Obama's health law promises put to the test

Kaiser Health News: How Poor Might Qualify For Obamacare Subsidies In States That Don't Expand Medicaid
Some of the millions of poor people expected to lose out on Obamacare coverage next year because their states are not expanding Medicaid might have a way to get help, but the strategy carries risk. Experts say the key is for them to project their 2014 income to at least the federal poverty level, about $11,500 per person or $23,500 for a family of four (Galewitz, 8/11).

Meanwhile, in the background -

The Wall Street Journal: Lost Amid Health Policies
People can only handle so much complexity. And few things in life seem more complex than the American health-care system. How complex? A new paper suggests that even those who have health insurance have a poor understanding of their coverage. Researchers commissioned two surveys of covered Americans and found that only 14% could explain all four key health insurance concepts: deductible, copay, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. Only 11%, given all the necessary information, could calculate the cost of a four-day hospital stay to within $1,000 (Akst, 8/9).