Breaking Down Why Medicare Part D Premiums Are Likely To Go Up
By Julie Appleby
Insurers will take drug costs, frequency of use, and other factors into account as they set premium amounts for the 2026 plan year.
Considering a Life Change? Brace for Higher ACA Costs
By Julie Appleby
Consumers contemplating an early retirement or starting a business should calculate how Trump administration and congressional policy changes could increase their health insurance costs — and plan accordingly.
Insurers and Customers Brace for Double Whammy to Obamacare Premiums
By Julie Appleby
Consumers face both rising premiums and falling subsidies next year in Obamacare plans, with insurers seeking increases to cover not only rising costs but also some policy changes advanced by President Donald Trump and the GOP.
States Brace for Reversal of Obamacare Coverage Gains Under Trump’s Budget Bill
By Julie Appleby
States that run their own health insurance marketplaces fear an end to automatic Obamacare reenrollment under the tax and spending megabill would have an outsize effect on their policyholders.
A Texas Boy Needed Protection From Measles. The Vaccine Cost $1,400.
By Julie Appleby
A family living in Galveston was surprised to be charged thousands of dollars for immunizations for their children. Their insurance plan didn’t cover the shots, and the cost of the measles vaccine in particular was more than five times what health officials say it goes for in the private sector.
Four Ways Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Would Undermine Access to Obamacare
By Julie Appleby
The combination of the House-passed spending and tax bill and the Trump administration’s regulatory action could change Affordable Care Act enrollment and the cost of insurance. The result, according to the Congressional Budget Office, is that millions of people may become uninsured.
Trump’s DOJ Accuses Medicare Advantage Insurers of Paying ‘Kickbacks’ for Primo Customers
By Julie Appleby
The Department of Justice alleges that several major health insurers paid brokerages “hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks” to get agents to steer consumers into their Medicare Advantage plans, allegations the insurers strongly dispute.
Obamacare ‘Fixers’ Axed in Trump’s Reduction of Health Agency Workforce
By Julie Appleby
These fixers, officially known as caseworkers, unraveled complex and arcane health insurance rules to solve people’s coverage issues. They worked in a little-known federal department with which most consumers never interact — until they need help.
Tax Time Triggers Fraud Alarms for Some Obamacare Enrollees
By Julie Appleby
Consumers who were enrolled fraudulently in Affordable Care Act coverage could receive unexpected tax bills — the first and possibly only clue they were a victim of fraud. Getting help may become difficult as federal workers are laid off and funding for assistance programs is cut.
He Had Short-Term Health Insurance. His Colonoscopy Bill: $7,000.
By Julie Appleby
After leaving his job to launch his own business, an Illinois man opted for a six-month health insurance plan. When he needed a colonoscopy, he thought it would cover most of the bill. Then he learned his plan’s limited benefits would cost him plenty.
