Affordable Care Act

One in four working-age Texans went without insurance last year.

The ACA has required health insurers to provide many medical screenings and other preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost to health plan members. But a recent court decision could upend that.

Some object to paying for health insurance plans that cover preventive services that they say violate their religious beliefs, which could cause millions to lose access to care if the courts agree.

The previous record was set in 2016, when 1.3 million Texans signed up for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act during open enrollment.

Saturday is the last day for people to get health insurance through the online Affordable Care Act marketplace. Open enrollment for healthcare.gov began on Nov. 1, 2021.

Texans have more and cheaper 2022 health insurance plans to choose from on healthcare.gov.

The Affordable Care Act requires most insurers to cover a comprehensive list of FDA-approved birth control methods at no cost. But insurers often make it hard for women to get the products they want.

The 7-2 decision threw out the challenge to the law, saying Texas and other objecting GOP-dominated states were not required to pay anything under the mandate provision and thus lacked standing.

Local officials hope the federal government will issue a partial extension.

One executive order opens a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act from Feb. 15 to May 15.

Texas is leading a group of conservative states in a legal battle to have the sprawling health care law struck down. Without it, disabled Texans stand to lose programs that have allowed more people to stay in their homes, rather than state-run institutions.

On Tuesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a Texas-led challenge to the landmark health law.