Health Insurance

It's the time when workers start to plan their coverage for the next year, when insurance companies hold open enrollment. Now you can check into your plan to see if your insurer has raised its rates and why. Because of the new health care law, all insurance companies must file the information with the department of Health and Human services. Just last week, a survey found premiums for employer-sponsored family plans, increasing nine percent this year.

by Eyewitness News & CBS News Misleading, deceptive, even fake.  Those are some of the words used to describe four companies now ordered to stop selling health insurance in Kansas. Bob Harper signed up with one of the companies while shopping for affordable health insurance.  The cost with American Trade Association was less than $400 a month.  But when he needed surgery Harper learned, his plan didn't exist. "I was laying in my bed honestly praying to God, how am I going to get out of this," Harper said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A proposed "Health Care Freedom Amendment" to the Kansas Constitution has failed in the Kansas House. The House's 75-47 vote Tuesday came the same day President Barack Obama was to sign sweeping federal health care legislation into law. Most House members wanted to send a message that they disapprove of the new federal law. But opponents fell nine votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary to adopt a proposed change...

Press Release Kansas Democratic Party - Larry Gates February 28th, 2009 "Along with all Kansas Democrats, I am thrilled our good friend, Governor Kathleen Sebelius, is nominated for this high Cabinet post.  I applaud President Obama for nominating someone with the knowledge, skills and compassion needed to bring change to America's health care system.  As she always does, our Governor has made all Kansans proud of her and her nationally recognized leadership.

Pharmacist George Saghbene fills hundreds of prescriptions every day. Beginning next year, he expects he'll fill even more. "Its not going to be a huge problem but its going to make a little inconvenient for some people," says George Saghbene. People who have a Flexible Spending Account with their insurance provider. Flexible Spending Accounts allow people to put aside money at the beginning of the year for prescriptions and any other "qualifying medical expenses" like over-the-counter medications.

Striking Bombardier Learjet worker Austin Wells leaves the picket-line to return to his other job... as a full-time family man. "We get one more full check.  Then, after that, we don't get anything," Austin said. At least that's the case from the company.  However, Austin will get a 150-dollar check from the union starting at the end of week three.  But that won't support his growing family of four. "We also prepared for it... working as often as we could.  Doing side jobs, paying our bills ahead of time for this month," Holly Wells, Austin's wife, said.

OK, it seems like everything these days is costing you more.  Gas.  Groceries.  Health insurance.  Maybe you’ve gotten a raise at your job but think about it – are you really doing better than you were 10 years ago?  How do you know?  Thursday on Eyewitness News at 10, FactFinder 12 Investigator Kim Wilhelm breaks down the numbers and gives you simple ways to figure out if you’re getting ahead.  If you’re not, find out easy tips on how to make it happen.

For the first time in four years, the number of Americans without health insurance decreased. The U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday that 48.6 million people were uninsured in 2011 -- down from 50 million the year before. The percentage of uninsured people also ticked lower, edging down to 15.7% from 16.3%. However, for the fifth consecutive year, the percentage of people covered by government health insurance increased -- up to 32.2% from 31.2% in 2010. People covered by Medicaid increased to 16.5% from 15.8%, and Medicare coverage edged higher to 15.2% from 14.6%.

When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, nobody could predict the full impact.  Many of the rules are still being written.  But taxpayers in Hutchinson are starting to get a better idea. "The people voted him in," taxpayer Doug Henderson says.  "He came up with this plan. They went along with it. " Hutchinson School District Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger says Obamacare will require the the district to provide health insurance for 328 more of its employees.  That means it'll have to come up with another $1.5 million--most likely by raising property taxes.

By Roger Cornish (TOPEKA, Kan.) The Kansas Senate has refused to revive a proposed "Health Care Freedom Amendment" to the state constitution. The proposal is aimed at blocking implementation in Kansas of parts of the new federal health care law. Senators voted 21-19 Wednesday against pulling the measure out of committee. The proposed amendment would bar the state from requiring any individual or business to buy health insurance. The federal law will require most Americans to buy coverage, starting in 2014.

When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, nobody could predict the full impact.  Many of the rules are still being written.  But taxpayers in Hutchinson are starting to get a better idea. "The people voted him in," taxpayer Doug Henderson says.  "He came up with this plan. They went along with it. " Hutchinson School District Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger says Obamacare will require the the district to provide health insurance for 328 more of its employees.  That means it'll have to come up with another $1.5 million--most likely by raising property taxes.

The law passed three years ago.  Still, a lot of Kansans have no idea how the so-called "Affordable Care Act" will affect them starting in October. Some will get a subsidy, some will have have to pay a penalty, for others it'll be neither.  It's all based on your 2012 tax returns. "Man, I don't know," Wichita resident Zeb Harrington says.  "I haven't done enough homework on it. " Everybody who gets their taxes done at H and R Block this year is getting a free health care assessment.  It gives them their first look into what health care reform will mean for them.

The ballots are in and by a 70-30 majority, strikers will return to work.  But not everyone is happy about the deal. "Would you mind telling us how you voted?" asked Eyewitness News Reporter Sia Nyorkor. "I voted it down," says Vernon Jennings, a striker. "Me myself personally, with my honey going through cancer treatments, I would have to get a second job so I could not live with it," says Paul Love. But some say they can live with the new changes.  A federal mediator stepped in to negotiate a new contract after members of the Machinist union rejected Bombardier's first offer---mainly because of an increase in health care costs and a decrease in pay raises.  Under the new deal, the employee's share of their health insurance premium went from 30 percent to 15 percent with a wellness program.

The federal government will create a health insurance exchange in Kansas after Governor Sam Brownback refuses to support the state creating its own. The governor's office released the following statement Thursday afternoon: “Kansans feel Obamacare is an overreach by Washington and have rejected the state's participation in this federal program. My administration will not partner with the federal government to create a state-federal partnership insurance exchange because we will not benefit from it and implementing it could costs Kansas taxpayers millions of dollars.

The strike at Bombardier is causing traffic headaches for drivers.  One woman spent four and a half hours in her car waiting to get into work at Bombardier. Click to See Photos from Picket Line She waited because the machinists on strike were stopping every car entering the facility. They would spend 30-40 seconds with each car causing traffic to back up for miles. After awhile, police asked they limit it to ten seconds to avoid major delays.  The union members agreed.

Machinists at Bombardier Learjet walked off the job and onto the picket line early Monday morning. This is the second strike in the Wichita plant's history. Click to See Photos from Picket Line Some say this strike might last longer than the three-week strike back in 2006. That strike was over wages and health insurance also, and the company's offer was more generous than this time around.  It was just before jet sales took a nosedive. "I don't think anybody believed the business jet market would be this bad this long," Friends University finance professor Malcolm Harris says.

Striking Bombardier Learjet worker Austin Wells leaves the picket-line to return to his other job... as a full-time family man. "We get one more full check.  Then, after that, we don't get anything," Austin said. At least that's the case from the company.  However, Austin will get a 150-dollar check from the union starting at the end of week three.  But that won't support his growing family of four. "We also prepared for it... working as often as we could.  Doing side jobs, paying our bills ahead of time for this month," Holly Wells, Austin's wife, said.

For the first time in four years, the number of Americans without health insurance decreased. The U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday that 48.6 million people were uninsured in 2011 -- down from 50 million the year before. The percentage of uninsured people also ticked lower, edging down to 15.7% from 16.3%. However, for the fifth consecutive year, the percentage of people covered by government health insurance increased -- up to 32.2% from 31.2% in 2010. People covered by Medicaid increased to 16.5% from 15.8%, and Medicare coverage edged higher to 15.2% from 14.6%.

The American people remain split on the Patient Protect and Affordable Care Act. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled it constitutional and beginning August 1, several key parts of the legislation go into effect. Starting Wednesday, most insurance companies will be required to provide FDA approved contraceptives at no cost. As a result, 47 million women will have access to free contraceptives, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The following is a list of the eight preventative services women will receive without co-pays starting Wednesday: Annual wellness exams Screening for gestational diabetes Testing for the human papilloma-virus or HPV Counseling for STD infections Screening and counseling for HIV Contraception Breastfeeding support, supplies & counseling Screening and counseling for domestic violence Also by August 1, health insurance companies have to refund $1.1 billion in premiums to nearly 13 million customers nationwide.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul -- ruling in favor of the requirement that most Americans can be required to have health insurance, or else pay a penalty.    The decision means the historic overhaul will continue to take effect over the next several years, affecting the way countless Americans receive and pay for their personal medical care.    The court found problems with the law's expansion of Medicaid.