individual mandate

Demonstrators from Doctors for America marched in support of the Affordable Care Act outside the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2015. Now, another case aims to undo the federal health law: Texas v. United States could land in front of the Supreme Court ahead

The Affordable Care Act Is Back In Court: 5 Facts You Need To Know

7:49am July 09, 2019

by Julie Rovner

The ACA is again being put to the test, after a lower court judge ruled the massive health law unconstitutional. The case might yet ricochet back to the Supreme Court ahead of the 2020 election.

In 2015, demonstrators in Washington, D.C., urged Supreme Court justices to save the Affordable Care Act from a legal challenge. The federal health law survived, but last week U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled it invalid. An appeal of his controvers

Judge Who Invalidated Obamacare Has Been A 'Go-To Judge' For Republicans, Critics Say

8:11am December 20, 2018

by Ashley Lopez

Court watchers weren't shocked when Reed O'Connor, a U.S. district judge in Texas, ruled the Affordable Care Act invalid. Critics say he usually sides with Republicans on ideological cases.

Queue Listen Now

Despite the political uncertainties, insurance companies have started to learn how to make a profit on the plans they offer through the Affordable Care Act.

Analysts Predict Health Care Marketplace Premiums Will Stabilize In 2019

5:06am September 03, 2018

by Alison Kodjak

In signs the health care market may be maturing, an analysis of insurance filings shows premiums will rise less than 4 percent on average and companies plan to market more policies in more places.

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Charlie Wood of Charlottesville, Va., plays with bubbles during a May 4, 2017, rally near the Capitol to oppose proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act. Charlie was born a few months prematurely, and her mother, Rebecca (left), fears changes to the he

What To Watch For As Trump Takes Aim At ACA Protections

6:02pm June 08, 2018

The Trump administration has declined to defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in court, saying protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be declared unconstitutional.

The new exemptions will mostly apply to penalty payments tied to 2018 taxes and to the previous two years.

4 New Exemptions To The Tax Penalty For Lacking Health Insurance

5:00am April 24, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

Rule changes from the Trump administration offer exemptions for people in areas with only one marketplace plan, as well as for some who oppose abortion and can't find a health plan that excludes it.

As states brace for insurance market instability, some — like Maryland — take aggressive action.

A Health Plan 'Down Payment' Is One Way States Try Retooling Individual Mandate

2:17pm March 08, 2018

by Rachel Bluth

As states brace for insurance market instability, some — like Maryland — take aggressive action.

Confused about whether your health plan is ACA-compliant? To be sure you're using your state's official marketplace, start with HealthCare.gov, and click on "see if I can change."

Your 2018 Health Plan Must Comply With ACA Rules Or You Risk Tax Penalties

7:59pm February 27, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

The tax reform law passed in December did repeal the Affordable Care Act's penalties for not having comprehensive health insurance. But the penalties are still in effect until 2019.

Some Republicans see HSAs as a great way of helping consumers deal with mounting medical costs. It's still possible a change to the rules governing who can have an HSA and what they are allowed to cover could be added to another bill, some analysts say.

GOP Tax Bill Leaves Health Savings Accounts Untouched

10:47am December 19, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Republicans tried last summer to expand the use of these tax-advantaged accounts that are linked to high-deductible health plans. But their expansion proposal didn't make it into the tax bill.

Isabel Diaz Tinoco and Jose Luis Tinoco had some questions for the Miami insurance agent who helped guide them in signing up for a HealthCare.gov policy at the Mall of the Americas in November.

HealthCare.gov Enrollment Ends Friday. Sign-ups Likely to Trail Last Year's

4:57pm December 13, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

A shorter enrollment period and big cuts in the federal budget for outreach are taking a toll, say those helping with health insurance sign-ups. Deadlines for most state exchanges are a little later.

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Opposition to Obamacare has been strong from the beginning. Demonstrators made their dissatisfaction clear in front of the Supreme Court in 2015.

Health & Safety

Why Do So Many People Hate Obamacare So Much?

4:52pm December 13, 2017

by Julie Rovner

Some knocks on the Affordable Care Act are ideological. Others are misunderstandings. People who make too much to qualify for subsidies to defray their mandated insurance purchases have suffered.