Category: obamacare plans

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Open Enrollment, One More Time

Keeping a campaign promise, President Joe Biden has reopened enrollment for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act on healthcare.gov — and states that run their own health insurance marketplaces followed suit. At the same time, the Biden administration is moving to revoke the Trump administration’s permission for states to impose work requirements for some adults on the Medicaid health insurance program. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, Rovner interviews medical student Inam Sakinah, president of the new group Future Doctors in Politics.

The ACA Marketplace Is Open Again for Insurance Sign-Ups. Here’s What You Need to Know.

On Monday, the federal insurance exchange reopened for an unusual midyear special enrollment period. People who are uninsured can buy a plan, and those who want to change their marketplace coverage can do so. Here are some answers about how it works.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Covid and Kids

Can schools safely reopen before all teachers and staffers are vaccinated against covid? And what’s the best way to communicate that science — and scientific recommendations — change and evolve? Also, get ready for a redo of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage, this time with help and outreach to find those eligible. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Cara Anthony, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature about a family and a baby and a very random insurance rule.

Health Issues Carried Weight on the Campaign Trail. What Could Biden Do in His First 100 Days?

KHN has teamed up with PolitiFact to track what becomes of President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign promises over the next four years. As he moves into the West Wing, what are his chances of making progress on health care?

Advocates View Health Care as Key to Driving LGBTQ Rights Conversation

When Allison Scott came out as a trans woman in 2013, she told not only family and friends, but also her primary care physician. She didn’t need his help with hormone therapy. She had another doctor for that. But she wanted to share the information with her doctor of more than 10 years in case […]

Biden’s First Order of Business May Be to Undo Trump’s Policies, but It Won’t Be Easy

President Donald Trump made substantial changes to the nation’s health care system using executive branch authority. But reversing policies that Democrats oppose would take time and personnel resources, competing with other priorities of the new administration.

Many Health Plans Now Must Cover Full Cost of Expensive HIV Prevention Drugs

Most private insurance will be required to cover drugs, like Truvada, that offer protection against HIV infection, without making plan members share the cost.

With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has already begun discussing California health care priorities with Xavier Becerra, tapped this week by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his Health and Human Services secretary.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Obamacare Alum Andy Slavitt Takes Stock of the COVID Pandemic — So Far

On the latest episode of ‘An Arm and a Leg’: Come for insights from an Obama administration health policy leader, stay to hear how frank health policy conversations can get uncomfortable.

Think Your Health Care Is Covered? Beware of the ‘Junk’ Insurance Plan

Millions of people are looking for coverage on the federal and state marketplaces right now. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a comprehensive plan and a “junk” plan with limited benefits and coverage restrictions.