Latest Morning Briefing Stories
New Providers Face Obstacles in Texas Women’s Health Program
Physician groups generally don’t have the public financing to pay for services that aren’t expressly covered by the state program — creating difficulties for their low-income patients, as well as for their own practices.
Doors To Treatment Opening For Poor Illinoisans Struggling With Mental Illness
Federal and state laws expand psychiatric coverage, but some experts fear care will be in short supply.
Texas Democrats Say Navigator Rules Are Politically Motivated
Democratic legislators on Monday pushed Texas Department of Insurance officials to justify their proposed regulations for navigators.
Health Law Inspires Hope But Also Worry Among Those With HIV
People with HIV and AIDS can get private insurance, but advocates say that doesn’t guarantee access to high quality care.
Nonprofit Health Centers Go Into For-Profit Insurance Business
A growing number are starting managed care plans to boost revenue and gain more control over patient care.
Are There Enough Doctors For The Newly Insured?
With the health law bringing newly insured consumers as of Jan. 1, experts wonder whether some will have trouble gaining access to timely treatment.
Many Spanish Speakers Left Behind In First Wave Of Obamacare
Enrollment of key group is hampered by language, cultural and technological barriers.
In Los Angeles, there’s a concerted effort to enroll the homeless into Medicaid, as the federal-state health insurance program opens for the first time to all poor adults.
Six Things That May Move Public Perception Of Obamacare
How valuable people find their new health coverage will help shape public opinion of the law going forward.
One Texan Weighs Obamacare Options: High Deductible Vs. ‘Huge Fear’
Going without insurance “is like gambling,” says a 43-year-old social worker. But the high deductibles of Affordable Care Act plans make them a hard sell.
Even In Well-Funded Colorado, Tough To Help People Enroll In Obamacare
Even with lots of money and navigators at supermarkets and other places, Colorado is only about 17 percent of the way to the goal of enrolling 136,000 people by the end of March.
Health Insurers Scramble Toward Jan. 1 Coverage Deadlines
Rule changes and deadline shifts have complicated the efforts of health insurance companies to prepare for a wave of new customers and “post-enrollment snafus.”
Minnesota Exchange Chief Resigns Amid Criticism
MNsure Executive Director April Todd-Malmlov stepped down under fire for the troubled rollout of the state’s health marketplace and an ill-timed, two-week Costa Rica vacation she took in November.
In Hollywood, Health Coverage Presents Unique Challenges
The entertainment industry relies heavily on freelancers and independent contractors who rarely are able to gain health insurance through their employers. Though the health law might help some, people in this industry still sometimes face difficulties in the health care system.
Claims Drop After Texas Takes Over Women’s Health Program
With the exclusion of roughly 40 Planned Parenthood clinics, claims for birth control and wellness exams dropped for the first six months of 2013, as did enrollment numbers.
Some Ski Country Coloradans Angry About Higher Insurance Rates
Health insurance costs more in the famous ski areas of Colorado than in nearby Denver, and residents are crying foul.
New York Data Show Hospital Charges All Over The Map
Consumers should not assume that facilities provide better care because they charge more, experts say.
Why Some State Health Exchanges Worked
The most successful exchanges kept things simple, amply tested systems
Obamacare Benefits Elusive For Many Working Poor In Northern Florida
In rural panhandle towns, people know little about the health law, and what they know they don’t like. Still, many could benefit from the law’s subsidies to buy insurance, while others will be left out because the state is not expanding Medicaid.
A Test For The Health Law In Scandal-Plagued Cities Of Southeast Los Angeles
Overcoming distrust of government won’t be easy in Bell and Cudahy, and neither will signing up 60 percent of the residents for Covered California insurance.
