The U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark ruling Thursday upholding the controversial, massive reform of health care coverage initiated by President Barack Obama.
It walks like a tax and talks like a tax. Therefore it is a tax.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how the Supreme Court's healthcare ruling will affect patients and doctors going forward.
Thursday is judgment day for the Affordable Care Act, with the U.S. Supreme Court expected to release its long awaited ruling on the constitutionality of the law. Whichever way the Court rules, the decision will be instantly framed in the political context. Its potential impact on the presidential race, on the upcoming Congressional elections and on the trajectory of the political parties will be the subject of endless analysis and debate.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation Thursday in a narrow 5-4 ruling that Obama says will provide up to 30 million additional Americans with health care.
While many changes to Americans' health care outlined in the the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act don't take effect until 2014, a Supreme Court ruling expected this month could stop those changes from coming at all.
The nation's largest health insurer promises to continue offering some key mandates of health care reform -- such as coverage of adult dependents up to age 26 -- regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the health care law.
President Obama attacks the GOP campaign platform and the GOP's budget proposal at a luncheon in Washington.
Suppose the Supreme Court does rule that the health care mandate is unconstitutional? What happens then?
Health coverage is easy to get if you're healthy. The problem is when you're sick or have a history of illness.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the individual mandate. This component of the Affordable Care Act, the part that decrees that every American will either buy health insurance or face a financial penalty, is the most controversial part of health care reform.
Rep. Paul Ryan and the GOP unveil their 2013 budget, citing $5.3 trillion in spending cuts.
House GOP leaders unveiled a 2013 budget blueprint Tuesday that has little chance of becoming law but draws a clear contrast with Democrats on taxes, spending, and a host of hot-button political issues -- all of which could play a pivotal role in the 2012 campaign.
Women face shocking disparities when buying health insurance on the individual market: In the vast majority of states, nearly all the best-selling plans charge women more than men for the same coverage, a discriminatory practice known as "gender rating."
The car owners who are least able to afford high auto insurance rates are getting charged the most for coverage, according to a consumer watchdog group.
Pat Conroy is a road warrior, rarely getting sick as he travels three to five days per week for his job as head of Deloitte's consumer products division. He works out regularly when on the road and tries to eat right.
This has been a volatile year for the stock market. But one sector has been consistently earning a windfall for investors: health insurers that provide private Medicare plans to seniors.
The Paul Ryan-Ron Wyden Medicare reform plan is a political game-changer. Amidst heated gridlock in Washington, Rep. Paul Ryan, a conservative budget hawk, and Sen. Ron Wyden, a respected liberal senator, have reached consensus on vital entitlement reform. Medicare is on the track to insolvency; this could be the bipartisan solution.
Thanks to Medicare, there's at least one thing you don't have to worry about in retirement: whether you'll have health insurance. How you'll get it, on the other hand, is another matter.
This is the second-part of MONEY's ongoing series on Medicare.
This Sunday morning, and for every foreseeable Sunday until at least the 2012 elections, the talking-head news shows will be crowded with members of both parties talking about the need to fix out-of-control "entitlements." Politicians like that word. It's safely nonspecific, and we're all a little suspicious of someone who feels entitled.
Citing cost concerns, the Obama administration said Friday it has halted a long-term care insurance program that was part of the massive health care law passed in 2010.
Elizabeth Cohen, senior medical correspondent, explains why the White House is dropping a long-term health care program.
A life insurance broker told me that if I put my portfolio in a variable universal life insurance policy it would be a great investment and tax shelter. I was also shown an illustration that my money will grow at 10% a year. Do you believe that a stock market investment will grow at 10% in such a policy? -- Todd C.
Thank you, boss?: While the annual cost for employee family health insurance jumped 9% this year, employers shouldered the bulk of that increase, according to a new industry survey Tuesday.
These are hard times in the United States.
The number of people who lacked health insurance last year climbed to 49.9 million, up from 49 million in 2009, the Census Bureau said Tuesday.
Now that Hurricane Irene has departed, many Americans are left to deal with the damage the storm left behind and whether or not their insurance company will help pick up the tab.
Five years after a law to protect U.S. military personnel from salespeople selling life insurance, a new Pentagon report finds problems continue.
Hospital and doctor groups warned Monday that the debt ceiling deal could damage seniors' access to health care if it triggers pay cuts to Medicare providers.
The U.S. government will foot the bill for half of all health care costs in the United States by 2020, according to a government report released Thursday.
Social Security payments aren't the only federal lifeline that could grind to a halt if the debt ceiling impasse continues beyond Aug. 2.
For the first time in its history, the nation's largest retailer Wal-Mart is providing free legal support for patients at the Arkansas Children's Hospital, many of whom are from low income families on Medicaid.
CNNMoney guest columnist Joshua Gordon is the policy director at The Concord Coalition.
Money Magazine: Umbrella insurance?updated: Fri Jun 03 2011 11:17:00
Q: What is an umbrella insurance policy, and under what circumstances should I have one? -- Matthew M., Smithfield, N.Y.
Any deficit reduction deal with Republicans must bolster job growth and spread the burden equally among the wealthy and other segments of society, congressional Democratic leaders said Thursday after talks with President Barack Obama.
1. Employers have gotten stingier
In what amounted to political theater rather than legislative action, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a House budget plan that included a controversial provision to overhaul Medicare and also unanimously voted down President Barack Obama's 2012 budget proposal.
Dems see Congresswoman-elect Kathy Hochul's upset win in New York as an early test of things to come in 2012.
In town hall meetings being held across the country during Congress' two-week recess, American citizens are filling the ears of Republican legislators with objections to the party's budget plan, particularly proposed changes to Medicare that would replace direct coverage with subsidies for private insurance.
President Barack Obama unveiled his long-awaited deficit reduction plan Wednesday, calling for a mix of spending reductions and tax hikes that the White House claims would cut federal deficits by $4 trillion over the next 12 years without gutting popular programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
President Obama unveiled a plan Wednesday to cut Medicare and Medicaid costs, but without slashing benefits for seniors and the needy.
In many ways, the debate over taming the nation's spending and deficit beasts can be compared to a family's hand-wringing over what to cut, and what to keep, in tough times. It may be easy to nix "luxuries" like vacations and eating out. But should "essentials" like a car or a home be downsized or gotten rid of to save money?
Republicans have always hated Medicare, but most Americans have always loved it. Now, led by Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republicans are trying to kill it once and for all.
House Republicans propose to trim more than $1 trillion from the deficit over the next decade by reworking and cutting Medicaid, a program of public health care coverage for children, pregnant mothers, disabled and poor.
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan said Sunday he will unveil a Republican budget for 2012 this week that proposes dramatic changes to Medicare, Medicaid and other political lightning rods.
Running one of America's largest health insurers was never easy, but now it's a strategic challenge that will be studied in business schools for years. That's because the industry is about to be revolutionized by the new health care reform law. Yet no one is sure exactly how. At least Humana CEO Michael McCallister has the comfort of knowing his company has remade itself before. Launched 50 years ago as a nursing home operator, it later abandoned that business and became America's largest hospital company before bailing out of that industry in 1993 to focus on insurance. Humana's biggest business now is Medicare Advantage insurance -- essentially enhanced Medicare offered through private companies.
Come 2012, millions of Americans who get health care coverage through their employer should brace for some big changes.
For the first time in 10 years, the U.S. health insurance industry is expected to report a decline in medical expenses, according to a new report by Weiss Ratings.
The government collected a whopping $4 billion last year -- the largest sum ever recovered in a single year -- through its health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts, according to a new report Monday.
The House of Representatives voted to repeal the Obama administration's signature health-care legislation Wednesday evening, a vote the newly elected Republican majority called a fulfillment of their No. 1 campaign promise.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tells Wolf Blitzer many in Congress will reject efforts to repeal health care reform.
One day after a Virginia federal judge ruled a key part of President Barack Obama's health care reform law was unconstitutional, two members of Obama's administration spoke out publicly defending the law.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli talks about his position on an insurance mandate with CNN's John King.
Fraud experts say health insurance scams are on the rise as criminals quickly exploit consumers' confusion about how the new health care law changes their insurance coverage.
Faced with a divided public over his signature legislative achievement, President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed the health care reform bill passed in March as important for helping both the government and the American people deal with rising medical costs.
After completing his second year of business classes at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, in 2007, Joshua Armstrong decided to take a break from full-time studies.
September 23 marks the six-month anniversary of health reform. It's also the date when several key insurance changes come into effect.
The number of people with health insurance in the United States dropped for the first time in 23 years, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday.
Question: I'm 33, make about $150,000 a year and am starting from scratch to plan for retirement. A person close to me wants to sell me life insurance with a cash value feature as a way to save. Can you help me here? What do you think is my best option? --Carlos R., Houston, Texas
Terri Widder hesitated seconds before she booked a recent flight from Chicago to Tulsa. Something felt wrong.
President Barack Obama will sidestep Congress by using a recess appointment to make Dr. Donald Berwick the new head of the federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, the White House announced Tuesday.
Massive unemployment and a changing health care system is creating a breeding ground for con artists. One of the fastest growing scams is fake health care coverage.
The Department of Health and Human Services rolls out a new program Thursday to assist Americans who have unable to get health insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Starting Thursday, the Obama administration will dole out $5 billion to states to provide insurance for people who don't have coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions.
President Obama talks about efforts to implement the new health insurance law and how it will help families.
Health care reform was "a long overdue victory for America's consumers and patients" and Americans are "already seeing a wave of change," President Barack Obama said Tuesday as he touted the success of his signature domestic policy initiative.
If you lose your job after June 1, you'll see more than just your paycheck disappear. You also won't get the 65% federal subsidy to cover your COBRA health insurance premium.
Question: I'm 29, make about $260,000 a year and am thinking about purchasing a house. I was approached by a financial adviser who wants me to invest in an equity indexed universal life insurance policy, which he called a "surefire" way to develop a sizable nest egg that grows tax-free and can also be tapped tax-free via a loan. He suggested that I purchase a house using an interest-only mortgage, which would have lower payments than a regular mortgage, and then invest the difference into the life insurance policy. He also suggested I take out a home equity line of credit on the home and invest the loan proceeds in the insurance policy. He threw around claims like "do what the banks do" and "make money off of borrowed money." I would like to get an unbiased second opinion, so any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. --Randolph, Northampton, Mass.
CNNMoney: Flood assistanceupdated: Mon May 17 2010 14:34:00
Floodwaters swallowed up hundreds of homes in Tennessee. And residents there are just beginning to pick up the pieces. If you or someone you know has been affected by the floods, there is assistance available through disaster aid programs.
Travelers who racked up unforeseen expenses during Europe's recent volcanic ash cloud chaos -- and those observing nervously from the sidelines -- may want to look into travel insurance for their next trip.
As the insurance industry prepares to adjust to reform, two big players say mandated changes that kick in soon could push up premiums faster and greater than before.
The enormous ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano continues to wreak havoc on travelers. One way to protect yourself financially from events like this: travel insurance.
I'm doing my taxes and thinking about mandates. That is natural because health reform passed during tax season. Critics argue that the new law's requirement to purchase insurance or pay a fine is a radical departure and unconstitutional.
For millions of uninsured or underinsured Americans, health reform legislation will soon remove some of the barriers preventing them from getting the coverage they need.
President Obama signs the final changes to health care reform into law.
President Obama sealed a final victory on his signature domestic priority Tuesday, signing a sweeping package of changes to the newly enacted health care reform law.
President Obama won a key concession from the health insurance industry Tuesday as the main lobby group said providers would comply with new regulations that will prevent the denial of coverage for children due to pre-existing conditions.
Under the new health care legislation, experts say the first changes Americans with employer-based insurance will see is in their benefits.
About 32 million Americans who don't have health insurance will get access to coverage when the $940 billion health care plan takes effect.
What? Really? You don't understand the new health care reform legislation? You find yourself confused? If you haven't mastered the minutiae on all 2,309 pages of the health care reform bill signed earlier this week by President Obama, there's nothing wrong with you -- even experts are having a hard time getting a grip on all the details.
With the passage of the health care reform bill, CNN has been flooded with viewer questions about specifics of the measure and how their lives may be affected. In response, we're providing answers here, based on our reporting research, that address some of the issues you're raising most often. Got another question? E-mail us at healthcare@cnn.com.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers viewer questions on health care reform.
President Obama launched his health care reform effort shortly after taking office, saying the country could not afford to continue to sustain the costs and the burden on families.
1. It's more coverage than most people need
The earthquakes in Haiti and Chile remind us about how vulnerable our own homes may be in the event of an earthquake. While we have the good fortune to even have the option to buy earthquake insurance for our homes, there are some things you should know about this type of coverage.
President Obama introduced a health care plan that he says will bridge the gap between the House and Senate bills passed last year. His proposal is similar to the Senate bill, with a few nods to the House plan.
Democratic efforts to pass a health care bill have stalled a bit, and the immediate focus may be shifting toward health insurance reform instead of quickly trying to pass a comprehensive bill, White House officials signaled Sunday.
1. Your parents may be getting sold on these
"Comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time has come in America. There has long been a need to assure every American financial access to high quality health care. As medical costs go up, that need grows more pressing." -- Republican President Nixon's special message to Congress proposing a "Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan," February 6, 1974
Senate Democrats are preparing to drop a compromise health-care plan that would allow 55- to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare because of opposition from Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, two senior Democratic sources said Monday.
Senate Democrats are preparing to drop a compromise health-care plan that would allow 55- to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare because of opposition from Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, two senior Democratic sources said Monday.
Liberal and moderate Senate Democrats said Monday they may be nearing agreement on a package of alternatives to a government-run public health insurance option in the chamber's sweeping health care bill.
Millions of long-term unemployed Americans and their families are at risk of losing their health insurance, as their eligibility for a 9-month health-premium subsidy expires.
The U.S. Senate on Monday opened what is expected to be a lengthy and rancorous debate on a sweeping bill to overhaul the nation's health care system.
Under the weather and out of a job? You could be eligible for free health services like flu shots and prescription drug refills.
The Senate will vote Saturday on opening debate on the sweeping health care bill introduced by Democrats, Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday.
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