health insurance news stories on Newser

Coming to 16M Mailboxes: ObamaCare Rebates

Rob Quinn — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00:22 CDT

Health insurers will be handing some $1.3 billion back to consumers and employers this summer as a key provision of ObamaCare comes into force. The health care law requires insurers to spend at least 80% of premiums on health care and quality improvements, or provide refunds. A study from...

Health Care Costs for Family of 4 to Top $20K This Year

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:47:20 CDT

Health care costs for a family of four covered on an employer's insurance plan are expected to exceed $20,000 this year, an increase of 7% from last year—and more than double the $9,235 it would set you back in 2002. Under such plans, employers pay a large...

Day 2: SCOTUS Weighs Individual Mandate

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:50:07 CDT

Today's the big day: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the focal point of the challenge to President Obama's health care law, the individual mandate. If the mandate is upheld, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty; it's up to the...

Ariz. Bill Lets All Bosses Deny Birth Control Coverage

Rob Quinn — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:45:05 CDT

More contraception controversy: A bill before Arizona's Senate would allow all employers, not just faith-based ones, to exclude birth control from health insurance coverage. "We live in America. We don’t live in the Soviet Union,” one of the bill's Republican sponsors says. "So government shouldn’t be telling employers, Catholic organizations...

Romney Turns 65, Takes a Pass on Medicare

Rob Quinn — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:00:00 CDT

Mitt Romney turned 65 yesterday, but unlike most Americans of his vintage, he won't be enrolling in Medicare or Social Security. A campaign aide confirmed that Romney will be keeping his private insurance plan. The candidate's Medicare policy statement says he believes wealthier seniors should receive less support, although Democrats...

Uninsured ObamaCare Challenger Went Bankrupt

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:34:00 CDT

Mary Brown, who became the lead plaintiff in the National Federation of Independent Business' challenge of President Obama's health-care law because she didn't have insurance and didn't want to be forced to buy it, recently filed for bankruptcy … with $4,500 worth of unpaid medical bills. Obama administration lawyers...

Doc: Are We Paying for Limbaugh's Viagra?

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:14:00 CST

If Rush Limbaugh doesn't want to absorb some of the cost of female contraception as a health insurance consumer, others are wondering: Why should we pay for Limbaugh's Viagra? "We know" Limbaugh "has used Viagra, which is covered by medical insurance plans," Dr. Nancy Snyderman points out on MSNBC. Limbaugh...

Rush: Want Birth Control? Post Sex Videos in Return

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:00:00 CST

Rush Limbaugh isn't quieting down about birth control. After calling a Georgetown law student who supports health insurance coverage for birth control a "slut," he's now insisting that women who want contraceptive coverage should "pay" in return by posting sex videos of themselves online. "Femi-nazis, here's the deal," he announced...

Senate Kills Measure to Reverse Birth Control Rule

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:16:24 CST

The Senate today defeated a GOP effort to roll back President Obama's policy on contraception insurance coverage, the first vote on an issue that raised questions of religious and women's rights in this volatile election year. The 51-48 vote killed an amendment from Republican Roy Blunt that would have allowed...