Affordable Care Act

States are taking very different marketing tacks to get residents to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. In their own ways, they're trying hard to make insurance appealing to uninsured young people.

When is an inpatient in the hospital not an inpatient in the hospital? When that patient is on observation status. Patients who are termed on observation can have trouble getting Medicare to pay if they need to go to a nursing home. The practice has sparked lawsuits and legislation.

Think buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will be confusing? You're not alone. NPR listeners asked questions that have been bugging them about student status options and penalties. Julie Rovner, NPR's health policy correspondent, explains how it's going to work.

The Affordable Care Act sets up categories of essential health benefits that insurance plans must cover. Some categories, such as maternity care and drug abuse treatment, are straightforward. But "habilitative services" — including treatments like physical and speech therapy — are much more subjective.

The Obama administration says it has solved a thorny issue that threatened the health insurance coverage of more than 10,000 congressional staffers. But critics say the administration is overstepping its legal authority.

This summer was supposed to be a time for the Obama administration to reintroduce the public to the Affordable Care Act and teach people how to sign up for benefits this fall. But despite another White House speech, that's not happening. And an expert in political messaging thinks he knows why.

To reach young people, the new health insurance exchanges are looking for sports tie-ins. One reason is the success Massachusetts had in promoting its own health overhaul in partnership with the Boston Red Sox.

Think buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will be confusing? You're not alone. NPR listeners asked questions that have been bugging them about state insurance exchanges and other new options. NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explains how it's going to work.

Medicaid in Mississippi provides insurance to 1 in 5 residents. But funding could stop July 1 if politicians don't act. The Legislature has brought the program to the brink over a debate about expanding it under the Affordable Care Act.

The nonprofit Enroll America wants to encourage uninsured Americans to sign up for the exchanges when the time comes. Though the group has support across industries and from the Health and Human Services secretary, it's still been hit by congressional controversy.