What Is, and Isn't, Clear in the Health-Care Law

Something I haven’t been 100 percent clear on is whether health plans offered under the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act will cover birth control. Sharon Lerner explains that it’s actually just not entirely clear:

Quebecers afflicted with a terminal illness may soon be able to seek the help of a doctor in ending their life. A panel of legal experts has recommended the provincial government allow what it is calling “medical assistance to die” in rare cases where a patient is close to death and unable to endure the physical or psychological pain — and the Quebec government says it believes it has found a way of not running afoul of Ottawa with the measures. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in Canada under the Criminal Code.

I got an e-mail from the House minority leader's office this morning linking me to their new report, "Obamacare: Three Months of Broken Promises." "Three things are abundantly clear about President Obama’s new health care law three months after it became law," explained Michael Steel, a spokesperson for John Boehner. "First, the American people remain squarely opposed to it.

"If insurance companies know people will be forced to buy policies, why would they lower premium prices?" Asks eegeterman over Twitter. "Why wouldn't they RAISE prices?" I've been hearing this a bit today, so let's talk it through. In a world of one private insurance company and an individual mandate, it makes perfect sense. In a world of exchanges, with a dozen competing insurance plans, including national nonprofits, it doesn't.