Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Houston Embraces Obamacare Outreach, Despite Cruz and Perry
A coalition of the city’s health department, county clinics and groups like the Urban League and Enroll America is trying to get the word out to Houston’s 800,000 uninsured residents about the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, which will open Oct. 1.
Worried About Costs And Unaware of Help, Californians Head Into New Era of Health Coverage
Survey of 2,000 Californians also finds that many undocumented immigrants mistakenly believe they will be covered.
Missouri, Illinois Health Insurance Exchanges Gear Up Quietly
In Missouri, a decidedly low-profile campaign stems from a voter referendum last year barring the governor from moving forward on an exchange. In Illinois, officials partnered with the federal government to build the marketplace. Nonetheless, neither exchange has given any cost information to consumers.
What Consumers Really Want From An Obamacare Plan
When consultants ran simulations of the exchanges that open for enrollment Oct. 1, they found that price was a major consideration. But so were hospital networks — more so than retaining doctors.
FAQ: Obamacare And Coverage For Immigrants
The federal overhaul will help some immigrants who are not citizens gain insurance, but there are no provisions to help those who are in the country illegally.
48 Million Americans Remain Uninsured, Census Bureau Reports
The uninsured rate for 2012 dropped slightly from 15.7 percent to 15.4 percent, largely because of an increase in people enrolled in public insurance programs.
The Overlooked Obamacare Sales Force: Hospitals
Nobody has a bigger financial stake in the success of Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges than hospitals. And few may work harder to sign up consumers than hospitals themselves.
Local Uninsured Programs Face Uncertain Times As Obamacare Ramps Up
Some enrollees will have to pay more for coverage in new exchanges, while others may lose out in states that do not expand Medicaid.
Obamacare Insurance Co-ops At The Starting Gate
The health law created 24 nonprofit, insurance company startups that will compete with long established companies starting next month.
How Will Immigrants Fare Under Obamacare? It’s Complicated
What benefits, if any, immigrants get under the health-care overhaul depends on several factors: their immigration status, income, length of stay in this country and – in limited cases – their country of origin.
Florida Is No. 2 In Nation For Rate Of Uninsured
Census data show that about 25 percent of state residents lack health coverage in a state that has opted against the health law’s expansion of Medicaid, the government health program for the poor and disabled.
Pennsylvania Blues Plan Pinpoints Potential Customers Using Data
With less than five weeks before the online exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act open for enrollment, insurers are using tools pioneered by political campaigns to identify potential customers and analyze their needs.
Missouri Consumers In The Dark As Health Insurance Exchange Nears
The administration of Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has walked a political tightrope as the state gets ready for a federal initiative that the Republican-led Legislature strongly opposes and state voters have weighed in against – twice.
A Nevada Health Plan — Without The Insurance
A novel medical discount plan negotiates lower prices at the doctor’s office or hospitals for members who aren’t insured.
Mapping A Strategy To Reach Uninsured In King County, Wash.
Maps that show where the highest levels of uninsured live will help them target these areas for education and outreach in order to boost insurance coverage as required by the federal Affordable Care Act.
St. Louis’ Busiest Safety Net Hospital Braces For Health Law Challenges
Christian Hospital’s struggle to serve the disadvantaged is not likely to get easier under the Affordable Care Act.
New Missouri law Imposes Hurdle For Insurance Exchange
The law requires insurance counselors
Texas Health Care Providers Bracing for Medicaid Enrollment
The Lone Star State is not expanding its Medicaid program, but enrollment is still expected to surge as families seek coverage to comply with the individual insurance mandate.
Connecting Minnesota’s Latino Community To Health Care
One-in-eight Minnesota Latinos is uninsured. As the health law rolls out, community clinics in the state will be connecting Latinos to their new insurance options.
Health Exchange Pitch To Sports Fans Started In Fenway
The Red Sox helped get the word out about Massachusetts’ health reform in 2007, and in Colorado at least, the state is marketing its new insurance exchange to fans of the Rockies.
