Michelle Andrews

A rule proposed by the Trump administration would likely raise the deductibles and copays of new policies sold on the exchanges, starting next fall. Monthly premiums would likely be cheaper.

In the U.S., there are about 39,000 cancers associated with the human papillomavirus each year. Doctors say the new HPV vaccine may help reduce the number of cases.

House Speaker Paul Ryan supports a bill that would allow "association health plans" to be sold nationally to small businesses. But critics say such plans tend to be skimpy and not well-regulated.

In "direct primary care," a model favored by HHS Secretary Tom Price, patients pay a monthly fee to doctors for basic health care. But does that really provide better value?

The woman set to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told senators that maternity coverage should be optional in individual and small group plans. Other services could be cut entirely.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the government from enforcing a rule allowing insurers to refuse to insure dialysis patients who get financial assistance from charity groups.

People who think the change in administrations may save them from having to pay a fine for not having insurance in 2016 could be in for a rude surprise.

Consumer advocates say that these short-term policies, often in force for six months or less, don't have important safeguards that customers need. But the coverage can be cheaper.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that 59 percent of people contacted by a debt collector had outstanding medical bills. Telecommunications and utility bills trailed far behind.

With the future of the Affordable Care Act on the line, health insurance benefits for workers at large companies hang in the balance.

Health insurance subsidies are pegged to personal income estimates. But if those are too low, a person may have to repay the government later on.

In a number of states, including big ones such as New York and Texas, leading cancer centers like Memorial Sloan Kettering aren't included in insurers' networks. What's a patient's recourse?

Consumers who want to sign up for health coverage on the federal marketplace after the usual deadline passes may need to do extra work to show they qualify for special enrollment later.

Republicans' plans to overhaul the federal health law aren't expected to take effect immediately, so consumers can still sign up for 2017 coverage — and should, if they need insurance.

As patients' share of medical bills has grown with the rise in deductibles, copays and coinsurance, providers have become laser focused on getting payments up front.

The Affordable Care Act requires that insurers cover maternity services, birth control and screening such as mammograms. Trump administration plans to repeal Obamacare could end that.

Republicans dislike the health law's requirement to have insurance or pay a fine. But if they want to keep the ban on preexisting conditions, they need to find a way to make customers purchase a plan.

Members of the military are more than twice as likely to have hepatitis C as the general public. For many, including Jim McGough, the virus takes its final toll decades after they are first infected.

Republican efforts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act are expected to take time to work through Congress. There are also indications the new administration would give consumers time to adjust.

The lower premiums that come with bronze plans, plus Obamacare's caps on out-of-pocket spending, can make these plans the best deal for people who have very few medical expenses — or very many.