Health Insurance

Even people who buy high-deductible health plans can get coverage of many preventive services without any out-of-pocket costs.

As Exchanges Open Enrollment Season, Consumers Ask More Insurance Questions

5:28pm November 03, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

It's time for people to shop for health insurance, and that means lots of confusion about about high-deductible plans, out-of-network benefits and premium increases.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell says she's willing to work with Texas leaders to craft a unique Medicaid plan for the state.

Health & Safety

Texas' Changing Relationship To Obamacare

1:10pm November 02, 2015

by Carrie Feibel

Many Texans still oppose the ACA even though the state is home to the most uninsured in the country. But more people and business groups are starting to feel the effects of not supporting the law.

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Obamacare Deploys New Apps, Allies To Persuade The Uninsured

6:46pm October 30, 2015

by Alison Kodjak

Open enrollment for Obamacare opens Sunday. Millions of people still lack health insurance, including some who signed up last year but later dropped their health coverage, calling it "unaffordable."

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Anchorage dental hygienist Victoria Cronquist pays $1,600 a month for a health insurance policy that covers four people in her family. Next year, she says, the rate is set to jump to $2,600 a month.

Steep Hikes In Insurance Rates Force Alaskans To Make Tough Choices

5:37pm October 30, 2015

by Annie Feidt

Alaskans have the highest rates for health insurance in the country. Many get a subsidy to help defray the cost, but those who don't wonder, increasingly, whether it's time to go without insurance.

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HealthCare.gov plans for 2016 open for enrollment on Sunday.

Health & Safety

Exchange Plans May Have Higher Costs, No Out-Of-Network Coverage

8:05pm October 27, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Enrollment for HealthCare.gov plans for 2016 begins Sunday. Insurance shoppers should check their projected health costs and each plan's network of doctors and hospitals before choosing coverage.

A psychiatrist isn't covered under some Affordable Care Act plans.

Some Health Plans Have No In-Network Doctors In Key Specialties

3:19pm October 27, 2015

by Alison Kodjak

Health plans sold on the federal exchange don't all include key specialists like psychiatrists and rheumatologists in network. That can mean paying a whole lot more for specialty care.

Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee has found that connecting people with primary care doctors reduces the number of emergency room visits.

A Hospital Reduces Repeat ER Visits By Providing Social Workers

5:32pm October 23, 2015

by Alison Kodjak

Some people return to the emergency room again and again because it's their only source of medical care. A Wisconsin hospital hired social workers to help patients find more appropriate care.

Marilyn Kruse couldn't get health insurance through her job as a substitute teacher in Jefferson County, Colo. Now she buys insurance through the state's health exchange.

In Colorado, More People Are Insured But Cost Remains An Issue

6:10am October 20, 2015

by John Daley

Colorado has cut the number of people without health insurance in half, with 20 percent of state residents now on Medicaid. but out-of-pocket medical expenses can still be hard for families to afford.

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New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman asked 20 urgent care clinics for information about how they represent insurance coverage to customers. Now four companies have agreed to change their practices.

Health & Safety

N.Y. Takes Action Against Surprise Medical Bills From Urgent Care Clinics

11:29am October 16, 2015

by Julie Appleby

An agreement between New York's attorney general and four companies that operate urgent care centers in the state aims to curb confusing billing practices that left unwitting consumers on the hook.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., proposed a bill in April to repeal the impending excise tax on employee health benefits that Obamacare deems excessive.

Looming Tax On High-End Health Plans Draws Heavy Fire

2:48pm October 15, 2015

by Mark Zdechlik

The next fight about the Affordable Care Act unites business leaders, politicians and many unions against leading economists. Will the 2018 tax reduce health costs or just shift the costs to patients?

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