Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News

Plans lacking substantial coverage of hospital and physician services do not qualify as "minimum value" coverage under the law and so do not shield employers from fines of $3,000 or more per worker, the Department of Health and Human Services said late Friday.

Medical homes are a simple, compelling idea: Give primary-care doctors resources to reduce preventable medical crises for diabetics, asthmatics, and others with chronic illness-reducing hospital visits, improving lives, and saving money. But it's not so easy in practice.