Health Care

Last Chance to Repeal the Affordable Care Act?

By Michael Rainey

A conservative group released a proposal Tuesday to repeal the Affordable Care Act in August and give control over health care to the states, The Wall Street Journal reports . The proposal from the...
New Rules for Health Care Plans for Small Businesses

By Michael Rainey

Fulfilling an executive order signed by President Trump last fall, the Labor Department on Tuesday released new rules expanding the use of association health plans, which allow self-employed...
As Medicaid Costs Soar, States Try a New Approach

By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

MINNEAPOLIS — Sandy Dowland has been to the emergency room 10 times in the past year and was hospitalized during four of those visits. She has had a toe amputated and suffers from uncontrolled...
Court Rules That US Doesn’t Owe Insurers Disputed Obamacare Payments

By Yuval Rosenberg

The federal government does not have to pay health insurers money they claimed they are owed under an Obamacare program, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. In a 2-1 ruling, the panel of judges...
5 Things To Know About Medicaid Work Requirements

By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

The Trump administration’s decision in January to give states the power to impose work requirements on Medicaid enrollees faces a federal court hearing Friday. The lawsuit before the U.S. District...

Health Care Costs Will Rise 6 Percent Next Year, PwC Predicts

By Yuval Rosenberg

Employer health care costs are set to rise 6 percent next year, consistent with the trend over the last five years, according to new projection from PwC’s Health Research Institute . But while cost...
Record Rate of Generic Drug Approvals May Not Help Lower Prices

By Michael Rainey

The Food and Drug Administration is approving generic drugs for sale at a record pace as part of a strategy to reduce prices through increased competition for name-brand drugs. But a new analysis of...
Can Big Companies Put a Lid on Health Care Costs?

By Yuval Rosenberg

Reuters’ Caroline Humer reports on the lengths some U.S. companies are now going to in an effort to get their health care costs under control by more closely monitoring and managing employees’ health...
Why Health Care Could Be a Disaster for Republicans in November

By Yuval Rosenberg

The Trump administration has handed Democrats more ammunition in the midterm election debate over health care — you know, the issue (aside from Trump himself) voters say they care about most. Premium...
The 'Biggest Health Care News of the Year'

By Michael Rainey

The Department of Justice said Thursday that it will not defend the constitutionality of key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in a lawsuit currently underway in Texas. Here’s what you need to...

Do Deficit Hawks Have a Snowball’s Chance in Hell in Today’s Politics?

By Michael Rainey

When Starbucks founder and executive chairman Howard Schultz announced his retirement earlier this week, he set off a round of speculation about a possible presidential run in 2020. Schultz has never...
Senate Democrats Look to Hammer GOP on Health Care

By Yuval Rosenberg

Mitch McConnell’s announcement Tuesday that the Senate would cancel most of its August recess was seen as a political blow to Democrats, who would have less time at home to campaign and fund-raise...
Trump Administration Rolls Out Scorecards for Medicaid

By Michael Rainey

The Trump administration is rolling out a scorecard that will enable administrators to evaluate individual states on key health metrics for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Seema...
Medicare Finances Worsen, Social Security Will Tap Reserves for First Time in 36 Years

By Yuval Rosenberg

Medicare’s financial problems worsened last year while Social Security still faces a significant long-term financial crunch — and will need to tap into its reserves for the first time in 36 years,...
Why Medicare Spending on Brand-Name Drugs Soared Even as Prescriptions Fell

By Yuval Rosenberg

Medicare has spent more on brand-name medications in recent years even as the program’s beneficiaries filled fewer prescriptions for such drugs, according to a new report by a government watchdog...