Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Medicaid Expansion Only A First Step To Better Health In Troubled W.Va. Communities
Even as tens of thousands of West Virginians enroll in Medicaid, experts caution that the culture also will have to change.
From Ethiopia To West Virginia, Community Health Workers Help Close Access-To-Care Gaps
Outreach efforts in remote places like Ethiopia could offer models for medically underserved areas in the U.S.
Former Foster Youth Stay Insured Until 26
Former foster youth in California are eligible for Medi-Cal until age 26 under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Marcy Valenzuela has been without health insurance for the last four years. By the time she was 18, she had lived in several foster placements, had become addicted to drugs and spent time in juvenile hall. The 25-year-old is getting her life back on track, starting with her health.
In Southwest Georgia, The Affordable Care Act Is Having Trouble Living Up To Its Name
In an area with moderate incomes and cost of living, insurance premiums on the new health law marketplace are nearly the highest in the country.
The 10 Most Expensive Insurance Markets In The U.S.
The ranking is based on the lowest price “silver” plan, which is the mid-level plan that the majority of consumers are selecting. The listed monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old person.
When Your Parent Is The State, It’s Tough For Young Adults To Stay Insured
Many former foster kids are entitled to Medicaid coverage until they turn 26 but eligibility workers ? and they themselves
Local Governments In Texas Pursue Marketplace Signups
Local government officials and community-based organizations are working together to incorporate new rules, maximize their resources and educate uninsured Texans on how to take advantage of the federal health law.
Florida’s Decision Hurts County With Highest Uninsured Rate
Many Hendry County residents earn too little for federal subsidies but are ineligible for Medicaid since state lawmakers opted against expanding the program.
Philadelphia-Area Blues Struggle To Match Customer Service To Demand
The region’s two largest health insurers faced a rush of new customers leading up the ACA deadline. Now both face a surge of customer service complaints.
In Western N.C., Getting Health Coverage Means Getting Creative
A navigator helps people, like John Martin (above), who fall into coverage gap in Appalachia figure out ways to qualify for and receive Obamacare insurance subsidies.
Texas Imposes New Rules On Health Insurance Navigators
The state’s top insurance regulator softened some provisions, but will require that navigators receive additional state training and undergo background checks and fingerprinting.
Health Law Spurs State Shift in Long-Term Care
Many states are taking advantage of a $3 billion health law program meant to help older Americans avoid nursing homes and instead get long-term care in their own homes — something many of them prefer.
Michigan Republicans Rethink Medicaid Expansion
Michigan is one of only a handful of Republican-led states that is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. It did it by forging a plan that worked for both political parties, business interests, doctors and hospitals.
Miami Children’s Hospital Part Of A Trend: Revealing Some Price Information
Hospital executives will list adjusted charges to more accurately reflect what Miami Children’s collects from insurers, so consumers can estimate their out-of-pocket costs.
Signing Up The Homeless, One At A Time
Skid Row clinics in Los Angeles and other locations around the country are educating and enrolling homeless people in new health coverage, but mental illness and drug addiction pose challenges.
Check Your Blood Pressure, (Unwittingly) Sell Your Contact Information
SoloHealth, a company that puts health screening kiosks in supermarkets, partners with insurers looking to sign people up with Affordable Care Act polices.
Affording The Affordable Care Act
Despite the name of the new health care law, anti-poverty agencies nationwide fear that the poor will continue to struggle to find affordable health insurance coverage.
Nearly A Quarter Of Health Marketplace Enrollees Are Young Adults
This group of people aged 18 to 34, who make up about 40 percent of the potential market, is vital to the health of the insurance exchanges.
Maryland’s Bold Hospital Spending Plan Gets Federal Blessing
Maryland hospitals have agreed to new spending limits and big changes in the way they are paid, creating what could be a national model.
Obamacare Giving Big Boost To Georgia’s Health IT Industry
In a state where politicians have said ‘no’ to the Affordable Care Act, the area around Atlanta has a growing number of health IT businesses. Some are benefiting from the law.
