Two and an half months into the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, where does the rollout of the law stand with marketplace coverage set to begin on January 1, 2014? Featuring two Kaiser Family Foundation experts–Larry Levitt, Co-Director of the Foundation’s Program for the Study of Health Reform and Private Insurance & Senior Vice President, and Jennifer Tolbert, State Health Policy Director–the webinar touched on some of the major questions as people start using ACA coverage and the end of the open enrollment period on March 31. Most of the hour was devoted to a question and answer session with the participating audience.

As part of the “Covering Health Reform” series, this webinar focused on the major changes facing older people. The Foundation’s Associate Director of the Program on Medicare Policy, Juliette Cubanski and Senior Fellow Karen Pollitz discussed how the Affordable Care Act impacts Medicare benefits and beneficiaries, as well as the ACA’s role for baby boomers who are not yet 65 and eligible for Medicare.

Featuring Kaiser Health News Staff Writer Sarah Varney and “Insuring Your Health” columnist Michelle Andrews, this webinar will discuss approaches to covering this complex story by incorporating individual examples; provide tips and techniques for digging into the details of the law (with expert help) to describe how its provisions play out in real life; and suggest new angles and under-reported story ideas. Additionally, they will identify upcoming policy deadlines and timelines, and explore how to weave these into your stories over the next several months. After a brief presentation, both presenters will answer questions.

This webinar looks at insurance rates and plan offerings in the new state-based marketplaces. The Co-Directors of the Foundation’s Program for the Study of Health Reform and Private Insurance, Senior Vice President Larry Levitt and Vice President Gary Claxton, will give a brief presentation on the early reports of rates, how and why they vary, and what consumers would pay after taking tax credits into account. They will also answer journalists’ questions about the new insurance market rules taking effect in 2014 and how to interpret insurance rates.

As part of the “Covering Health Reform” series, this webinar provided an overview of how the Affordable Care Act’s impact will vary for people in different circumstances, including those currently with employer coverage, those who buy their own insurance and those who are currently uninsured. The Foundation’s State Health Policy Director Jennifer Tolbert and Senior Fellow Karen Pollitz explained the law’s individual mandate, as well as its new coverage options, including new state insurance marketplaces, subsidies for people with low- and moderate incomes, and new rules prohibiting insurers from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions. They answered journalists’ questions about the law as part of the webinar.

The Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored this reporters-only briefing to help journalists assess the Supreme Court’s decision about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Full version: Video   Speakers for this session: The panel was moderated by Ed Howard of the Alliance. John R.…

The Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored this reporters-only briefing to help journalists cover the Supreme Court arguments challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and their aftermath with greater depth and understanding. Panelists focus on tips, story ideas and angles that have perhaps…

On February 15, the Kaiser Family Foundation hosted an event featuring a PBS documentary with former Washington Post correspondent T.R. Reid – U.S. Health Care: The Good News – which explores efforts to provide low-cost, quality health care in the U.S. The film looks at variations in health spending across…

The November Health Tracking Poll takes a closer look at public opinion and knowledge about specific provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Findings include: After taking a negative turn in October, the public’s overall views on the ACA returned to a more mixed status this month.…

This note summarizes a forum held by the Foundation on February 9, 2011 examining the state of global health journalism. The discussion included a group of senior editors and reporters, as well as other stakeholders in the world of media. The discussion centered on the challenges and opportunities faced by…