Open Enrollment

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Medicaid Machinations

The lame-duck Congress has returned to Washington with a long health care to-do list and only a little time. Meanwhile, some of the states that have not yet expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act are rethinking those decisions. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Fred Clasen-Kelly, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about a mysterious mishap during minor surgery.

ACA Sign-Ups for Low-Income People Roll Out Amid Brokers鈥 Concerns About Losing Their Cut

By Julie Appleby

The Biden administration unveiled a new special enrollment option aimed at signing up low-income Americans for Affordable Care Act coverage 鈥 even if it is outside of the usual annual open enrollment period. But insurers are cutting broker commissions at the same time.

Record Number of Americans Sign Up for ACA Health Insurance

By Phil Galewitz and Andy Miller

Nearly 14 million Americans have enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace health plans for next year 鈥 a record since the health law鈥檚 coverage expansion took effect in 2014. A boost in subsidies marketing and assistance in navigating the process increased the rolls of the insured.

La inscripci贸n de Medicare es temporada abierta para estafadores

By Susan Jaffe

Funcionarios federales dicen que est谩n aumentando las quejas de personas mayores enga帽adas para que compren p贸lizas sin su consentimiento, o atra铆das por informaci贸n cuestionable, que pueden no cubrir sus medicamentos ni incluir a sus m茅dicos.

Medicare鈥檚 Open Enrollment Is Open Season for Scammers

By Susan Jaffe

Medicare officials say complaints are rising from seniors lured into private plans with misleading information or enrolled without their consent. In response, officials have threatened to penalize the private companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or agents working on their behalf mislead consumers.

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Compromise Is Coming 鈥 Maybe

Democratic negotiators on Capitol Hill appear to be nearing a compromise on President Joe Biden鈥檚 social spending agenda, spurred partly by Democratic losses on Election Day in Virginia. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court hints it might allow abortion providers to sue Texas over its restrictive new ban. But the relief, if it comes, could be short-lived if the court uses a second case, challenging a law in Mississippi, to weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Rae Ellen Bichell, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature about an emergency bill for a nonemergency birth.

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Here Comes Reconciliation

Democrats in Congress reached a tentative agreement to press ahead on a partisan bill that would dramatically expand health benefits for people on Medicare, those who buy their own insurance and individuals who have been shut out of coverage in states that didn鈥檛 expand Medicaid. Meanwhile, controversy continues to rage over whether vaccinated Americans will need a booster to protect against covid-19 variants, and who will pay for a new drug to treat Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Rachel Cohrs of Stat and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Rae Ellen Bichell, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 episode about a mother and daughter who fought an enormous emergency room bill.

How Much of Trump鈥檚 Health Agenda Has Biden Undone?

By Julie Rovner

In his campaign, President Joe Biden promised to undo policies, particularly health policies, implemented by former President Donald Trump. Yet, despite immense executive power, reversing four years of action takes time and resources.

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: 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 鈥 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 What You Need to Know.

By Michelle Andrews

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鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Covid and Kids

Can schools safely reopen before all teachers and staffers are vaccinated against covid? And what鈥檚 the best way to communicate that science 鈥 and scientific recommendations 鈥 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鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: The Long Road to Unwinding Trump Health Policies

President Joe Biden signed a pair of health-related executive orders this week that would, among other things, reopen enrollment under the Affordable Care Act and start to reverse former President Donald Trump鈥檚 anti-abortion policies. Meanwhile, Congress remains bogged down with taking up the next round of covid-19 relief. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: 2020 in Review 鈥 It Wasn鈥檛 All COVID

The coronavirus pandemic colored just about everything in 2020. But there was other health policy news that you either never heard or might have forgotten about: the Affordable Care Act going before the Supreme Court with its survival on the line; ditto for Medicaid work requirements. And a surprise ending to the 鈥渟urprise bill鈥 saga. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Durante la inscripci贸n de ACA, elegir un plan genera nuevas complicaciones de COVID

By Julie Appleby

Las personas que compran su propio seguro m茅dico enfrentan desaf铆os, en particular los pacientes que tuvieron COVID-19 y que presentan problemas de salud persistentes.

During ACA Open Enrollment, Picking a Plan Invites New COVID Complications

By Julie Appleby

COVID-19鈥檚 鈥渓ong haulers鈥 鈥 patients with lingering effects of the disease 鈥 have joined the ranks of Americans with preexisting conditions. For those shopping for health coverage on the individual market, here鈥檚 help navigating an uncharted insurance landscape.

Consejos para inscribirse bien en Medicare durante la complicada inscripci贸n abierta

By Bernard J. Wolfson

Medicare se reduce fundamentalmente a dos alternativas: la tarifa por servicio del Medicare Tradicional o el enfoque de atenci贸n administrada de Medicare Advantage.