Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Get Covered America’ Campaign Launched By Nonproft Group
In an effort to sign up people for the new health coverage that will become available this fall, Enroll America is one of a number of organizations launching aggressive health law outreach campaigns.
Young Adults Value Health Insurance, Poll Finds
A strong majority of young adults, whose participation in the health law may be key to its success or failure, strongly believe health insurance is important for them and worth the money, according to a new poll. As some states and the federal government prepare new online marketplaces for people to purchase insurance this fall, […]
A selection of health policy stories from Arkansas, New York, Massachusetts and California.
Report: Improper Prescription Drug Use Drives Up Cost Of Care
Doctors and hospitals could save the U.S. $213 billion annually if they used prescription drugs more wisely, according to IMS health.
Going against a recommendation by one of its committees to label it only a “major public health problem,” the American Medical Association has recognized obesity as a disease.
CBO Finds Immigration Bill Would Save Gov’t. Money
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the measure would save $175 billion dollars, but lawmakers question how this would play out for entitlement programs such as Medicare.
House Passes Ban On Abortion After 20 Weeks Of Pregnancy
House lawmakers Tuesday passed a nationwide ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy — one of the most far-reaching federal bills on abortion in years. The bill, which faces long odds in the Senate and even longer odds to get the president’s signature, is unlikely to ever become law.
Senate Finance Committee Examines Health Care Prices; Steven Brill Testifies
The journalist, who examined the issue of the high cost of health care in a much-quoted March 2013 Time magazine article, appeared during a Capitol Hill hearing.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Texas Senate Approves Abortion Restrictions, Prompting Access Fears
Texas lawmakers on Tuesday approved three pieces of legislation that tighten the state’s abortion restrictions, prompting worries that abortion clinics could close because of the changes.
Poll: Young Adults Consider Health Insurance Important
A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found a strong majority of young adults believe health insurance is worth the money.
Medicaid Chief Signals That State Enrollments May Start Slowly
But Cindy Mann says that she is confident states will be ready by October to cover the new enrollees who will gain access to the safety net program.
Patients Press Forward With Health Apps
Fox News reports how one specific app is helping give patients more access to their doctors while Kaiser Health News and WBUR look at how the increase in available apps also raises questions about what works and doesn’t.
Improper Use Of Prescription Drugs Costs $200 Billion A Year, Report Finds
Much of those costs result from unneeded hospitalizations or doctor visits, according to a study by IMS Health’s Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including Today’s reports the development of the health law’s online marketplaces is falling behind schedule.
Brill: Health Law Won’t Bring Prices Down For Patients
At a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday, journalist Steven Brill, who examined the issue of the high cost of health care in a much quoted March 2013 Time magazine article, told Senate Finance Committee members that President Barack Obama’s health care law will do very little to lower prices for consumers. Joined by a panel of […]
Patients Lead The Way As Medicine Grapples With Apps
Health apps are turning smartphones and tablets into exercise aides, blood pressure monitors and devices that transmit an EKG. But the explosion of apps is way ahead of tests to determine which ones work.
Feds Pitch Broad Payment Options For Obamacare Customers
Federal health officials have proposed that all health plans selling insurance on the new online marketplaces must allow for easy payment options for households without bank accounts or credit cards. The government’s decision to mandate a menu of payment options including cashier’s checks, money orders and re-loadable pre-paid debit cards comes amid increasing pressure from […]
Facebook Raises The Status Of Organ Donation, Study Shows
Toni Lewis-Bennett remembers hesitating when she was asked to be an organ donor while applying for her driver’s license. But years later, when a friend at work became sick, she got tested to see if she could donate her kidney to save his life. And with a green light from doctors, there was no question […]
Grassroots Tactics Being Used In Health Law’s Roll-Out
An outside group backing the health law plans to air a series of ads this summer supporting the measure. The first ad, part of a million-dollar buy, touts parts of the law that are already in place.