carefirst bluecross blueshield

The dominant carrier on Maryland's health exchange, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, will raise premiums beginning in January, though not nearly as much as the company wanted, according to information provided by state regulators Friday.

In a full reversal of existing state healthcare policy, transgender state employees in Maryland can now access gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and other transition-related care under their state-provided health insurance plans.

Exchange officials take on 'huge challenge' of running old and new sites

Those with life changes, eligible for Medicaid still can enroll in health insurance

Planned Parenthood to upgrade technology with $200,000 grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield signs up over 53,000 on exchange, 58,000 directly in Maryland

Monday marks the end of a six-month enrollment push for Maryland's troubled health exchange, and despite a surge in the past week it is unclear whether the state can meet its goals and overcome technical problems that have persisted since the Oct. 1 debut.

Technical glitches trap 'early adopters' in health exchange website

Two days and multiple calls to insurers, plus a letter, unties Baltimore Sun reporter from health policy

Rocky trip through state health exchange comes to an end

The secretary of the state health department responded Tuesday to a Democratic congressman's request for an analysis of the pros and cons of switching to the federal insurance exchange, arguing in a letter that the "risks...outweigh the potential benefits."

More Marylanders gain new health coverage, but the number of uninsured might not fall greatly

Nearly four years after it was signed and after months of scrambling and uncertainty, President Obama's landmark bid to guarantee Americans health security takes full effect Wednesday as the Affordable Care Act begins delivering health coverage to millions of the nation's uninsured.

When state leaders brought in a new company to help repair their troubled health care exchange, they went to a company whose owner has a lot to gain from the sales of insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act.

Consumers rush to meet first deadline for health coverage

Two days after Gov. Martin O'Malley declared the state's online insurance marketplace finally worked for most consumers, a server crashed Monday morning, the call center became overwhelmed and the governor announced he was bringing in another contractor to improve the website.

Despite several years of decline and a public health campaign, the number of babies in Baltimore who die while sleeping in a bed with a parent or caregiver remains a persistent problem, the city's health commissioner said.

Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown cast uncertainty Tuesday on the administration's ability to meet a deadline for repairs of the state's online insurance marketplace, which has had one of the country's most troubled rollouts of Obamacare.

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield said Tuesday that it would offer more than 55,500 individuals the chance to extend their healthcare plans for a year even though they don't comply with the federal Affordable Care Act.

With millions of consumers getting cancellation notices for their current health plans, President Obama announced Thursday that he will encourage insurance companies to continue offering their customers the same health plans next year.

Washington needs to stop messing with my family's health insurance coverage

The rates hospitals can charge for care would remain flat for the first six months of 2014 amid uncertainty over hospitals' financial stability and proposed changes in how they are compensated, under a draft recommendation a state panel made Wednesday.

As Obama continues his campaign to win over Americans skeptical of the Affordable Care Act, the ranks of critics are growing, swollen by people who are losing their existing health insurance because it does not comply with the law

City officials held a candlelight vigil Monday evening to remember infants who have died. They called it an "angelversary," and its the third year they gathered for the event.

Maryland health officials on Friday turned over to the federal government a plan that would overhaul how hospitals are paid for treating patients to promote lower admissions and better care.

Last week, Adam Sachs became the eighth candidate to file for a shot at a House of Delegates seat in District 12. He said he hopes a platform focused on health care, will help him stand out from the still-growing list of hopefuls.

Maryland small businesses buying health coverage for their employees through a new state insurance marketplace could pay anywhere from 5 percent less to 15 percent more in premiums next year under rates state regulators approved Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles fans Katie Cox and Scott Smith headed to their favorite field of dreams for their reception.

Aetna Inc. canceled plans to sell insurance on Maryland's health insurance exchange as the insurer weighs participation in such marketplaces, set to open nationwide Oct. 1 as part of federal health care reform.

An influential U.S. health care panel's recommendation for lung cancer screening of high-risk patients could fortify Baltimore-area hospitals' efforts to prevent deaths from the disease, which kills more each year than the next four deadliest cancers combined.

Maryland Insurance Commissioner Therese M. Goldsmith Friday released approved premium increases for nine insurance companies who applied to sell plans to individuals through a state exchange, called Maryland Health Connection, established under health reform.

Since the Orioles started playing never-say-die comeback baseball the second half of last season, TV viewing has spiked. In 2011, O¿s telecasts on MASN ranked 18th in ratings among the teams in Major League Baseball. So far this season, they rank fifth, and have had an 86 percent jump in ratings since 2011.

Maryland has begun lining up key organizations to help educate and enroll people in insurance plans under health reform as the Obama administration launches a national outreach campaign.

Attorney General Douglas Gansler called on state legislators Tuesday to cap insurance rate increases to 5 percent until health reform is instituted.

Maryland hospitals will get some help dealing with federal cuts under a proposed plan that would increase the rates they can charge by 1.65 percent.

Kinsley Construction Company of York, Pa., was recently selected as the builder of Harford Community College's new Nursing and Allied Health Building

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield has committed $125,000 over five years in scholarships to nursing and allied health students at Howard Community College.

HCC Awarded Grant by CareFirst

Maryland hospitals said they will have to cut jobs and services to patients after a state panel voted Wednesday to keep hospital rates flat, despite cuts required by federal sequestration.

The state's hospitals would take on the entire burden of 2 percent Medicare cuts required by federal sequestration under a proposal released Thursday by the state panel that sets hospital rates.

Think of CareFirst's proposed 25 percent rate increase as the list price on a car; it doesn't tell the whole story — or what you'll eventually pay under Obamacare.

The state's largest health insurer has proposed raising rates an average of 25 percent for those who buy through the individual market to help cover the cost of more sick people entering the pool under health reform.

Area hospitals are uneasy about a plan by Maryland health officials that would tie medical spending to the growth of the state's economy and drastically change the way hospitals operate.