Q. I thought I had completed my family, and was confident of never getting pregnant again because I had an IUD. So we bought an individual family plan from Blue Shield of California that excludes pregnancy. But I got pregnant anyway. I asked to be moved to a plan that covers pregnancy, and was denied because of my "pre-existing condition." Is this legit?

Today a reportedly skeptical Supreme Court heard oral arguments about the most contentious and least popular aspect of the Affordable Care Act--the individual mandate.

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law March 23, 2010. After a flurry of new consumer protections later that year, such as allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plans until age 26, it may seem that not much has been happening lately. But behind the scenes, the law has begun targeting excessive health insurance premiums. Consumers will be seeing more and more of the consequences of this over the coming year. To wit:

Q. I’m a candidate for high national office who just turned 65. I’m not signing up for Medicare because of my political convictions. Is there any downside to this?

A diet lacking in an omega-3 fatty acid, predominantly found in fish, may cause the brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to the results of a study released today by the journal Neurology.

As we were just saying yesterday, buying health insurance can be a frightening and baffling experience, especially for consumers who have to shop on their own instead of getting coverage through an employer group plan.

Q. I just went on disability and am receiving COBRA through my former employer. But I’m about to move from Hawaii to Florida and will lose my COBRA. The only option I found is a United Health Group indemnity plan for just under $500 a month. It covers 50 percent to 70 percent of office and hospital visits, plus cash, including Rx, dental, and vision. What should I do?

Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, has called on Blue Shield of California to drop plans to hike premiums for some customers starting in March.

After the Affordable Care Act goes fully into effect in 2014, all individual and small-group plans will have to start covering a set of “essential health benefits” that are only partially spelled out in the law. The law left the job of filling out the details to regulators in the Department of Health and Human Services, and we’ve just found out how they’re going to do it.

Q. My employer has given me a choice between the HMO I now have and a plan with a $2,500 deductible combined with a Health Savings Account. My contribution to the HMO premium would be $153 every two weeks vs. no premium contribution for the high-deductible plan. I’ve had at least one major medical need for each of the past few years (this year it was knee surgery). Which is a better option?

Medicare’s annual open enrollment period ends Dec. 7, so you have only one more week to decide whether to keep your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, or switch to a new one.

Q. I’m now covered under my wife’s COBRA plan, which runs through March 2013. I turn 65 on Jan. 5, 2012 but wonder if I should put off signing up for Medicare for a year to stay with COBRA, which costs the same whether or not I’m on it. What do you think?

Q. I turned 65 in August and my husband is 60. I’ve been a homemaker and have never paid into Social Security. My husband is retired and will take Social Security when he’s 62. I currently buy health insurance on the open market and he gets his health care from the VA. My local Social Security office told me I’m not eligible for Medicare until my husband starts drawing Social Security. Will I be charged a penalty for Parts B and D because I didn’t enroll at 65?

Medicare beneficiaries in 2012 will pay less than expected for their Part B premiums, which cover doctor bills and other outpatient treatments. The standard premium will be $99.90 a month, $6.70 less than Medicare had forecast earlier this year.

Add screening for depression and excessive drinking to the list of preventive services that Medicare beneficiaries can now get for free, thanks to new rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). And a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the high economic cost of alcohol abuse.