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People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Author Archive: Phil Galewitz
Nearly 1 million young adults get insurance under health law
Nearly 1 million young adults have gained health coverage this year since the passage of the health law, which lets them stay on their parents’ plan until age 26.
Medicare Advantage premiums to fall 4%
Dire predictions that health reform would cause private Medicare health plans to raise prices and lower benefits have turned out to be a false alarm — for now. Medicare Advantage premiums now expected to drop 4% next year.
Nation’s healthcare bill to nearly double by 2020
Affordable Care Act will have little effect on the nation’s rising health spending in the next decade, according to a new report. But law’s supporters say report fails to take law’s cost-cutting measures into account.
Hospitals look for Disney magic
Since October at least 25 hospitals have signed on for multi-year consulting agreements to learn about customer service from Disney.
States slice Medicaid payments to doctors, hospitals
Washington state, which is cutting its hospital payments 10 percent, is one of about a dozen cash-strapped states reducing payments to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers that treat the poor.
Health law repeal would threaten coverage for asbestosis victims in Libby, Montana
A provision of the law extends Medicare coverage to patients who developed asbestosis after living in the town which was contaminated by mining operations.
Medicaid to stop paying for hospital mistakes
Medicaid will stop paying for about two dozen “never events” in hospitals, such as operations on the wrong body part and certain surgical-site infections, federal officials said today.
Feds cut fees, requirements for high-risk health insurance pools
The Administration is slashing premiums for new high-risk insurance plans for people with pre-existing conditions Viand no longer requiring applicants to submit a rejection letter from private insurers.
Most oppose GOP plan to cut Medicaid — poll
About half of respondents say they or a friend or family member has received Medicaid, and a similar share say the program is important to their family. Among the one in five respondents who personally have been covered by Medicaid.
How the GOP budget plan would cut Medicaid funding
Washington State would see a 26 percent cut in funding for Medicaid — the least of any state.
At Least 600,000 young adults join parents’ health plans under new law
Hundreds of thousands of young adults are taking advantage of the health care law provision that allows people under 26 to remain on their parents’ health plans.
Few seniors support GOP plan to restructure Medicare, poll
In new poll, 62 percent of seniors said they want Medicare to be left alone, but, overall, Americans are split with 50 percent of all polled saying they wanted Medicare to remain the same and 46 percent saying it should be changed.
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