Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Affordable Care Act Exemptions Mean Millions Don’t Have To Sign Up
Exemptions allow medical bill-sharing groups to help members pay costs – without Affordable Care Act insurance.
New Head of Healthcare.gov Is Connecticut’s Counihan
Kevin Counihan, the head of Connecticut’s health insurance marketplace, will be the new CEO of healthcare.gov, the website that 36 states use to sell insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the administration announced at noon Tuesday.
New Birth Control Rules Appear To Track Supreme Court Suggestion
But some critics complain that the rules don’t broaden the religious employer exemption.
KHN Video: Transgender Surgery Covered By Insurance
After being uninsured, Palm Springs resident Devin Payne signed up for a Covered California plan under the health law. In May, the 43-year-old single parent underwent gender reassignment surgery and is looking forward to being reimbursed by her insurance company.
With Coverage Through Obamacare, Transgender Woman Opts For Surgery
The nation’s health law opens the door for transgender people to gain coverage for gender reassignment surgeries they previously could not afford.
Obamacare Still ‘Red Meat’ For GOP Candidates But Focus Of Attacks Shift
Rather than simply calling for repeal, Republicans argue the law is hurting consumers, taxpayers.
Some Insurers Refuse To Cover Contraceptives, Despite Health Law Requirement
Most plans must cover all FDA-approved birth control methods, but consumer advocates say it is still common for women to face rejection for some forms.
Are Your Medical Records Vulnerable To Theft?
Here’s what you need to know if your records are stored electronically (and they probably are).
Health Care Giants Battling For Control Of Pittsburgh’s Market
As the line between insurance companies and health care providers blurs, these onetime allies are venturing into each other’s business and becoming competitors.
Has Health Law Helped Young People Get Mental Health Treatment? Maybe
Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance abuse often start in adolescence, then peak in young adulthood. But for young people who don’t have steady jobs or stable paychecks, getting help can be tough. A popular provision of the Affordable Care Act that took effect in 2010 aimed to make it easier for young […]
Missouri Lags Behind In Insurance Pricing Transparency
Consumers in most other states have more information about, and control over, health insurance prices and plans.
Letters to the Editor is a regular feature in which readers comment on KHN original stories.
With Health Law, ERs Still Packed
Emergency-room visits have increased at many hospitals. A shortage of primary-care doctors is one reason.
Analysis: California’s Enrollment Success Is Its Greatest Challenge
After signing up hundreds of thousands of Medi-Cal enrollees, the state now needs to figure out how to care for them.
16% Of Large Employers Plan To Offer Low-Benefit ‘Skinny’ Plans Despite ACA: Survey
The National Business Group on Health also found, based on 136 large employers’ responses, a continued move toward high-deductible, “consumer-directed” plans.
More Employers Limit Health Plan Networks But Seek To Preserve Quality, Says Adviser
Dr. Robert Galvin, who helps executives at 50 companies purchase health care for employees, tells KHN that workers must become savvier consumers.
Must A Divorced Dad Cover Adult Kids; Will Medicare Pay For Infusion Therapy
KHN’s consumer columnist Michelle Andrews explores a divorced mother’s efforts to get her ex-husband to keep their sons on his plan, one senior’s problems getting Medicare to cover his antibiotic infusion at home and what earnings one reader will have to count when applying for premium subsidies.
Washington’s $10 Billion Search For Health Care’s Next Big Ideas
A little-known office tests ways to improve care, but some wonder whether its achievements will match its budget.
Vermont Is ‘Single-Payer’ Trailblazer
Vermont plays the maverick again in trying to be the first state to implement a single-payer health care system.
Obamacare Creates ‘Upheaval’ At Free Clinics
With many of their patients now insured under the law, most W. Va. free clinics are choosing to get paid by Medicaid.
