A Windfall in Health Insurance Rebates? It’s Not as Crazy as It Sounds
By Julie Appleby
The billion-dollar amount cited by former Sen. Al Franken, while an estimate, is likely very close to what insurers will owe this year under a provision of the Affordable Care Act that compels rebates when insurers spend too little on actual medical care.
Readers Weigh Downsides of Medicare Advantage and Stick Up for Mary Lou Retton
California Healthline gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
No-Cost Preventive Services Are Now in Jeopardy. Here’s What You Need to Know.
By Julie Appleby
A federal judge’s recent ruling on the Affordable Care Act is by no means the final word. Even parsing its impact is complicated. Here are key issues to watch as the case works its way through the legal system.
The Big Squeeze: More Enrollees and Smaller Networks Plague Some ACA Plans
By Julie Appleby
Despite record enrollment in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, some consumers who bought coverage and agents who helped them do so have had a tough start to the new year: Many say it’s hard to find an in-network doctor or hospital.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: ACA Open Enrollment Without the Drama
The Affordable Care Act’s 10th annual open-enrollment period began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2023, in most states. But for the first time, the health law seems to be enrolling Americans with far less controversy than in previous years. Meanwhile, as Election Day approaches, Democrats are focusing on GOP efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Julie Appleby of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Arthur Allen, who wrote the latest KNH-NPR Bill of the Month, about an old but still very expensive cancer drug.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': A Very Good Night for Abortion Rights Backers
Abortion rights backers won major victories in at least five states in the 2023 off-year elections Nov. 7, proving the staying power of abortion as a political issue in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health finally has a new director, after Democrats temporarily blocked President Joe Biden’s nominee over a mostly unrelated fight about prescription drug prices. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.
Era of ‘Free’ Covid Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?
By Julie Appleby
Insurers, employers, and taxpayers will all be affected as drug manufacturers move these products to the commercial market.
Numbers Don’t Lie. Biden Kept His Promise on Improving Obamacare.
By Julie Appleby
KHN has teamed up with our partners at PolitiFact to monitor 100 key promises made by Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign — including those surrounding the Affordable Care Act.
Want a Clue on Health Care Costs in Advance? New Tools Take a Crack at It
By Julie Appleby
Another effort to make upfront cost comparisons possible in an industry known for its opaqueness: an online tool for consumers to get some idea of what they may pay for medical care.
Nueva herramienta ayudaría a comparar costos de hasta 500 servicios médicos
By Julie Appleby
Desde el 1 de enero, las aseguradoras y los empleadores que ofrecen planes de salud deben proporcionar calculadoras en línea para que los pacientes obtengan estimaciones detalladas de lo que deberán por una variedad de servicios y medicamentos, teniendo en cuenta sus deducibles y copagos.