WASHINGTON — Nearly 9 million people signed up for health insurance in the Affordable Care Act’s latest open enrollment period, despite the Trump administration having cut its duration in half. The 8.8 million enrollees were only slightly fewer than the total in the last ACA open enrollment period, which, besides being longer, was much more
WASHINGTON — After numerous failed attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to relax standards on small businesses that band together to buy health insurance and may take steps to allow the sale of other health plans that skirt the health law’s requirements. The Trump executive order
WASHINGTON — The Senate dealt a devastating blow to Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, defeating a GOP “skinny repeal” bill. Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) joined with Democrats to oppose the measure, a major loss for President Trump and the Republican congressional agenda.
WASHINGTON — The effort to end Obamacare is not over, although whether the Affordable Care Act will be completely shelved or recast is unclear. Despite last month’s aborted House vote on a replacement bill, Republicans continue to seek an alternative to the ACA that the whole party — and possibly some Democrats — can get
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has called for bipartisan support for an overhaul of the Affordable Care Act, but his own party was divided on the issue. In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, Trump asked Republicans and Democrats “to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.” Reiterating his campaign rhetoric, the
HARTFORD, Conn., and LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After being blocked by a federal court, Aetna Inc. and Humana Inc. have decided to terminate their $37 billion merger deal. The health insurance giants said Tuesday that, with the move, Aetna will pay Humana a $1 billion breakup fee. Aetna said it also has ended its agreement to
WASHINGTON — Republicans want to replace the Affordable Care Act with “universal access” to health care, House GOP members said. The goal is to ensure that everyone can buy or find coverage, a House leadership aide said at a briefing organized by top Republicans. The briefing came amid growing concern about the 20 million people
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart Pharmacy is making a pitch to seniors by spotlighting its status as a preferred pharmacy in a range of Medicare Part D plans. The Sears Holdings Corp. unit said many Medicare Part D members can now turn to Kmart Pharmacy as their 2017 preferred provider and get sizable savings, including
WASHINGTON — If Obamacare is repealed, what will replace it? That is the question in the aftermath of the election of Donald Trump as president. Trump has vowed to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act as his first act in office. If the effort succeeds, some 22 million fewer Americans would have health insurance,
WASHINGTON — Change is apparently looming for the Affordable Care Act, regardless of whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election. Though it’s uncertain if health care will emerge as a topic at tonight’s third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada, the issue was the subject
WASHINGTON — Seeking to boost the number of young people getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration is employing targeted digital communications and social media. The White House Healthy Campus Challenge will engage college and university campuses in enrollment efforts nationwide. “We will work with administrators, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and
WASHINGTON — The upcoming enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act will be pivotal, as hikes in premiums, withdrawals by insurance companies and sign-ups that fell short of targets have combined to call the law’s sustainability into question. Federal officials say the problems is surmountable and are driving to bolster the statute before President Obama
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has made suggestions for improving the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including bigger subsidies for private insurance and a Medicare-like public plan in some states. Obama also said drug makers were putting their bottom lines ahead of the common good by opposing any constraints on medication prices. “We worked successfully with
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration continues to alter the Affordable Care Act and propose changes to Medicaid funding as it seeks to increase the number of Americans who have health insurance and slow the pace of medical cost inflation. In a nudge to get more healthy people into the insurance pool, the government increased the
