POLL: ARE ACA'S LAWS FIXABLE? (Nov. 27, 2013)
Most Americans believe the Affordable Care Act can still be redeemed, according to a CNN/ORC International poll. Even so, CNN reports, only four in 10 of those polled say they support the law. While 53 percent believe it's too soon to tell if the law is a failure, 54 percent believe its problems will be solved eventually. |
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SCOTUS MAY HEAR 'CONTRACEPTION MANDATE' CHALLENGE (Nov. 26, 2013)
ABC News reports the U.S. Supreme Court may hear a challenge to the Affordable Care Act's so-called contraception mandate, a part of the law that compels certain businesses to offer birth control as part of their health insurance packages for employees. Some workplaces have cited religious objections to the measure. |
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HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN THE HEALTH CARE WEBSITE IS FIXED? (Nov. 25, 2013)
The Obama administration has set a Nov. 30 goal for the healthcare.gov website to be "fixed" - but how will we be able to tell when it's fully functional? According to the National Journal, experts say the website has a long way to go - and while the system is getting stronger, insurers remain concerned about lingering issues. |
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HOW 'AFFORDABLE IS ACA FOR PATIENTS? (Nov. 22, 2013)
The operative word of "Affordable Care Act" is "affordable." But are patients truly getting more affordable health care through ACA plans? According to CNN, many Americans are discovering that the law isn't living up to its name, with expenses beyond just high premiums, copays and deductibles. Read the full story here. |
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STATES, INSURERS JOIN FORCES TO BYPASS HEALTHCARE.GOV (Nov. 21, 2013)
States and insurers, concerned that the HealthCare.gov website may not work by December, are joining forces to see if they can bypass the site by enrolling customers directly. Bloomberg Businessweek reports that easing access may lead to other problems - yet many are skeptical of an end-of-November Obamacare fix. |
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SUPPORT FOR HEALTH CARE LAW DIPS TO NEW LOW (Nov. 20, 2013)
It's not particularly surprising, given the nearly two-month struggle for the health care law to find its footing after a troubled Marketplace launch, that Americans are losing their patience. Just 31 percent of Americans say they approve of the law, according to a new CBS News poll. Nearly twice as many, 61 percent, disapprove.
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HUGE COVERAGE GAP EXISTS IN PA. (Nov. 19, 2013)
For nearly 400,000 Pennsylvanians, the promise of universal health care doesn't apply. That's because they make too much to apply for Medicaid, but make too little to qualify for a plan under the Marketplace. Gov. Tom Corbett is seeking to fix the gap through his Healthy Pennsylvania plan, Kaiser Health News reports. |
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CAN PATIENTS KEEP THEIR DOCTORS UNDER OBAMACARE? (Nov. 18, 2013)
Last week, we learned that not all patients are able to keep their plans under the Affordable Care Act, despite assurances to the contrary. But what about the other promise - "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor"? According to Forbes, that isn't necessarily true either. Click here to find out why. |
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PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES, ANNOUNCES HEALTH LAW FIX (Nov. 15, 2013)
President Obama has apologized for his frequent claims that those who like their insurance plans can keep them. Yesterday, he offered a solution, allowing people in the individual market to temporarily keep their plans. However, CNN reports not everyone is happy with the president's plan - including some Democrats. |
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MARKETPLACE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS ANEMIC (Nov. 14, 2013)
Just 106,000 Americans enrolled in health insurance exchanges in October, and fewer than 27,000 of those signed up on the federal marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Pennsylvania, which participates in the federal exchange, accounted for about 2,200 sign-ups. Click here for details and a brief analysis from USA Today.
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WHAT'S ON THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR ACA THIS WEEK? (Nov. 13, 2013)
The Affordable Care Act is getting plenty of attention from Congress this week, according to the Washington Post. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is holding a hearing today on the HealthCare.gov launch, among other goings-on. Click here for a full rundown of the week's activities. |
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OBAMACARE'S EARLY SUCCESS STORY (Nov. 12, 2013)
Medicaid is turning out to be Obamacare's big bright spot. CBS News reports that Medicaid signups are far outpacing those who have enrolled in private health insurance plans via the Marketplace website: while an estimated 50,000 have enrolled in federal insurance exchange plans, Medicaid has signed up 444,000 in 10 states. |
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OBAMA SORRY THAT SOME AMERICANS LOSING INSURANCE (Nov. 8, 2013)
President Obama is apologizing to Americans who are losing their insurance plans because of the Affordable Care Act despite his oft-repeated "If you like your insurance, you can keep it" claim. According to USA Today, the president made his remarks in an interview about the health care law with NBC News. |
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HOW INSURANCE SUBSIDIES ARE PAID THROUGH ACA (Nov. 7, 2013)
We already know that many Americans will be receiving subsidies to pay for health care through the Affordable Care Act. But who is eligible, and where does the money come from? NPR has taken a look and says yes, some of it is offset by higher costs for wealthier Americans - but that's not exactly the whole story. |
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CHAOTIC HEALTH CARE SITE TALKS REVEALED (Nov. 6, 2013)
It's hard to know from the outside looking in how the government is dealing with the problems that plague the health care website. But the New York Times reports more than 100 pages of notes reveal the chaos behind the Obama administration's recognition of the widespread technical issues. Click here for more. |
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REPORT: YOUNG AVOIDING ACA PLANS (Nov. 5, 2013)
Young, healthy Americans are needed to buoy the Affordable Care Act and maintain its cost-effectiveness. But according to the Wall Street Journal, early buyers of Marketplace coverage are older than expected. The paper reports if the trend continues, prices could be driven up for everyone due to spreading of costs. |
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STICKER SHOCK FROM ACA PLANS LEAVES SOME DISGRUNTLED (Nov. 4, 2013)
Some patients who liked their insurance plans got a rude awakening when their employers discontinued their coverage due to new Affordable Care Act laws. The Washington Post reports soaring premiums for certain patients with discontinued plans seeking comparable coverage on the Marketplace website. |
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REPORT: JUST SIX ENROLLED IN MARKETPLACE PLANS ON DAY 1 (Nov. 1, 2013)
Internal memos provided to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reveal just six people signed up for health insurance under the federal Marketplace on Oct. 1, reports CNN. The Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) says it anticipates enrollments will pick up as the enrollment deadline nears. |
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