Insurance

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Bemoaning Budget Cuts, Navigators Say Feds Don’t Appreciate Scope Of The Job

KFF Health News Original

The Trump administration has dramatically trimmed money for the groups that help people enroll in marketplace plans, but those navigators say federal officials have unrealistic assessments of the tasks involved.

Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Health Plans Busting Out All Over

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal discuss Democratic, Republican and bipartisan health proposals all being pursued in Congress, including the latest version of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) “Medicare-for-All” proposal. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.

If You’re Blindsided By Health Plan Changes, Learn The Root Causes — And Your Rights

KFF Health News Original

Insurers can reduce benefits or change cost sharing, but they are generally supposed to tell enrollees about the change beforehand. And although plans must tell patients when they are denied coverage, sometimes treatment is affected for other reasons.

Guess Who Pays The Price When Hospital Giants Hire Your Private Practitioner?

KFF Health News Original

Gobbling up doctors’ independent practices is lucrative for hospital systems — but not necessarily a good deal for the physicians or consumers, critics say. Northern California is a case in point.

Lawmakers Debate How Much Wiggle Room To Give States In Health Care

KFF Health News Original

The federal health law includes a provision that allows states to alter some of its rules if they can think of a better way to provide health care to their residents, but it’s not clear how far outside the box states can go.

Move To End DACA Leaves Some Young Immigrants Fearing For Their Health

KFF Health News Original

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program made it possible for young adults who came into the country illegally as children to get jobs with insurance and, in some states including California, Medicaid. Now that coverage is in peril.   

Estados extenderán la inscripción del Obamacare más allá del límite federal

KFF Health News Original

Varios estados evitarán este año una nueva regla de la administración Trump que reduce a la mitad el tiempo que los consumidores tienen para comprar un seguro médico individual en los mercados establecidos por ACA.

5 Outside-The-Box Ideas For Fixing The Individual Insurance Market

KFF Health News Original

As lawmakers look for ways to stabilize the health law marketplaces, a number of ideas — such as expanding who can “buy in” to Medicare and Medicaid or pushing young adults off their parents’ plans into the marketplaces — might come into play.