Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Could Medicaid Expansion Debate Turn Into An Immigration Issue?
Proponents of expanding Medicaid in Florida argue that a ‘no’ vote means that legal immigrants will have access to insurance subsidies while some U.S. citizens go without coverage.
Exemption Gives Some Texas Residents Health Law Reprieve
Community-based organizations work to educate residents on the federal law by walking them through the “hardship waiver” application process.
Obama Administration Proposes 1.9% Cut In Medicare Advantage Payments
Insurers claim the cuts are deeper and are campaigning to stop them, saying they will hurt seniors.
Impact Of Medicare Advantage Cuts On Seniors Sharply Disputed
Experts say that costs may rise for some enrollees, but rates have been largely stable for most.
Medicare Data Show Wide Differences In ACOs’ Patient Care
The first public evaluation of how 141 networks of doctors and hospitals performed looks at five quality measures for patients with diabetes and heart disease.
A Reader Asks: Can My Doctor Charge Me For ‘Chronic Disease Management’ In My Annual Physical?
KHN’s consumer columnist says that even though many preventive care services are covered without cost to the patient, “evaluation and management services” can be billed separately.
Corbett’s Final Medicaid Expansion Plan: Gentler, But Still An Outlier
The plan by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett would use federal money to buy private insurance for newly eligible Medicaid enrollees and require work searches or job training.
Some Plans Refuse To Cover Medical Costs Related To Suicide Despite Federal Rules
Under the health law and 2006 regulations, insurers can’t deny medical coverage for an individual’s injuries because they resulted from medical condition such as depression, even if it was not diagnosed before the injury.
Libraries Serve As Health Insurance Info Hubs
In Philadelphia and across the country, librarians are digging into the details of the Affordable Care Act to help patrons sign up for health insurance.
Report: Nearly 3.3 Million Americans Have Enrolled in Private Obamacare Plans
The number of young adults still lags, but the pace of signups has increased.
Questions And Answers On The Latest ACA Delay
The administration pressed the pause button on part of the health law again. Here’s what the new timeline for the employer mandate means for businesses, workers — and for politicians.
Once limited to filling and dispensing drugs, pharmacists in California are increasingly providing direct care to patients.
Some Middle-Class Families Find Price Of Subsidized Health Coverage ‘Awfully High’
For nearly 3 million Americans, subsidies don’t kick in until they’ve paid up to 9.5% of their income toward premiums.
Family Planning Clinics In Calif. Squeezed By Health Law
As more clients go on Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, some birth control clinics are losing money and looking for creative ways to adapt.
The Rise Of Medical Identity Theft In Healthcare
As modern technology has ushered in more convenience and flexibility for users, it has also burdened victims with one worry: Identity theft.
Obamacare Thrives In San Francisco’s Chinatown
The immigrant community became self-sufficient by necessity, building its own hospital more than a century ago. Now, that hospital offers a health plan on Covered California that is exceeding its enrollment goals.
The Health Law’s ‘3 Rs’ For Insurers: A Bailout Or Necessary Safeguards?
The provisions in the law are designed to help insurance companies adjust to the new markets, but Republicans warn that the program could turn out to be costly for taxpayers.
Insurers Eye Market For Supplemental Health Coverage To Fill Gaps Left By Obamacare, Employer Plans
While these plans represent one of the fastest growing components of the employer benefits marketplace, some experts warn they might cause consumer confusion.
A Third Generation Doctor Questions The Profession
Overwhelming bureaucracy and crushing student loan debt were not part of the package for Dr. Michael Sawyer’s father and grandfather. Still, he feels medicine is a calling.
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.
