health law

The Affordable Care Act Turns Three

Posted on 03/22/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Personal Health | PoliticsThe Affordable Care Act is three years old. So what does that mean? What has happened to improve health care over the past few years? Let’s take a quick look: People with Medicare now get a 52.5% discount on brand-name drugs and a 21% discount on generics. People are already seeing a lot of savings. Medicare has a free initial checkup and a free yearly wellness checkup. Medicare also covers preventive care for free. For people with insurance, free preventive …

States Won’t Save By Refusing to Expand Medicaid

Posted on 11/27/2012 by | Health | Comments

Bulletin TodayBy Phil Galewitz, Senior Correspondent, Kaiser Health News If state officials think they can escape a fiscal quagmire by refusing to expand Medicaid under the federal health law, they might want to reconsider. State Medicaid costs will jump $76 billion, or nearly 3 percent, over the next decade if all 50 states decide to expand Medicaid eligibility in 2014 under the federal health law. But state spending on the program would still increase to the tune of $68 billion even …