Health Insurance News and Research

RSS

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal skeptical of navigators program; scare tactics against Obamacare growing

By August 15, the Obama administration is expected to spend $54 million of our tax dollars to hire community organizers to push this law on the American people. ...

14 Aug 2013

Administration delays health law's limit on some out-of-pocket consumer costs

The New York Times reports that the change was included in a Department of Labor rule issued in February. Also in the news, KHN details the complex choices the overhaul presents for people with disabilities and Bloomberg notes a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge allowing Oklahoma's legal challenge to the law to proceed.

14 Aug 2013

The countdown's on to opening day, but enrollment challenges persist

Stateline reports on the advocacy group Enroll America's plan to focus on 10 states as it tries to get the uninsured enrolled in plans offered on the new online insurance marketplaces. Meanwhile, the Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is asking the administration to delay the exchanges because of data security concerns.

14 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Obama overlooking legal constraints on employer mandate delay; Bush's 'unnecessary' heart procedure; discrimination against people with mental illnesses

In his Friday remarks, Mr. Obama also claimed that he had the "executive authority" for the mandate delay. But if he really believes that, then why did he say he would normally ask for a legislative "tweak." Either the fix requires legislation or it doesn't. His comments are certainly revealing about his attitudes on Presidential power and the constraints of the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Section 3 instructs him to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, not merely what he thinks is "the essence" of laws (8/10).

13 Aug 2013

State highlights: Hundreds lost D.C. Medicaid without cause, some allege; N.Y. firms accused of political wrongdoing in Medicaid; unions fight NYC health care plan

A selection of health policy stories from the District of Columbia, New York, California, Florida, North Carolina and Colorado.

13 Aug 2013

State health insurance marketplaces progress with fits and starts

The Washington Post reports on tools that will be available to residents in D.C., Maryland and Virginia to help them get up to speed on the health law, and The Associated Press details how some insurers are opening retail stores to help educate potential consumers about the health law. Other news outlets report on the latest developments in Georgia, Oregon, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Minnesota.

13 Aug 2013

Obama's health law promises put to the test

The Hill checks up on five health law promises from the president as implementation continues. Meanwhile, Kaiser Health News examines how some low-income people might gain insurance if their state doesn't expand its Medicaid program, but the strategy will carry risks.

13 Aug 2013

Foreign docs face challenging transition to U.S. system

News outlets report on issues ranging from how foreign doctors are assimilated into the U.S. health care system to how nurse practitioners might help address the physician shortage and the job market nurses are facing.

13 Aug 2013

Obama urges veterans to speak up for the health law

President says overhaul won't affect veterans' benefits. Meanwhile, religious leaders in Illinois are promoting the law.

13 Aug 2013

First Edition: Aug. 12, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about state action on the health law's implementation and other news from the health insurance marketplace.

12 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: The case for gov't shutdown over Obamacare; Tea Partiers Vs. GOP 'establishment types'

So the fight to stop ObamaCare now is an urgent matter. Elected leaders in both parties should summon the courage to put their political futures on the line, because the future of America is truly on the line. Politicians who oppose ObamaCare should not vote to fund it. ... a failure of Republicans to show the courage of their convictions on such a fundamental issue will inspire no one and will further alienate the American people from their government.

12 Aug 2013

Research roundup: Use of high-deductible plans limits some E.R. visits; older folks not as sick as they used to be

One-third of US workers now have high-deductible health plans, and those numbers are expected to grow in 2014 as implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues. There is concern that high-deductible health plans might cause enrollees of low socioeconomic status to forgo emergency care as a result of burdensome out-of-pocket costs.

12 Aug 2013

Insurance agents target navigators; GOP Rep. Mchenry grilled at town hall; questions remain for Capitol Hill staff

When states and the federal government launch the new insurance marketplaces, or &quotexchanges&quot, on October 1, one of their greatest challenges will be reaching the very people the marketplaces are meant to help. ... Enter the navigators.

12 Aug 2013

Pentagon expected to announce same-sex spouse benefits soon; study shows people don't understand insurance

Military officials may give these spouses health care, housing and other benefits by the end of the month, the Associated Press reports.

12 Aug 2013

Sebelius open to 'uniquely Texan' approach to covering uninsured

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in Texas yesterday that the Obama administration was flexible about how coverage might be expanded in that state, "but as far as I know, those conversations, at least with the state officials, are not taking place right now." Meanwhile, several state officials, including Gov. Rick Perry, blasted the federal health care law.

12 Aug 2013

'Looming questions' remain about technology for marketplaces

But HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and CMS director Marilyn Tavenner say the exchanges will be ready to operate on Oct. 1.

12 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 9, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including Kathleen Sebelius' outreach to Texans and a look at Americans' comprehension of health insurance.

9 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Fears of health law's adverse selection; GOP's 'fundamental miscalculation;' special deal for Congress keeps dissent low

Yet despite the care the administration took in establishing incentives and safeguards, even some of Obamacare's most committed backers are wondering whether the experiment will work as advertised - or, like Harvard's P.P.O., go off the rails along the way. Adverse selection is perhaps the direst threat. ... Healthier Americans will probably flock to cheaper bronze plans. And insurers will vie to enroll the healthy. In some states, big insurers have chosen not to participate in exchanges to avoid their strictures. On the outside, they could still sell cheap plans to skim off the healthy and avoid a rule that insurers on the exchanges must also offer more generous silver and gold plans (Eduardo Porter, 8/7).

9 Aug 2013

12 insurers sign contracts for California exchange - but one plan opts out

Reports also detail how health exchanges are taking shape in Maryland, Wisconsin, Oregon, Iowa, D.C. and Connecticut.

9 Aug 2013

Govt. will continue to pay for Capitol Hill staffer health coverage, but mostly in exchanges

New details from the Obama administration clear a way for the government to continue to pay for the bulk of the costs associated with providing health coverage to Capitol Hill staffers, though they must buy coverage on Obamacare exchanges instead of getting it through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. The rules say each congressional office should make the determination, however, about which employees move to exchanges and which can stay on the federal plans.

9 Aug 2013

Health Insurance News and Research

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal skeptical of navigators program; scare tactics against Obamacare growing

Administration delays health law's limit on some out-of-pocket consumer costs

The countdown's on to opening day, but enrollment challenges persist

Viewpoints: Obama overlooking legal constraints on employer mandate delay; Bush's 'unnecessary' heart procedure; discrimination against people with mental illnesses

State highlights: Hundreds lost D.C. Medicaid without cause, some allege; N.Y. firms accused of political wrongdoing in Medicaid; unions fight NYC health care plan

State health insurance marketplaces progress with fits and starts

Obama's health law promises put to the test

Foreign docs face challenging transition to U.S. system

Obama urges veterans to speak up for the health law

First Edition: Aug. 12, 2013

Viewpoints: The case for gov't shutdown over Obamacare; Tea Partiers Vs. GOP 'establishment types'

Research roundup: Use of high-deductible plans limits some E.R. visits; older folks not as sick as they used to be

Insurance agents target navigators; GOP Rep. Mchenry grilled at town hall; questions remain for Capitol Hill staff

Pentagon expected to announce same-sex spouse benefits soon; study shows people don't understand insurance

Sebelius open to 'uniquely Texan' approach to covering uninsured

'Looming questions' remain about technology for marketplaces

First Edition: August 9, 2013

Viewpoints: Fears of health law's adverse selection; GOP's 'fundamental miscalculation;' special deal for Congress keeps dissent low

12 insurers sign contracts for California exchange - but one plan opts out

Govt. will continue to pay for Capitol Hill staffer health coverage, but mostly in exchanges

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News