Health Insurance

The county program uses a half-cent sales tax to pay for health care for thousands of residents earning up to 175% of the federal poverty level. But enrollment isn't as high as it could be.

Nearly 3.4 million people have signed up — an increase of 17% compared to the same time last year. The boost in enrollment comes as the number of uninsured Americans this year reached a historic low of 8%, according to HHS.

Nearly half of large employers report that increasing numbers of their workers were using mental health services, according to a KFF annual survey. Yet almost a third of those employers said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough providers.

Complaints about misleading health insurance marketing are soaring. State insurance commissioners are taking notice. They’ve created a shared internal database to monitor questionable business practices.

The annual open enrollment began Saturday and runs through Dec. 7. The state offers free counseling and information through its SHINE program.

The body mass index — a simple mathematical equation — is tied to a measure of obesity invented almost 200 years ago. On the downside, it can stand between patients and treatment for weight issues. It particularly mismeasures Black women and Asians.

State and federal laws require health plans to offer accurate lists of participating doctors and facilities, but consumers still struggle to get timely appointments with providers.

Amparo and Victor Rios began searching for answers about their son’s development when he didn’t hit some milestones after turning 2. Three years later, they are still trying to get their insurance to pay for expensive therapy to help him.

States that haven't expanded Medicaid are also more likely to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive care. Advocates say that makes it even more important for residents to get health coverage.

Even a decade in, the Affordable Care Act’s recommendations to simply cover preventive screening and care without cost sharing remain confusing and complex.

Despite a consensus that patients should be able to get mental health care from primary care doctors, insurance policies and financial incentives may not support that.

Insurers say prior authorization requirements are intended to reduce wasteful and inappropriate health care spending. But they can baffle patients waiting for approval. And doctors say that insurers have yet to follow through on commitments to improve the process.