President-elect Donald Trump said in a weekend interview that he is nearing completion of a plan to replace President Barack Obama’s signature health-care law with the goal of “insurance for everybody,” while also vowing to force drug companies to negotiate directly with the government on prices in Medicare and Medicaid. Trump declined to reveal specifics […]
ACA
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U.S. House votes to move ACA repeal forward
Congressional Republicans completed the first step Friday toward their long-promised repeal of Obamacare and now must find a way to unravel the massive health-care law and try to replace it. The House voted 227-198 Friday to adopt a budget resolution that would allow Republicans to push a repeal bill through the Senate without having to […]
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GOP plan to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood in Obamacare repeal concerns Collins
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that Republicans would slash federal dollars for Planned Parenthood as part of the GOP effort to repeal the health care law. Ryan spoke a day after a special House panel issued a report criticizing the organization, which provides birth control, abortions and various women’s health services, for […]
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Analysis: Why repealing ‘Obamacare’ is complex and risky
WASHINGTON — Here’s the idea: Swiftly pass a repeal of President Barack Obama’s health care law, perhaps soon enough for Donald Trump to sign it the day he takes the presidential oath. Then approve legislation restructuring the nation’s huge and convoluted health care system — despite Republican divisions, Democratic opposition and millions of jittery constituents. […]
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Community Health Options pulling out of New Hampshire
LEWISTON — A Maine-based health insurance co-op with customers in Maine and New Hampshire says it is leaving the New Hampshire market for the 2017 plan year. In December, Community Health Options stopped allowing an individual plan from the co-op through HealthCare.gov. The co-op decided to stop selling new plans because of significant enrollment growth […]
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Aetna to offer health plan on Maine health exchange
PORTLAND — At a time when some insurers are threatening to abandon Affordable Care Act exchanges, Aetna plans to offer individual plans on the health care marketplace for the first time in portions of Maine, giving consumers more choices. Aetna intends to join Community Health Options, Harvard Pilgrim and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in offering […]
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ACA health exchange insurers propose rate increases
PORTLAND — Insurers are seeking double-digit premium increases in the coming year for tens of thousands of Mainers who receive insurance through President Barack Obama’s health care law. Proposals filed with the Maine Bureau of Insurance would raise individual plan premiums between 14 percent and 23 percent under the health care law’s marketplace. All told, more […]
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Almost 80,000 Mainers use HealthCare.gov to get coverage
PORTLAND — Nearly 80,000 Maine residents have signed up for health care coverage through the HealthCare.gov platform since open enrollment began in November. Officials with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services say 78,891 people from Maine have either signed up or had their coverage automatically renewed as of Jan. 9. The deadline to […]
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Tuesday is deadline for health care sign ups
WASHINGTON — Rising premiums and shaken faith among insurers have cast a cloud over sign-up season for President Barack Obama’s health care law, and now it’s crunch time again. Tuesday is the deadline for millions of uninsured procrastinators to sign up in time for coverage to begin on Jan. 1. As the health insurance expansion […]
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How to get the most from ObamaCare with the ACA website
Obamacare – 2015 Total On Exchange Enrollment | HealthGrove The newest version of Healthcare.gov, the website used to sign up for health insurance coverage on the federal exchange, is now open for business. The open enrollment period for 2016 began on Sunday, November 1st and will run until January 31st, 2016 — although if you […]