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More young workers decline employer health coverage

Despite the mandate that most Americans carry health insurance or pay a penalty, young workers employed by large companies signed up for job-based health plans at a lower rate than last year, according to a report by payroll services company Automatic Data Processing Inc. Meanwhile, Connecticut gets another insurer, and employers continue to shift health care costs to their workers.

7 Apr 2014

Casting doubt on the employer mandate's future

Recent comments made by Obama administration allies triggered assurances from White House spokesman Jay Carney.

7 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 4, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about a Capitol Hill hearing in which state exchange officials discussed the difficulties they faced with the operation of their online insurance marketplaces.

4 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: 'Pent-up demand' for health care; too early for that White House victory lap; the fight over Medicare advantage

More than seven million people have signed up for insurance on the new federal and state health exchanges, President Obama said this week. Millions more could be added to that total once insurers tally up the people who bought policies directly from them and when those who tried to apply on balky websites are able to complete the process.

4 Apr 2014

Jindal offers alternative to health law

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal unveiled a 26-page health plan that emphasizes the role of states in keeping health costs down while giving consumers more flexibility. He also reiterates the need to repeal Obamacare.

3 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: GOP can no longer wait for Obamacare 'to implode;' Ryan's version of 'trickle-down economics'

Now that Obamacare has finished with an amazing surge in signups, apparently passing the 7 million mark for the exchanges, there have been two main responses. Republicans are in full-on denial - the books are cooked! Nobody has paid! It's only because people have been forced to do it! Benghazi! Vince Foster! Meanwhile, progressives are full of caution.

3 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: 'Thrice-buried' Obamacare 'looks very much alive;' Ted Cruz 'gets an earful'

Back when rate shock, website problems and lagging enrollment were threatening to unravel the new health care law before it fully took effect, I concluded a column on Obamacare's repeated near-death experiences with the following warning to conservatives: ... What isn't killed outright grows stronger the longer it's embedded in the federal apparatus, gaining constituents and interest-group support just by virtue of its existence even if it doesn't work out the way it was designed. ... the serious right-of-center alternatives to Obamacare have always included policies to expand coverage, and with a coverage expansion accomplished, Republicans may find themselves effectively forced in a more serious direction. ... wherever they go and whatever they do, they will have to deal with the reality that Obamacare, thrice-buried, looks very much alive (Ross Douthat, 3/31).

2 Apr 2014

Enrollment dramas ripple through the states

As the health overhaul's first open enrollment period drew to a close, states experienced triumphs as well as tribulations -- whether they were running their own websites or using the federal exchange.

2 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 1, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including an array of stories as the health law's enrollment period comes to a close

1 Apr 2014

Providing health insurance coverage to uninsured people does not result in reduced readmission rates

Boston-In a first of its kind retrospective study, Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers have found that providing health insurance coverage to previously uninsured people does not result in reducing 30-day readmission rates.

1 Apr 2014

Marketplace website goes offline briefly this morning

The site was down for maintenance after federal officials said that it had 2 million visits over the weekend.

1 Apr 2014

Assessing the possible impact of Obamacare on Nov. elections

A variety of news organizations analyzed what might happen in the fall, because of political campaigns built around the health law.

1 Apr 2014

Looking ahead at health law milestones

With open enrollment for 2014 set to formally close today, analysts note that it will take years to assess whether the health law succeeds at creating stable markets for those without employer-sponsored insurance. Several look at likely victories and hurdles.

1 Apr 2014

First Edition: March 31, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations offer assessments of the administration's campaign to get people signed up for health care and a look at the issues going forward after today's deadline for most enrollments.

31 Mar 2014

Last minute surge in Obamacare sign-ups

With the deadline for most people on Monday, the administration says the website is dealing with heavy traffic.

31 Mar 2014

Research roundup: Distance from a transplant center; Medicaid prenatal care; metastasis of email; profiting from Medicare Advantage

Centralization of specialized health care services such as organ transplantation and bariatric surgery is advocated to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce cost.

29 Mar 2014

Roundup: Texas Medicaid fraud settlement; Texas abortion law upheld; Va. mental health tragedy details

A selection of health policy stories from Texas, Virginia, California, Michigan and Massachusetts.

29 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 28, 2014

The White House said on Thursday that more than six million people had signed up for medical insurance plans under President Obama's health care law, exceeding the administration's revised goal for enrollment by the Monday deadline.

28 Mar 2014

Surge of sign ups expected to hit HealthCare.gov before March 31

Consumers who at least begin the enrollment process before Monday's deadline can avoid the health law's tax penalty, according to this week's Obama administration decision. The change, which some are calling an extension, has triggered some worry from insurers and a round of new attacks from the overhaul's opponents.

28 Mar 2014

California, Oregon also make deadline accommodations

California officials say they will stick with the March 31 deadline for applying for health insurance but are granting those who start an application by then until April 15 to finish it. Oregon officials, meanwhile, gave residents another 30 days to get coverage through Cover Oregon. And in Texas, advocates continue their all-out push despite the relaxation of the federal exchange deadline.

28 Mar 2014