Affordable Care Act

Alina Nurieva (right) sat with Gabriela Cisneros, an insurance agent from Sunshine Life and Health Advisors, and picked an insurance plan at the Mall of the Americas in Miami last November.

Where Insurers' Exits Are Hurting Obamacare Exchanges — And Where They Aren't

5:13pm August 18, 2016

by Phil Galewitz

Competition on some exchanges will be diminished next year when three of the nation's largest health insurers drop out. Still, most marketplace consumers won't see any ill effects from the moves.

Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna, told the Justice Department in July that the insurer would walk away from many health exchanges if the government opposed the company's proposed deal for Humana. On Tuesday, Aetna followed through.

Aetna CEO To Justice Department: Block Our Deal And We'll Drop Out Of Obamacare

3:51pm August 17, 2016

by Scott Hensley

A July letter from Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini to the Justice Department said the company would pull back from health insurance exchanges if the government opposed the company's merger with Humana.

Left: Anthony Scaramucci; Center: Carla Sands; Right: Betsy McCaughey

After Criticism, Trump Adds Women To His Economic Advisory Team

6:43pm August 11, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

The new advisers include several longtime GOP fundraisers and critics of Hillary Clinton. The GOP presidential nominee's initial list last week consisted entirely of white men.

Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, said the projected rate increases for 2017 are linked to increases in the cost of health care in the state.

Covered California's Health Plan Rates To Jump Sharply In 2017

5:03pm July 19, 2016

After two years of moderate rate hikes, a double-digit increase in the cost of insurance premiums in California is likely to resonate across the U.S. in the debate about the benefits of Obamacare.

HHS Report Says Obamacare Plans Are Cheaper Than They Look

3:40pm July 12, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The deductibles that most people actually pay are much lower than those advertised because of subsidies, according to a report released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

President Obama speaks in Dallas in 2013 about the technical problems that affected the initial rollout of the Affordable Care Act. Now, citing the law's success, he is urging Congress to expand the insurance offerings.

Obama Renews Call For A 'Public Option' In Federal Health Law

2:09pm July 11, 2016

by Julie Rovner

The president made the proposal as part of a comprehensive look at the Affordable Care Act's legacy in an article under his byline in JAMA, the top journal of the American Medical Association.

Her income as a New Orleans singer fluctuates with the tourist season, says Lisa Lynn Kotnik, and that's made health insurance too expensive in the past. Now that she has a Medicaid card, getting the health care and medicine she needs should be easier.

Louisiana Medicaid Expansion Brings Insurance To Many New Orleans Musicians

4:38pm July 01, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The state this week became the 31st in the nation to expand Medicaid to the working poor. It's also the first state in the Deep South to embrace the Obamacare program.

How do you stay on the family health plan without your parents finding out about your health issues?

States Offer Privacy Protection For Young Adults On Parents' Health Plan

6:15pm June 28, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

When children up to the age of 26 can stay on the family health insurance plan, it can be difficult for them to keep their medical information private from Mom and Dad.

Economy

NC Insurers Propose 18%-Plus Premium Increases On Obamacare Exchange

3:19pm May 31, 2016

by Michael Tomsic, WFAE

In North Carolina, the two largest remaining insurance companies on the Obamacare exchange are requesting average premium increases of more than 18 percent.

A subsidiary of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield in Virginia won't offer an insurance plan on the lowest tier of the marketplace next year.

Is Virginia Health Insurer's Decision To Drop Bronze Plans An Omen?

1:31pm May 27, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Bronze plans provide the least generous coverage of the four tiers on insurance marketplaces, paying 60 percent of benefits, on average, compared with 70 percent for the more popular silver plans.