Health Insurance

Amanda Cahill, a supporter of Montana's tobacco tax measure, I-185, at a press conference near the state capitol last August. Tobacco firms have spent $17 million in opposition to the initiative, compared to an $8 million campaign by those in favor of it.

Big Tobacco Spends Big To Block A Tax And Medicaid Expansion In Montana

9:45am November 02, 2018

by Eric Whitney

If the state's ballot initiative to fund Medicaid's expansion passes, it will mean a $2-per-pack increase in taxes on cigarettes and a new tax on electronic cigarettes.

Open enrollment for 2019 health plans begins Nov. 1 on HealthCare.gov and on most state insurance exchanges.

Looking For ACA Health Insurance For 2019? Here's What To Expect

5:23pm October 31, 2018

by Alison Kodjak

Throughout the U.S., subsidies are available to reduce the price of 2019 policies sold on state and federal insurance exchanges. But promotion of the insurance is varying widely from state to state.

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Health & Safety

Lawsuit Claims Drug Companies Have Raised Insurance Costs In North Carolina

11:30am October 31, 2018

by Neal Charnoff

A North Carolina man is suing more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies, claiming they have contributed to the rise of insurance costs in the state.

Organizers with Idahoans for Healthcare have been driving this green vehicle around the state to campaign for Medicaid expansion.

Republican Gun Store Owner And Legislator Campaigns For Medicaid Expansion In Idaho

5:01am October 23, 2018

by Phil Galewitz

Idaho is one of three conservative states where voters will decide in November whether to buck the GOP's resistance to the Affordable Care Act and implement its Medicaid expansion for adults.

As Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, campaigns for re-election, he has warned that 800,000 West Virginians with pre-existing conditions could lose health coverage.

FACT CHECK: Who's Right About Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions?

4:57pm October 11, 2018

by Julie Rovner

Consumers favor safeguards that help people with a history of health problems still get insurance. In the heat of the midterm campaigns, politicians' arguments don't always add up.

Marilyn Bartlett spent two years running Montana's employee health plan. She made better deals with hospitals and drug benefits managers and saved the plan from bankruptcy.

A Tough Negotiator Proves Employers Can Bargain Down Health Care Prices

6:33pm October 02, 2018

by Marshall Allen

A former health insurance executive has made it her mission to bring down high health care costs. She's demanding a better deal for employers — and the workers whose care they pay for.

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New short-term policies will likely be cheaper than Affordable Care Act plans. But those lower prices mean the insurers won't pay for as much health care.

Buyer Beware: New Cheaper Insurance Policies May Have Big Coverage Gaps

3:01pm October 01, 2018

by Alison Kodjak

New short-term insurance policies will likely be cheaper than Affordable Care Act plans. But those lower prices mean they won't pay for as much health care.

Because of a recent court decision, the size of the financial incentive your employer offers you in hopes of motivating you to lower your cholesterol or lose weight may soon shrink.

Health & Safety

Workplace Wellness Plans Offer Big Incentives, But May Cost Your Privacy

7:02am September 22, 2018

by Julie Appleby

Uncertainty over federal standards for these cost-saving programs could trigger different perks for employees, and change what they must do to qualify.

Health insurers who offer Medicare Advantage plans have permission to soon require patients to try less expensive alternatives to some before receiving pricier drugs.

Health & Safety

New Medicare Advantage Tool To Control Drug Prices Could Narrow Choices

3:19pm September 13, 2018

by Susan Jaffe

Federal officials will allow private Medicare insurance plans to require patients who are candidates for certain expensive drugs to try cheaper drugs first.

The total bill for Drew Calver's four-day hospital stay at St. David's Medical Center in April 2017 was $164,941. His insurer paid $55,840, leaving Calver responsible for the unpaid balance of $108,951.31.

Health & Safety

The Remedy For Surprise Medical Bills May Lie In Stitching Up Federal Law

5:11pm September 10, 2018

Gaps in a wide-ranging law covering employee benefits can blindside consumers whose health coverage is provided by company and union health plans that pay claims out of their own funds.