Health Care Blog

The First Lady Encourages Military Families to Get Covered

Posted by Kasie Coccaro on March 14, 2014 at 2:33 PM EST

Today, as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Google+ Hangout to provide uninsured veterans, their family members, caregivers, and advocates information about health insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act, First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged uninsured veterans who are not eligible for coverage by the VA and their families to sign up for health care in advance of the March 31 deadline.

"The deadline for signing up is March 31st. So talk to your friends, your family, your neighbors … send them to the website right now, and keep on them until they sign up. Because all Americans deserve the security of knowing that you’ll have health care when you need it – especially families like yours who have already given so much to this country," said the First Lady.

The Affordable Care Act helps honor our commitment to veterans by strengthening affordable health care options for their families. "The last thing our veteran families need is the stress of worrying that one accident or illness could mean losing everything you’ve worked so hard for," said the First Lady. "But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, that weight is being lifted."

If you don't already have health insurance, as of today, there are just 17 days left to enroll in health care coverage at HealthCare.gov before open enrollment ends on March 31. At HealthCare.gov you can compare your options based on price, benefits, quality, and other features, and enroll in a plan that fits your needs and your budget.

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Making Health Care Coverage More Accessible and Equitable for Same-Sex Couples

Posted by Matthew Heinz on March 14, 2014 at 12:58 PM EST

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Department of Health and Human Services' health care blog. See the original post here.

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services took one more step toward making health care coverage more accessible and equitable for married same-sex couples.

Already, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 4.2 million people have signed up for private health insurance plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Marketplace plans cover essential health benefits like emergency services, prescription drugs and mental health and substance use disorder services. And preventive services like flu shots, blood pressure screening and HIV screening are covered at no additional charge.

Moreover, all health plans sold in the Marketplace have to follow rules that make health care more accessible for everyone. You can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition, like HIV/AIDS or cancer, and you can’t be charged more for being a woman.

Today, we are clarifying that, starting next year, if an insurance company offers coverage to opposite-sex spouses, it cannot choose to deny that coverage to same-sex spouses. In other words, insurance companies will not be permitted to discriminate against married same-sex couples when offering coverage. This will further enhance access to health care for all Americans, including those with same-sex spouses.

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LeBron James Wants You to #GetCovered

Posted by dhudson on March 14, 2014 at 11:00 AM EST

NBA star LeBron James understands the importance of having health insurance, and wants to make sure you're covered.

As he says in the video, "You never know when you might take a hit. Spread the word and get covered today."

The deadline to enroll for health care coverage this year is March 31 -- only 17 days from now. If you're not covered yet, go to HealthCare.gov and sign up today. And if you do have health insurance, make sure to tell your friends, family, and co-workers why they need to get covered. Visit WH.gov/GetCovered for tips on how to spread the word.

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Watch President Obama’s Interview with WebMD Readers

Posted by Kori Schulman on March 14, 2014 at 7:00 AM EST

President Barack Obama participates in an Affordable Care Act interview with Lisa Zamosky for WebMD in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. March 12, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

This week, President Obama sat down for an interview with WebMD to answer questions from consumers and discuss the importance of signing up for health insurance by March 31. In the days leading up to the interview, WebMD readers – from young adults to seniors representing all 50 states – submitted thousands of questions for the President. Now, you can watch the full Q&A.

“My most important recommendation is for people to go to the website healthcare.gov and look for themselves at what plans are being provided,” said the President. During the conversation with the site’s health care reform expert Liza Zamosky, the President discussed health care costs, access to care, Medicaid expansion, and more.

Watch the full video of the interview at WebMD.com/AskObama and below, or jump to the question that you're most interested in below.

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West Wing Week 03/14/14 or "What's Up, Captain America?"

Posted by Adam Garber on March 13, 2014 at 11:00 PM EST

This week, the Vice President and Dr. Biden traveled to Chile to attend the President's inauguration, while the President worked on improving access to college for students, raising the minimum wage, and negotiating a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Ukraine. He also got out the word about this year's March 31st deadline for health insurance applications, congratulated NCAA champs, and designated a new national monument.

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#GeeksGetCovered

Posted by Todd Park on March 11, 2014 at 11:17 AM EST

America is full of geeks—and that’s a really good thing. Geeks are a critical driver of America’s innovation ecosystem, from the entrepreneurs launching startups in Silicon Valley to the scientists experimenting in university research labs to the whiz kids building gadgets in their parents’ garages.

The Obama Administration cares deeply about innovation, and about helping to make sure that geeks across the country, those coming up with new discoveries and exciting inventions—and creating jobs along the way—have the freedom and security to keep innovating.

That’s why today we are launching #GeeksGetCovered, an effort focused on raising awareness, sharing stories, and encouraging healthcare enrollment among geeks, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

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