Will the Senate's new GOP health care bill ultimately lead to better services?

Jun 23, 2017
Some people may end up not seeking treatment.
Peter Yanez, who is insured under a policy from the Affordable Care Act, has blood drawn by Linda Williams, a medical assistant, at a Planned Parenthood health center in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

What it's like running a state health care exchange right now

Jun 22, 2017
'There's a huge amount of froth and churn that we're trying to navigate,' says Covered California's executive director.
“All health coverage is not created equal," says Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee. "A key question we all need to look at is: Are we going back to the days of skimpy benefits?”
Max Whittaker/Getty Images

Republican Arkansas looks to cut its once-expanded Medicaid rolls

Jun 22, 2017
With the future of the Affordable Care Act uncertain, some states anticipate greater reductions by Congress.
Eddie Pannell is the retiring executive director at Harmony Health Clinic. He thinks many patients who left the free clinic after the passage of the Affordable Care Act will return if Congress cuts Medicaid.
Sarah Whites-Koditschek /Marketplace

What's the difference between the national debt and the deficit?

Jun 22, 2017
Both are hugely important to President Trump and congressional Republicans' priorities, but they need a lot of context.
Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney testifies during a House Budget Committee hearing concerning the Trump administration's fiscal year 2018 budget, on Capitol Hill, May 24, 2017 in Washington, DC.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

As big insurers flee Obamacare exchanges, others are jumping in

Jun 21, 2017
Today is the deadline for health insurance companies to decide if they’re going to be in or out of the health care exchanges in 2018. Several of the big insurers, like Anthem and Humana, are bailing on the exchanges in many markets, limiting or eliminating options for patients using Obamacare. But while some companies are […]

Will health insurers pull out of Obamacare exchanges in 2018? The deadline looms.

Jun 21, 2017
Today  is the deadline for insurers to submit plans for selling policies on the Obamacare exchanges in 2018. The political climate has destabilized the market for many insurers, and 44 counties have already decided to pull out entirely, leaving thousands potentially without coverage. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

Why America spends more on health care than any other developed country

Jun 20, 2017
We often hear that health care accounts for a staggering one-sixth of the U.S. economy. According to the most recent data from the Center for Medicaid & Medicare services, we spend $3.2 trillion a year on health care. That is, indeed, about a sixth of our GDP. Here’s what we spend it on, and why […]

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On health care, consumer groups have no seat at the table

Jun 19, 2017
The Senate is working to get its own version of the American Health Care Act ready before it goes on recess July 3. Only a small group of senators is working on it, without the input of many other people. This has been frustrating for some consumer groups, who say they’ve been locked out. So many […]

Congress has fewer people helping them than they used to

Jun 19, 2017
Rank-and-file House members have smaller staffs and fewer experts to turn to.
"Ordinary lawmakers are pressed for time, and often they find themselves out of their depth no matter how smart they are or how experienced they are," says Max Ehrenfreund, a Washington Post writer.
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Is competition the solution to high drug prices?

Jun 14, 2017
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling supports a new class of generic drugs.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images