REPORT: 1 IN 5 ACA ENROLLEES NOT PAYING UP (Jan. 31, 2014)
An estimated one in five enrollees who have selected plans through health insurance marketplaces haven't yet paid their premiums for the first month, reports CNN. That number could change once final numbers are confirmed in a few weeks. Patients who don't pay up will see their selections canceled and be left uninsured. |
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UNINSURED BECOMING MORE CRITICAL OF ACA (Jan. 30, 2014)
Those without insurance are becoming increasingly wary of the Affordable Care Act, Kaiser Health Newsreports. Among the uninsured, unfavorable views outnumber favorable views two to one. Among all Americans, just 15 percent report a positive experience with the law; 27 percent say their experience was negative. |
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LAWMAKERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON SCOTUS CONTRACEPTION CASE (Jan. 29, 2014)
Lawmakers from both the Democrat and Republican sides of the aisle have filed competing briefs to Supreme Court regarding its upcoming ACA contraception mandate case, according to USA Today. The paper reports the case combines legal challenges by two companies which claim the law violates their religious rights. |
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GOP LEADERS OFFER PLAN TO 'REPEAL AND REPLACE' ACA (Jan. 28, 2014)
The Affordable Care Act will likely be under the limelight when President Obama delivers his State of the Union address Jan. 28. Politico reports this is the president's biggest address since the rollout of HealthCare.gov. Health care hasn't been a large part of his State of the Union speeches since the law passed. |
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OBAMA TO TALK ACA IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS? (Jan. 27, 2014)
The Affordable Care Act will likely be under the limelight when President Obama delivers his State of the Union address Jan. 28. Politico reports this is the president's biggest address since the rollout of HealthCare.gov. Health care hasn't been a large part of his State of the Union speeches since the law passed. |
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REPUBLICANS SEEKING ALTERNATIVES TO ACA (Jan. 24, 2014)
Republicans have been staunchly opposed to the Affordable Care Act since its inception. Now the GOP is seeking health care policies to replace the law. According to Reuters, House Speaker John Boehner says it will be a major topic at a Republican retreat next weekend; several alternative bills have already been introduced. |
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DEBATE: IS THE HEALTH CARE LAW BEYOND REPAIR? (Jan. 23, 2014)
It's no secret the Affordable Care Act has had its share of problems. But is it broken beyond repair? NPR asked that question as part of its Intelligence Squared U.S. debate series. Two teams, each comprising a medical doctor and a political writer, argued their case in a public forum. Click here to listen to the debate. |
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PATIENTS STILL HAVING TROUBLE NAVIGATING ACA MAZE (Jan. 22, 2014)
The Affordable Care Act has been the law for some time, and HealthCare.gov launched months ago. But some patients are still having trouble navigating the health care maze, reports CNBC. Experts say consumers need to take the time to educate themselves about the law's ins-and-outs before looking for a plan. |
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EXPERTS: HEALTHCARE.GOV STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO ATTACKERS (Jan. 17, 2014)
Many economically disadvantaged patients who don't qualify for a plan under the Affordable Care Act rely on free clinics for their health care needs. But, as CNN reports, the future of free clinics is uncertain, as most donors assume one of the neediest populations will be automatically covered by the ACA. Read more here. |
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FREE CLINICS STEP UP TO COVER ACA GAPS (Jan. 16, 2014)
Many economically disadvantaged patients who don't qualify for a plan under the Affordable Care Act rely on free clinics for their health care needs. But, as CNN reports, the future of free clinics is uncertain, as most donors assume one of the neediest populations will be automatically covered by the ACA. Read more here.
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DESPITE ASSISTANCE, ACA STILL NOT AFFORDABLE FOR SOME (Jan. 15, 2014)
The "affordable" part of the Affordable Care Act is being questioned once again. USA Today reports that, though financial help is available, it still may not be enough to entice low-income patients to select a plan. Anti-poverty agencies are concerned that health insurance will remain out of reach for the nation's poorest.
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GOVERNMENT TO PITCH ACA TO UNDER-35 CROWD (Jan. 14, 2014)
Only about 30 percent of patients enrolled in an Affordable Care Act plan are under 35. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the Obama administration is making a big push for younger Americans to enroll by Feb. 15 for coverage that would begin on March 1 by redoubling ACA outreach efforts in 25 states.
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SPANISH-LANGUAGE ACA SITE ALSO PLAGUED WITH ISSUES (Jan. 13, 2014)
The Spanish-language version of HealthCare.gov has problems of its own, according to the Associated Press. The New York Daily News reports that the site, CuidadoDeSalud.gov, which launched two months late, is riddled with grammatical mistakes, leading some to believe the translation was computer-generated. |
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FREE BREAST CANCER DRUGS FOR HIGH-RISK WOMEN UNDER ACA (Jan. 10, 2014)
A provision of the Affordable Care Act is allowing high-risk women to get drugs to help prevent breast cancer without a co-pay or a deductible, according to the Washington Post. Eligible women will be able to receive the drugs, such as tamoxifen and raloxifene, next September; insurers will have one year to make the change. |
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HOUSE GOP TARGETS SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH ACA (Jan. 9, 2014)
The House GOP is back to work, and, unsurprisingly, prioritizing its opposition to the Affordable Care Act. However, Politico reports, Republicans aren't working on a full repeal. GOP lawmakers are instead targeting specific issues with the ACA, focusing on the functionality and security of the HealthCare.gov website.
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SURVEY: WEALTHIER PATIENTS HAPPIER WITH PLANS (Jan. 8, 2014)
According to a recent survey of Californians, wealthier patients are more satisfied with their health care plans. But there's a catch, according to Kaiser Health News: the higher levels of satisfaction had nothing to do with higher income levels, per se, but quality of relationships with caregivers. |
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DETERMINING THE ACA'S SUCCESS IN 2014 (Jan. 7, 2014)
If the late 2013 launch of HealthCare.gov was the Affordable Care Act's first big test, 2014 is the year we'll discover just how well the law is working. The Atlantic has assembled a list of 6 Questions That Will Determine Whether Obamacare Is a Success in 2014. Keep the checklist handy for the next 358 days! |
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CAN STATES STOP THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT? (Jan. 6, 2014)
Do states have the ability to put an end to the Affordable Care Act? A new handbook released by the Tenth Amendment Center (TAC) says yes. According to the Washington Times, the handbook discusses constitutional law and legal strategies for states to individually thwart the law. Click here to read the full details. |
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U.S. TO SCOTUS: DON'T EXTEND CONTRACEPTION MANDATE EXEMPTION (Jan. 3, 2014)
The U.S. government has asked the Supreme Court not to extend a contraception mandate exemption to two Catholic groups. Reuters reports Justice Sonya Sotomayor, who granted the exemption, will decide alone or with the rest of the court whether to continue extending the injunction. There is no deadline for the court to act. |
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ACA CONTRACEPTION MANDATE DELAYED BY SCOTUS (Jan. 2, 2014)
In a last-minute move, the U.S. Supreme Court has delayed a mandate under the Affordable Care Act that would force some Catholic groups to provide contraceptive coverage. According to Fox News, the government must respond to the temporary block by 10 a.m. Friday. The policy remains in effect for other groups. |
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