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December 14, 2012 KHNOnly 17 states and the District of Columbia have proposed running their own insurance markets. Experts had expected mostly small states to seek federal help, but some of the nation's largest have said they will not run an exchange on their own.

Summary

December 11, 2012 In the Supreme Court's Affordable Care Act ruling this summer, it decided that states' plans for expansion of the Medicaid program should be optional. That led governors to ask if they could expand the program in part but still receive federal funding. The administration has said no.

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November 15, 2012 Two Republican governors announced Thursday afternoon that they would not create exchanges in their states. A Democratic governor chose a hybrid model for her state. Then, the federal government pushed back the states' decision deadline, again.

Summary

November 13, 2012 The exchanges — one for every state — are not only where people will go to choose plans, they're also where people will go to see if they qualify for help in affording that care. States have until Friday to tell federal officials if they plan to launch their own exchanges.

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November 8, 2012 With President Obama's re-election, states that had postponed creating health insurance exchanges required by the sweeping federal health law will now have to scramble to set them up. These marketplaces are supposed to make it easier for people to shop for health coverage.

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November 7, 2012 Over the next four years, the meat of the health law, Obama's signature domestic policy achievement during the first term, will take effect. The pace of implementation picks up now and will keep states, employers and the federal government busy.

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October 3, 2012 CPRThe federal government wants hospitals to take responsibility for discharged patients to make sure they are not admitted again within 30 days. Medicare will penalize hospitals with many repeat admissions, but some think putting this whole burden on hospitals is not fair.

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October 2, 2012 KHNUnder the federal health law, adult children can remain on parents' insurance plans until they reach age 26. Parents may find out about their daughters' prescriptions for birth control pills from notices of insurance benefits.

Summary

September 10, 2012 Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Sunday that he might not want to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act after all. He said he supports the provision that assures people with pre-existing health conditions can get coverage.

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August 1, 2012 As of Aug. 1, insurers must offer a wide array of women's preventive health services at no upfront cost. Most of the coverage isn't controversial — except the contraception requirement, which is still the subject of legal challenges.

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July 24, 2012 The Supreme Court decision that made the expansion of Medicaid optional for states will result in 3 million fewer people getting coverage. And that will also reduce the overall price tag of the law over the next decade by about $84 billion.

Summary

July 20, 2012 To make insurance more affordable, the federal health law requires every state to conduct a special review whenever a health insurer wants to raise premiums more than 10 percent. The Texas insurance department hasn't completed a reviews of any of the nine qualifying rate increases. So the companies' rate increases have taken effect.

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July 6, 2012 Stumped by what's happening with the administration's health law? You're not alone. We fielded questions and have some answers that might help.

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