insurance marketplace

Health & Safety

Rogue ACA insurance agents could face criminal charges under a proposed law

5:02am July 25, 2024

by Julie Appleby

Consumers, without their consent, are being enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans or their coverage is switched. A powerful U.S. senator has introduced legislation to curb the growing problem.

Illustration of a group of people putting together a large scale puzzle on the floor. The image on the puzzle is the health care cross. Medications surround the people putting the puzzle together.

Health & Safety

Shopping for ACA health insurance? Here's what's new this year

3:33pm October 31, 2022

by Julie Appleby

There's finally been a fix to the "family glitch" that made marketplace health plans sometimes unaffordable. And although premiums are rising, subsidies are too, and more people are eligible.

The Biden administration has opened up enrollment on all Affordable Care Act marketplaces, including on the federal insurance exchange, Healthcare.gov, until August. Many people will qualify for better or less expensive plans — or both.

Health Insurance For $10 Or Less A Month? You May Qualify For New Discounts

10:07am April 22, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

From now until August, you can sign up for or change coverage through the federal and state health insurance marketplaces. Many people are eligible for better or less expensive plans — or both.

Vickie Gregorio with Heartland Workforce Solutions in Omaha, Neb., updates a whiteboard outside the workforce office as unemployed job seekers wait in line for help. A recent change in federal rules gives some people who have lost their health plan along

Health & Safety

Rule Change Gives Laid-Off Workers More Time To Sign Up For COBRA Insurance

2:47pm July 20, 2020

by Michelle Andrews

People who lose their job-based health plan usually get 60 days to decide to continue it — and pay more — under federal rules. But a recent pandemic-related rule change allows more decision time.

2020 Affordable Care Act Health Plans: What's New

2:04pm November 21, 2019

by Shefali Luthra

ACA plans for 2020 are cheaper than last year — premiums lower, on average. And in some areas, people who qualify for federal subsidies could end up with no monthly payment. But read the fine print.

Many Who Buy ACA Health Plans For 2019 Find Lower Prices And More Choice

5:54am November 23, 2018

by Jordan Rau

After years of price hikes, the cost of the average Affordable Care Act policy is dropping across the U.S. Competition among insurers has increased as the political uncertainty starts to settle down.

Queue Listen Now

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar faced questions Wednesday from the House Ways and Means Committee about Idaho's move.

Idaho Insurer Moves Ahead With Health Plans That Flout Federal Rules

2:07pm February 15, 2018

by Julie Appleby

Blue Cross of Idaho unveiled new health plans that break with federal requirements in several ways, including setting premiums based on applicants' health. What will the administration do?

Consumers Hunting For Health Insurance Find High Prices — And Some Great Deals

9:30am December 14, 2017

Shop around. That's the advice of health insurance navigators for people seeking health policies on the Affordable Care Act's state and federal exchanges. Premiums have climbed but so have subsidies.

Queue Listen Now

A week after Hurricane Harvey swept through southern Texas in August, the streets of Katy, Texas, were still flooded. People in Puerto Rico and the Southeastern U.S. who were affected by the hurricanes are among those who may have extra time to enroll for

Deadline Is Friday For Most ACA Insurance Sign-Ups, With Important Exceptions

1:10pm December 12, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Some people looking for 2018 insurance under the Affordable Care Act may have a little longer to sign up — for example, in states and U.S. territories hit by this year's hurricanes.

Consumers could get cheaper coverage overall because higher subsidies are cutting out-of-pocket costs.

Shop Around: Subsidies May Offset Your 2018 Health Insurance Price Hike

4:08pm October 30, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Premiums for top-line HealthCare.gov policies are going up, federal officials confirm. But higher subsidies could cut some consumers' out-of-pocket expenses enough to make coverage cheaper overall.