law’s new insurance exchanges.
New ACA Insurance Causes Headaches In Some Doctors’ Offices
Employees in some Texas practices spend hours on hold trying to verify that patients have new insurance.
Obama Administration Proposes 1.9% Cut In Medicare Advantage Payments
Insurers claim the cuts are deeper and are campaigning to stop them, saying they will hurt seniors.
A Reader Asks: Can My Doctor Charge Me For ‘Chronic Disease Management’ In My Annual Physical?
KHN’s consumer columnist says that even though many preventive care services are covered without cost to the patient, “evaluation and management services” can be billed separately.
Insurance, Not Injuries, May Determine Who Goes To Trauma Centers
A new Stanford University study shows that patients with critical injuries are less likely to be transferred to trauma centers if they have insurance.
Colorado’s Elusive Goal: A Complete, Useful Health Care Price List
Making health care prices available to the public is difficult and expensive, and Colorado and several other states are in jeopardy of losing funding for their efforts unless Congress intervenes.
Some Plans Refuse To Cover Medical Costs Related To Suicide Despite Federal Rules
Under the health law and 2006 regulations, insurers can’t deny medical coverage for an individual’s injuries because they resulted from medical condition such as depression, even if it was not diagnosed before the injury.
Tips For New Obamacare Coverage: Stay In Network, Avoid Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Consumers who obtain insurance through the health law’s marketplaces will now have to figure out their plans’ specifics.
A Reader Asks: If I Am On COBRA, Do I Have To Buy A New Marketplace Plan?
KHN’s consumer columnist says cheaper deals may be available on the state exchanges, but consumers don’t have to ditch their COBRA policies.
Libraries Serve As Health Insurance Info Hubs
In Philadelphia and across the country, librarians are digging into the details of the Affordable Care Act to help patrons sign up for health insurance.
Report: Nearly 3.3 Million Americans Have Enrolled in Private Obamacare Plans
The number of young adults still lags, but the pace of signups has increased.
Questions And Answers On The Latest ACA Delay
The administration pressed the pause button on part of the health law again. Here’s what the new timeline for the employer mandate means for businesses, workers — and for politicians.
Some Same-Sex Couples Denied Family Policies On Insurance Marketplaces
Being allowed to purchase a family policy is tougher in states that don’t recognize gay marriage.
Gov. Beebe: ‘It’s Ideology Versus Pragmatism’
Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe discusses his state’s experiment expanding Medicaid using a so-called “private option” strategy.
Some Middle-Class Families Find Price Of Subsidized Health Coverage ‘Awfully High’
For nearly 3 million Americans, subsidies don’t kick in until they’ve paid up to 9.5% of their income toward premiums.
A Reader Asks: Can Foreign Visitors Buy Health Insurance Exchange Plans?
KHN’s consumer columnist says policies are limited to people who reside in a state.
Obamacare Thrives In San Francisco’s Chinatown
The immigrant community became self-sufficient by necessity, building its own hospital more than a century ago. Now, that hospital offers a health plan on Covered California that is exceeding its enrollment goals.
The Health Law’s ‘3 Rs’ For Insurers: A Bailout Or Necessary Safeguards?
The provisions in the law are designed to help insurance companies adjust to the new markets, but Republicans warn that the program could turn out to be costly for taxpayers.
Insurers Eye Market For Supplemental Health Coverage To Fill Gaps Left By Obamacare, Employer Plans
While these plans represent one of the fastest growing components of the employer benefits marketplace, some experts warn they might cause consumer confusion.
Some specialty drugs can cost consumers — even those with insurance — thousands of dollars a year, but manufacturers often provide aid for those who meet specific income and program requirements.
