Latest KFF Health News Stories
Consumer Groups Fear Patients Could Be Hit With Large Out-Of-Pocket Costs
The Obama administration’s decision to delay the health law provision setting a maximum payment cap for some plans spurs complaints from several dozen organizations.
Same-Sex Spouses Can Face Barriers On Health Care Under Federal Law
Even when states legalize gay marriage, couples may have to pay extra federal taxes on the value of health policies and not get some protections because the federal government is barred from recognizing such unions.
Worries Mount About Enrolling Consumers In Federally Run Insurance Exchanges
Few consumers know what they’ll need to do to sign up for the new health insurance marketplaces. Advocates worry about the outreach strategy and funding in states that defaulted to the federal government to run the exchanges.
Insurers’ Efforts To Delay Health Law Compliance Could Affect Premiums, Benefits For Millions
By moving up renewal dates on plans sold directly to consumers, insurers could delay meeting law’s requirements for up to a year.
Despite Fears Of ‘Sticker Shock,’ Young Adults Should Have Reasonable Plan Options On Exchanges
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about the premium prices for young adults, pre-tax contributions to health savings accounts and choosing between work-provided coverage and buying a plan on their own.
Why Uninsured Might Not Flock To Health Law’s Marketplaces
Florida programs show that convincing people to sign up for even low-cost coverage is no cinch.
Can They Do That? Rules For Pricing Spousal Coverage
Michelle Andrews answers a reader’s question about employers who charge a different premium to cover a spouse who has coverage available through his or her own job.
FAQ On The Latest Study: Obamacare’s Impact On Insurance Claim Costs
The Society of Actuaries is predicting that because of the health law, on average, insurers will have to pay 32 percent more for claims by 2017. What does that mean for consumers?
Slow Progress On Efforts To Pay Docs, Hospitals For ‘Value,’ Not Volume
Consortium of large employers says that only 10.9 percent of employers’ health spending is based on value-based payment.
Temp Agencies See Opportunity In Health Law
Some employers — worried about the cost of health coverage — are eyeing staffing agencies to fill jobs. But these arrangements could leave gaps in the health law’s expanded coverage.
Large Companies Are Increasingly Offering Workers Only High Deductible Health Plans
Firms with 1,000 employees or more once offered a variety of coverage options, but a recent survey found nearly 15 percent today provide simply these plans and a savings account for medical expenses.
Connecticut Races To Reach Uninsured, Open Health Insurance Marketplace
Officials hope to ‘make history’ by signing up two-thirds of those without coverage after the marketplaces launch nationwide Oct. 1.
Ohio, Arkansas May Provide New Model For Insuring Low-Income Residents
Other states are watching as the federal government appears likely to allow the two states to use federal Medicaid dollars to purchase private coverage on their insurance exchanges.
From The State Capitals: The ACA At Three
Reporters on the ground in Colorado, Florida and Minnesota discuss the most significant developments to happen in their states since the law’s passage and what future challenges they see ahead.
Minnesota Governor Signs Bill Creating Health Insurance Marketplace
Starting in October, more than a million Minnesotans, including 300,000 uninsured, are expected to shop and sign up for health plans using the exchange, named MNSURE.
Small Businesses Pursue Health Law ‘Loophole’
Self-insurance, once the purview of only large companies, is becoming popular with small employers, too. But it could be a threat to the Affordable Care Act, since self-insured companies are exempt from many of the health law’s requirements.
In Florida, Medicaid Expansion May Be Dead, But Expanding Coverage Isn’t
Chances for the Florida Legislature approving an alternate plan that would accomplish the same goals are looking up.
Consumers Don’t View Curbing Costs As Their Job When Choosing Treatments, Study Finds
Researcher says she and colleagues were “surprised at how firmly and frequently people talked about not wanting cost considerations to factor into decision-making at all.”
Minnesota Senate Passes Exchange Bill
Much of the 12 hours of debate focused on whether or not industry officials could serve on the exchange’s board of directors.
Health Insurers See Big Opportunities In Health Law’s Medicaid Expansion
Medicaid managed care plans prepare for as many as 10 million new members in 2014– and billions in additional revenue.
