Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare To Delay Enforcement Of New Observation Rule
Medicare officials announced Thursday that they will delay enforcement of controversial new rules that define when hospital patients should receive observation care, rather than being admitted, a distinction that makes beneficiaries ineligible for follow-up nursing home coverage. The new rules take effect Tuesday, but officials said they will not be enforced until at least Jan. […]
A Very Quick Guide To Health Insurance Exchanges
For those who are uninsured, the key to satisfying Obamacare’s requirement to have health insurance could be the new online marketplaces, which are set to open Oct. 1. Here is a quick guide to what you need to know about them.
Video: Health Law Changes, Seniors And Medicare
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey appeared on PBS Newshour Thursday night to answer questions from seniors uncertain of how the Affordable Care Act will affect people older Americans and what changes are coming for Medicare recipients. Watch the video below.
In Campaign-Style Speech, Obama Defends The Health Law
In his Thursday appearance at a suburban Maryland community college, President Barack Obama dismissed as “crazy” the arguments being advanced by the overhaul’s opponents and accused some GOP lawmakers of attempting “blackmail” to stop its implementation.
Government Shutdown Increasingly Likely; Health Law Continues To Be Flashpoint
The Senate is expected to approve on Friday a continuing resolution that provides funding to keep the federal government operating but strips out language passed by the House that would defund the health law. This move will set up heightened conflict with the House, where some conservative Republicans are standing firm in their pledge to oppose any measure that does not further their goal of dismantling Obamacare. In the background, the countdown to a government shutdown continues.
Concerns about the roll-out of the marketplaces are examined in several states.
Manchin May Buck Democrats On Individual Mandate Delay
News outlets are reporting that Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said Thursday he’d be willing to support a year-long delay in the health law’s individual mandate if it came before the Senate — and then walked those comments back. Some other Democrats support modest tweaks to the law, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Health Law Confusion, Division Among American Public Persists
USA Today examines how the health law is viewed in Colorado as a case study of the confusion that surrounds it. As further evidence of that confusion, one new poll finds that people without insurance are divided on how much the overhaul will impact them just as another concludes that half of Americans say Republicans should stop their effort to derail the measure as part of the current budget battle.
GE Uses Clout To Change How Hospitals, Doctors Work
The New York Times looks at the impact one big employer can have on the medical system in a community. Also, The Wall Street Journal examines the health law’s efforts to set up accountable care organizations and the impact on hospitals.
Technical Glitches Delay Online Signups For Small Businesses And Spanish Speakers
The Obama administration acknowledged glitches Thursday that will delay online enrollment for small businesses and Spanish-language speakers in the 34 states that elected to not set up their own insurance marketplaces. The postponements amount to a few weeks in the six-month open enrollment period and will not affect the Jan. 1 start date for coverage.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Looming Caregiver Shortage For Aging America
In the meantime, California stakeholders debate how that state should shape home care in the future.
In State Politics, Anti-Obamacare Attacks Continue As Outreach Ramps Up
Some state officials tout their anti-Obamacare credentials as enrollment efforts pick up on the eve of the Oct. 1 opening of new online marketplaces.
Parsing The Premiums In New Obamacare Exchanges
Media outlets analyze the data on premiums for 36 states released this week by the Obama administration — looking at the impact of competition on prices and assessing which regions — and which consumers — might be winners or losers in the new online marketplaces.
Research Roundup: Managed Care For Dementia Patients
This week’s studies come from JAMA Internal Medicine, the Employee Benefit Research Institute, The Kaiser Family Foundation, the Congressional Budget Office and news outlets.
Notices About Medicare Advantage Changes Coming
Medicare Advantage plans are informing seniors of changes to their plans by mail this week. Meanwhile, KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks about what Obamacare changes older Americans can expect.
First Edition: September 27, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest updates on the congressional brinksmanship related to ongoing budget battles and efforts to defund the health law, as well as reports about President Barack Obama’s campaign-style speech about the law and details on another implementation delay.
Houston Embraces Obamacare Outreach, Despite Cruz and Perry
A coalition of the city’s health department, county clinics and groups like the Urban League and Enroll America is trying to get the word out to Houston’s 800,000 uninsured residents about the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, which will open Oct. 1.
A Reader Asks: What Happens To My Coverage If I Move?
A move to a different area qualifies for a “special enrollment period” to buy a new policy.
Lessons From The Obamacare Data Dump
Among the insights: Competition lowers prices, options vary widely by location, and insurers think consumers prefer low premiums to low copays and deductibles.