The Obama administration recently informed the Supreme Court that the Affordable Care Act would be able to survive, even if the court announces that the healthcare coverage requirement is unconstitutional, according to Reuters.

The law is contested by more than half of the states, as well as other independent groups, but the administration claims that these people have not been able to prove that Congress would need to drop the whole law for just one aspect. There will be arguments heard in March before the future of the law is determined in June, the source noted.

"Many provisions of the act, focused on controlling costs, improving public health and other objectives, have no connection to insurance coverage at all," Donald Verrilli, solicitor general, wrote in the brief, according to the news source.

However, a representative of the National Federation of Independent Business noted to the administrators that the whole law would need to be canceled if that aspect is removed, the source added.

With the uncertainty of the healthcare law on the horizon, many consumers may not be comfortable with what the future holds. Comparing health insurance quotes now may lock in a plan that works for them.

The state of Kansas does not have any plans to halt its changes of the Medicaid program, even though many lawmakers are not happy with the speed of the process, according to The Associated Press.

Sam Brownback, governor of The Sunflower State, plans to get the project in motion this year by giving three contracts to companies in preparation of the switch. The program is worth $2.9 billion, and the contract would take place in 2013.

"We don't want to hurt Kansas patients," Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer told the news source. "We want to make sure that they start getting the benefits now, and we're talking about tens of millions of dollars."

The state has approximately 380,000 people using one of the programs in a given month, the source added.

Consumers may be uneasy about the impending healthcare reform, especially if they use a government-sponsored plan. In the meantime, it may not be a bad idea to compare affordable health insurance rates, as there could be a plan that is inexpensive but has what a person needs.

A report from the Institute for Alternative Futures showed that many healthcare patients could be paying much higher fees by 2025.

"Primary Care 2025: A Scenario Exploration," showed that the total cost of healthcare could increase significantly over the next several years. While 2011 figures show the healthcare costs for the country are as much as 17 percent of the country's gross domestic product, it could increase to 20 percent of that by 2020. In addition, health insurance premiums could increase, as they have jumped 131 percent from 1999 until last year.

"Community health centers will give high-quality care to  low-income people, and a small persistent group of affluent will receive great fee-for-service 'concierge' healthcare," said Clem Bezold, chair of the Institute for Alternative Futures. "You will see more virtual care, personal health avatars and doctors operating remotely. But the scenarios also include challenging and visionary possibilities."

While 2025 may be quite far off, it could be a good idea to note that affordable health insurance rates could be difficult to come by in the future. Instead, it may be a good process to compare health insurance plans to see what the most practical option is for the long-term.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services now will allow women to receive contraceptives covered as a part of their health insurance plan.

The program, which will be implemented in August of this year, and will require most health insurance programs to offer options without co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance or any other excess payments, the announcement said. However, some entities who consider themselves religious will have the opportunity to opt out.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary for HHS noted in the release that "This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty. I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services."

The program was initially suggested last August, and is already being practiced by some entities at the state level, the report added.

For those who are unsure if their health insurance plan covers everything that they need, or they have to pay too much on their deductible, it could be a good idea to examine affordable health insurance rates.

The average per capita cost of healthcare under Medicare or private health insurance plans rose during the month of November, but not as much as it did in October.

The S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index showed that in November, the rate increased by 5.13 percent year-to-date. This is below October's year-to-date rate of 5.29 percent.

"After seeing a few months of increasing annual growth rates, particularly across commercial insurance plans, November's data presented us with some moderation in healthcare costs," said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Indices.

Commercial insurance plan claim costs increased by 6.96 percent in November, which was less than the previous month's figure of 7.1 percent, according to the report. In addition, the Medicare figure was also down from October, as in November it rose 2.37 percent, lower than the gain of 2.55 percent in October.

Affordable health insurance rates could be affected by overall healthcare spending, so it may benefit consumers to ensure they are utilizing the most affordable plan.