Julie Rovner

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has ideas about how to rein in health costs that hit consumers in the pocketbook. But would they work?

Does Hillary Clinton Have The Prescription For Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs?

Julie Rovner

Democrat Hillary Clinton has proposed policy changes that would cap how much insured people have to pay for prescription drugs and put limits on the share of costs beyond premiums that consumers bear.

A Medicaid office employee works on reports at Montefiore Medical Center in New York in late 2014. New York expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and enrollment surged.

Obamacare Enrollment Triggers Drop In The Uninsured Rate

Julie Rovner

The sizable jump in Americans with insurance, due in large part to the implementation of the federal health law, is unprecedented since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid 50 years ago.

The U.S. Congress returns to work in Washington, D.C., Tuesday after the summer recess ends.

Congress Weighs Budget Cuts For Wide Range Of Health Programs

Julie Rovner

As federal lawmakers return to work, they faces tough choices about the budget, worrying advocates for medical research, teen pregnancy prevention and other health initiatives.

'Defunding' Planned Parenthood Is Easier Promised Than Done

Julie Rovner

Some Republican candidates for president claim they have defunded Planned Parenthood in their states already. But the truth, others say, depends on how you define "defund."

Protesters rally on the steps of the Texas state capitol on July 28 to condemn the use of fetal tissue for medical research.

Calls To Cut Off Planned Parenthood Are Nothing New

Julie Rovner

Flashback to the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan tried to restrict funding for Planned Parenthood. Efforts in Congress have continued since then, with the latest focused on fetal tissue research.

Administration Prods States To Scrutinize Insurers' Rate Hikes

Julie Rovner

In a letter to state regulators, the Obama administration says rates shouldn't be allowed to go up as much as some insurers are proposing for plans sold to individuals on the health exchanges.

Birth control used to be a big part of young women's out-of-pocket health costs.

Women Are Saving Money Thanks To Expanded Birth Control Coverage

Julie Rovner

The average user of birth control pills saved $255 in the first year after an Affordable Care Act requirement that insurers cover contraceptives without copays went into effect, a study finds.

"Nearly 1 in 3 uninsured Americans have already been covered — more than 16 million people -– driving our uninsured rate to its lowest level ever," President Obama told a cheering crowd at the Catholic Health Association's annual conference Tuesday.

The Uninsured Rate Is Low, But Proving It's The Lowest Ever Is Tricky

Julie Rovner

President Obama hails the Affordable Care Act for driving the uninsured rate "to its lowest level ever." But changes in how the rate has been measured make historical claims difficult.

People protesting against the Affordable Care Act rallied outside the Supreme Court in March, before arguments in the second major challenge to the law.

US

5 Questions Answered On The Legal Challenge To Obamacare Subsidies

Julie Rovner

If the court rules against the Obama administration, health insurance subsidies could be eliminated for more than 6 million people in states that use HealthCare.gov, the federal exchange website.

A Top Medical School Revamps Requirements To Lure English Majors

Julie Rovner

Many of the students at Mount Sinai's medical school in New York majored in English or history, and never took the MCAT. The school sees that diversity among its students as a great strength.