Health Insurance

Patients always have the right to appeal an insurer's decision to turn down their request for care at a major cancer center. But the chances an appeal will be honored can vary widely by type of cancer and an individual's case.

Obamacare Plans Don't Always Include Top Cancer Centers

5:54pm January 03, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

In a number of states, including big ones such as New York and Texas, leading cancer centers like Memorial Sloan Kettering aren't included in insurers' networks. What's a patient's recourse?

Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington on March 23, 2010.

Obamacare Is First Item On Congress' Chopping Block

7:24am January 02, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Republicans in Congress have vowed to repeal the health care law as soon as they get back to work. But they don't have a replacement ready, and insurers fear that could cause the market to collapse.

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For Many, Fewer Obamacare Choices Doesn't Mean Higher Prices

9:32am December 28, 2016

by Philip Galewitz

One in five people getting health care through the Affordable Care Act no longer have a choice of insurers. But those markets don't have significantly higher prices than areas with competition.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence announces in 2015 that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the state's waiver request to expand Medicaid coverage.

The Future Of Medicaid May Be Found In Indiana, Where The Poor Pay

1:27pm December 27, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Seema Verma, the architect of Indiana's Medicaid overhaul, is slated to run the federal agency overseeing the health care program for the poor. She instated mandatory payments from recipients.

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Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis gets his blood pressure checked in a mobile medical unit parked at the state Capitol.

White House Sharpens Its Case For Obamacare, As Republicans Sharpen Knives

8:53am December 24, 2016

by Scott Horsley

President Obama and his advisers are trying to document the accomplishments of his signature health care law, mindful that Republicans are dead set on repeal.

Cyclosporine is one of the drugs that organ transplant patients take so the body won't reject the organ.

Medicare Pays For A Kidney Transplant, But Not The Drugs To Keep It Viable

11:13am December 22, 2016

by Richard Harris

The federal government pays for kidney transplants. But the program only pays for essential anti-rejection drugs for three years. Many people can't afford them and can end up losing the kidney.

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Revised Special Insurance Enrollment Rules Shift Burden To Consumers

6:19pm December 21, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Consumers who want to sign up for health coverage on the federal marketplace after the usual deadline passes may need to do extra work to show they qualify for special enrollment later.

If you need to buy health insurance, don't procrastinate.

Sign Up For Health Coverage If You Need It, Despite GOP Repeal Plans

5:15pm December 13, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Republicans' plans to overhaul the federal health law aren't expected to take effect immediately, so consumers can still sign up for 2017 coverage — and should, if they need insurance.

Senate Republicans will move "right after the first of the year" on a resolution to replace the Affordable Care Act, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Monday.

Obamacare's Demise Could Be Quicker Than Republicans Intend

6:51pm December 12, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Congressional leaders say they want a smooth transition from Obamacare. But insurance consultants say repealing the law before another plan is in place could jeopardize the insurance of millions.

Don't Skip Medicare Coverage For Doctor Visits, Even If You Have Other Insurance

11:33am December 10, 2016

by Susan Jaffe

As more seniors keep working and maintain health coverage on the job, there is greater potential for costly confusion about when and how to sign up for Medicare.