Health Care System's Biggest Problem Isn't Cost; It's Quality
Washington may have passed Obamacare to reform the health care system and reduce costs, but it turns out high cost isn't Americans' No. 1 gripe about our health care system.
health care reform
Millions Eligible for Obamacare Subsidies, but Most Don't Know It
Nearly 26 million low- and middle-income Americans could be eligible for health insurance subsidies next year, but most don't know it.
White House Seeks Marketing Medicine for Health Care Overhaul
How do you show average Americans that one of the most complex and controversial government programs ever devised is a good deal for them? With the science of mass marketing.
Health-Care Overhaul Seen Driving Claims' Costs Up 32%
A new study finds that insurance companies will have to pay out an average of 32 percent more for medical claims under President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul.
Employers Caught Off Guard by 'Unfair' Health-Care Fee
Next year, most big employers will owe $63 for every employee they insure, with the money going into a $25 billion fund -- and they're not happy about it.
What's Next for Obamacare Foes Now That Rick Scott Has Caved
On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, one of the most outspoken critics of President Obama's Affordable Care Act -- and the Medicaid expansion it carries with it -- announced that Florida will accept the federal windfall that the program will bring.
Glitch in Health Insurance Law May Leave Some Uncovered
Some families could get priced out of health insurance due to what's being called a glitch in President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul law.
Forget the Taxman: You're Working to Pay Your Doctor
Recently, Forbes contributor Chris Conover took an interesting angle on the issue of health care in America by calculating the health care costs of the average worker. According to his figures, they add up to $8,953 per year -- the equivalent of 58 days of work.
Health Care Costs Are Holding Relatively Steady -- For Now
Americans kept health care spending in check for three years in a row, the government reported Monday, an unusual respite that could linger if the economy stays soft or fade like a mirage if job growth comes roaring back.
Health Care Tax Hikes May be Just the Beginning
New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Most people may not notice. But they will pay attention if Congress decides to start taxing employer-sponsored health insurance, one option in play if lawmakers can ever agree on a budget deal to reduce federal deficits.
Surprise: New Insurance Fee in Health Care Reform Law
Your medical plan is facing an unexpected expense, so you probably are, too: It's a new, $63-per-head fee to cushion the cost of covering people with pre-existing conditions under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
Papa John's Class-Action Lawsuit Puts More Heat on Pizza Chain
First, Papa John's CEO John Schnatter drew a harsh backlash from liberal pizza lovers over his suggestion that health care reform was going to force him to reduce employees' hours. Then on Tuesday, he was hit with a $250 million class-action lawsuit over text message advertisements.
Presidential Debate Preview: What They'll Say About Obamacare
Wednesday's first presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama is being hyped as an epic battle: More likely, it'll be a highly scripted rehash of well-worn talking points. But if real drama does occurs, one likely flashpoint will be health care reform.
IRS to GOP: We Won't Be Enforcers of the Health Insurance Mandate
The IRS assured GOP lawmakers Tuesday that agents would play no role in enforcing the requirement that Americans buy insurance under President Obama's health care overhaul. "IRS revenue agents will not be involved. There will not be audits," IRS Deputy Commissioner Steven Miller said.
Obamacare Could Kill One Type of Cheap Health Insurance
A key goal of the Affordable Care Act was to reduce national cost of health care. But one of its effects may be to eliminate a popular product that cuts Americans' personal health insurance costs: high-deductible health plans.
Health Care Options for Young, Healthy and Broke
They're young, healthy and flat broke -- and now the government says they have to buy thousands of dollars' worth of medical insurance. What should tapped-out twentysomethings do?
Rebates From Obamacare to Top $1 Billion: Report
More than 3 million health insurance policyholders and thousands of employers will share $1.3 billion in rebates this year, thanks to President Barack Obama's health care law, a nonpartisan research group said Thursday.
Obama's Health Overhaul Lags in Many States
Here's a reality check for President Barack Obama's health overhaul: Three out of four uninsured Americans live in states that have yet to figure out how to deliver on its promise of affordable medical care. This is the year that will make or break the health care law. States were supposed to be partners in carrying out the biggest safety net expansion since Medicare and Medicaid, and the White House claims they're making steady progress.
America Hits the Brakes on Health Care Spending
Health spending stabilized as a share of the nation's economy in 2010 after two back-to-back years of historically low growth, the government reported Monday. Experts debated whether it's a fleeting consequence of the sluggish economy, or a real sign that cost controls by private employers and government at all levels are starting to work.
What You Don't Know About Health Insurance May Cost You
When it comes to health care, it sometimes feels like nothing is simple. And that can be a real problem: According to a recent survey, some health care basics are going right over the heads of the majority of Americans.
Key Health Care Reform Foe May Soon Be a Customer
Supporters of President Obama's health care reform laws got a major boost when a key opponent lost her business. Mary Brown, whose whose standing to sue is integral to the largest lawsuit against Obama's health care reforms, may be forced to abandon her legal challenge.
Walmart's New Promise: Always Low Benefits
On Friday, Walmart announced it was rolling back is health benefits for part-time workers -- benefits that the nation's largest employer expanded just a few years ago in response to criticism of its labor practices. And even the lucky few employees who get to keep their coverage aren't going to like the new plan much.
Finally! A Health Insurance Plan I Understand
Last month, new regulations were issued under the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) requiring insurance companies to make choosing a plan simpler. Specifically, the new rules require insurers to publish forms providing "clear, consistent and comparable information" about the health-care plans they offer.
Medicare's Next Patient: The Federal Budget Deficit
As the federal super committee looks for $1.5 trillion in cuts, it's clear that fixing the federal budget will mean tackling big items -- including Medicare, America's most popular social program and one of its most expensive.
In the U.S., 'Free' Birth Control Is Born
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department on Monday released new guidelines that require insurance companies to cover contraceptives and other female preventative care without charging co-pays or other fees. Here's why this announcement makes columnist Loren Berlin smile.
What New College Grads Really Want? Health Insurance
Parents, take heed: Those wild and crazy recent college grads of yours may not be as crazy as you think. Turns out, they don't really want to do 200-foot bungee jumps (or even take new job) if they don't have health insurance coverage.
Is Social Security Safe with the Tea Party in Power?
The Tea Party-led Republican Party has already won the battle to cut this year's federal budget, and it has announced a plan to dismantle Medicare. Is a proposal to cut Social Security payments next?
Will Senate Repeal an Unpopular Tax-Reporting Requirement?
The U.S. Senate is schedule to vote Tuesday on a bill that would repeal an unpopular tax-reporting requirement enacted as part of last year's health-care law. The House of Representatives approved the bill last month.
More Americans Turn to Acupuncture as Medical Costs Rise
A year after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, many Americans are still struggling to get their insurance to cover basic medical treatments. And now, they are increasingly exploring less expensive alternatives to traditional Western medicine -- like acupuncture.
Millions Lose Health Insurance With Their Jobs
Millions of Americans not only lost their jobs in the Great Recession, but also their health insurance, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. Many are skipping health care or falling into debt to pay medical bills as a result.