Geographic boundaries can have a big impact on health insurance options, particularly for people living in rural regions. Rural residents tend to fare better on premiums and choices when their area is grouped with an urban neighbor.
Health Insurance and Costs
New Jersey was one of 28 states that opted to accept federal money to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That expansion has added almost 400,000 people to the public health insurance program - without necessarily adding more doctors to see them.
Penalty programs created under the Affordable Care Act are intended to improve quality of care at hospitals. But will they succeed?
There are around 120,000 indigenous Mexican migrants living in California. Most of them are farmworkers, face poor living conditions and higher than normal rates of illnesses. Many don't speak English or Spanish and are living in the country illegaly. They typically don’t have access to health care.
At La Clínica de la Raza in Northern California, the surge of new Medicaid enrollees has made it difficult for the clinic to meet the demand for care. But the need to make the most of limited resources has also led the organization to adopt new innovations, such as the "morning huddle."
Even after Obamacare, millions of people still don't have health coverage in California. How are these remaining uninsured going to be taken care of? That question has yet to be answered, but the debate around the issue -- which is tricky politically and financially -- is bound to be contentious.
In the era before modern surgery and antibiotics, care for all but the very elite was provided by unschooled healers such as midwives, "bone-setters," and apothecaries. Their fees were low, and many would barter their services for crops or food.
One year into the explosive, health law-induced growth of Medi-Cal, it appears one of the most alarming predictions of critics is coming true: The supply of doctors hasn't kept up with demand.
New Jerseyans covered by Medicaid report it's sometimes difficult to find doctors — particularly specialists — who will accept its insurance plans. Here are some tips, gathered from doctors, physician practice administrators and other patients.
They say money talks, but so does anger. That’s why it pays to spend some time in bankruptcy court when you are looking for gripping tales on the health care beat. These resources and tips will get you on your way.