Michelle Andrews

Health Law’s Medicaid Expansion, Online Marketplaces Offer Veterans New Care Options

Veterans will have more health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act, but some vets, like many Americans, may still struggle.

Michelle Andrews
By Michelle Andrews

Military veterans will have more health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act, but some vets, like many Americans, may still struggle to find affordable, accessible care that meets their needs. Roughly 40 percent of the 22.3 million military veterans receive health care services from the Veterans Health Administration, which operates a

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Questions About Colon Screening Coverage Still Vex Consumers

No one looks forward to screening tests for colon and rectal cancers. But under the Affordable Care Act, patients are at least supposed to save on out of-pocket costs for them. Coverage is not always clear, however, and despite the federal government’s clarifications, some consumers remain vexed and confused. Under the law, most health plans […]

Michelle Andrews
By Michelle Andrews

No one looks forward to screening tests for colon and rectal cancers. But under the Affordable Care Act, patients are at least supposed to save on out of-pocket costs for them. Coverage is not always clear, however, and despite the federal government's clarifications, some consumers remain vexed and confused. Under the law, most health plans are

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Insurers Are Again Selling Child-Only Health Policies After Interventions From States, Study Finds

One of the first provisions of the Affordable Care Act to take effect prohibited insurers from turning down children younger than 19 on the grounds that they had a preexisting medical condition. The provision was supposed to make coverage more accessible to vulnerable kids whose families were trying to buy coverage on the individual market. […]

Michelle Andrews
By Michelle Andrews
Doctor Chris Taylor, left, examines the ear of Medi-Cal patient Richardo Alvarez, 5, at the Las Palmas Health Clinic in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 3, 2005. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

One of the first provisions of the Affordable Care Act to take effect prohibited insurers from turning down children younger than 19 on the grounds that they had a preexisting medical condition. The provision was supposed to make coverage more accessible to vulnerable kids whose families were trying to buy coverage on the individual market.

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Some Plans Deny Pregnancy Coverage For Dependent Children

The health care overhaul provides a safety net for young adult children, who can now stay on their parents’ health plans until they reach age 26. But it doesn’t guarantee that their parents’ plan will cover a common medical condition that many young women face: pregnancy. Group health plans with 15 or more workers are […]

Michelle Andrews
By Michelle Andrews
A mother feeds her child in August 2005. (Photo by misocrazy via Flikr)

The health care overhaul provides a safety net for young adult children, who can now stay on their parents' health plans until they reach age 26. But it doesn't guarantee that their parents' plan will cover a common medical condition that many young women face: pregnancy. Group health plans with 15 or more workers are required to provide

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Mass. Biggest Insurer Tightens Rules On Some Painkillers

In an effort to curb abuse of powerful painkillers, Massachusetts’s largest insurer is going to restrict doctors’ ability to write new prescriptions to 30 days’ worth of pills before a mandatory review by the insurer. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) Officials at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts say the policy, which begins July 1, […]

Michelle Andrews
By Michelle Andrews
Anti-depressant drugs produced by Eli Lilly are shown here. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, file)

In an effort to curb abuse of powerful painkillers, Massachusetts's largest insurer is going to restrict doctors' ability to write new prescriptions to 30 days' worth of pills before a mandatory review by the insurer. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) Officials at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts say the policy, which begins

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