Julie Appleby

Frustrated that Congress hasn't repealed the Affordable Care Act, the administration continues to make moves that chip away at the ACA's nationwide protections and give states more control.

Uncertainty over federal standards for these cost-saving programs could trigger different perks for employees, and change what they must do to qualify.

Gaps in a wide-ranging law covering employee benefits can blindside consumers whose health coverage is provided by company and union health plans that pay claims out of their own funds.

The Trump administration has declined to defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in court, saying protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be declared unconstitutional.

A provision now in the House's bill would help agricultural groups set up association health plans. Such plans, favored alternatives of the GOP, aim to reduce health care costs for small groups.

Many people have never heard of pharmacy benefit managers. They're the companies that help insurers decide what drugs to cover and how much you pay for them.

The high cost of Spinraza, a new and promising treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, highlights how the cost-benefit analysis insurers use to make drug coverage decisions plays out in human terms.

Republican senators are warming to the idea of a scaled-back plan that would delete the Affordable Care Act's individual and employer mandates but leave much of the law intact.

Some small businesses buy their health plans through trade associations. The GOP health bills would make those cheaper. But that could also make employer-based insurance more expensive for others.

The GOP health bills would eliminate many of the taxes that help pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Wealthy individuals stand to gain the most. And customers of tanning salons.

The Trump administration has finalized a rule that will make big changes in Obamacare health plans and eligibility as soon as this summer. Will it stabilize the insurance marketplace, too?

A key part of GOP plans to reform health care may include making health care more portable. But it's not so easy to do.

Republicans hope to expand the use of health savings accounts to encourage consumers to be more judicious in using their coverage. How do the accounts work?

A new analysis of U.S. health insurance claims is worrisome, pediatricians say: More and more young people are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Private rooms for pumping breast milk and expanded therapy coverage for children with autism are two of the less publicized mandates of the Affordable Care Act. Also, being able to choose your OB-GYN.

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation has explored payment changes that could cut health care costs and improve quality. But will the center survive in a new administration?

The vaccine is already showing up in drugstores, but maybe wait until Halloween to get the shot, doctors say, especially if you're over 65 and want to be protected against flu this winter.

An analysis of insurance company payments finds that emergency room visits and lab tests were responsible for much of the overall spending related to treatment and testing for opioid use.

Insurance claims for medical services related to opioid dependence rose more than 3,000 percent between 2007 and 2014, a study finds, suggesting that opioid problems have gone mainstream.

Research shows exercise-based cardiac rehab programs help heart patients heal faster and live longer. But fewer than a third take part. Time and cost are the main barriers, doctors and patients say.