Latest KFF Health News Stories
Docs, Hospitals, Unions Unite To Protest Calif. Planned Medicaid Cut
Health care professionals — doctors, hospitals and unionized health care workers — protested planned cuts to California’s Medicaid system, Medi-Cal, at the state capitol on Tuesday. They say the governor’s proposed budget could shutter a medical center and force doctors to stop taking patients on the program.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the questions about fundraising phone calls faced by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during a Capitol Hill hearing.
GOP Lawmakers Press Sebelius To Help Child Awaiting Transplant
A child in desperate need of a lung transplant clinging to life. Long waiting lists of patients who need organs and too few donors to meet the demand. Rules that govern who gets what life-saving organs – and when. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had to confront all those issues on […]
Sebelius Faces Questions About Calls To Outside Groups
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius defended herself Tuesday against Republican criticisms of calls she made to outside organizations asking them to support a nonprofit group promoting outreach to consumers about their insurance options under the health law.
Medicaid Expansion A Good Deal For States, Study Finds
The RAND Corp. study looks at 14 states refusing to expand the federal-state program for the poor under the health law and concludes their share of the costs would be lower than providing uncompensated care to uninsured residents.
Calif. Insurers Owe Millions In Rebates To Small Businesses
The Los Angeles Times reports that Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross owe small business customers more than $35 million in rebates as a result of the health law’s requirements. Meanwhile, Wellpoint announces it will improve its customer Web apps to avoid losing market share as millions shop for new coverage later this year.
Fewer U.S. Families Report Having Difficulty Paying Medical Bills
Fewer American families are having problems paying medical bills, according to a study released Tuesday by the National Center for Health Statistics. Still, nearly a fifth off families still struggle with that financial responsibility. The report found that 20.3 percent of families headed by someone under the age of 65 — 54.2 million people — […]
Docs Fall Short Of Meeting Standards In Gov’t Push For Electronic Health Records
New research shows that most physicians are not meeting the federal “meaningful use” criteria for electronic health records.
Fewer American Families Report Problems In Paying Medical Bills
According to a survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, a fifth of families say they still struggle with these costs.
White House Conference Spotlights Mental Health Issues
The meeting covered a range of topics — from the need for more training for mental health providers regarding the mental health parity law to the need for people to be more open about mental illness.
AHA: Hospital Consolidation Trend A Positive Development
A study conducted by the American Hospital Association makes the case that the consolidation trend has potential to drive down costs.
HHS Unveils Medicare Claims Data Detailing Hospital Price Information For Outpatient Treatment
The average charges for 30 hospital outpatient procedures show big hospital-to-hospital variation in terms of how much the facilities bill patients for the same service.
Rubio Propses Constitutional Amendment To Invalidate The Individual Mandate
In other Capitol Hill action, the House approved a measure on Monday to set out how the government should track prescription drugs through the distribution chain.
End-Of-Life Care: A Challenge In Terms Of Costs And Quality
The Medicare NewsGroup takes a long look at the issues surrounding end-of-life care within the American health care system with a series of stories.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Conn. Budget Moves Medicaid Money, Cuts Some Hospital Funding
Connecticut lawmakers approved a budget Monday that moves about $6 billion in federal Medicaid dollars out of the budget. The budget also cuts some hospital funding.
State Highlights: Ore. Mental Health Could See Expansion
A selection of health policy stories from Oregon, California, New York, Virginia, Mississippi, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Massachusetts.
D.C. Officials, CareFirst Clash Over Insurance Offerings
The Washington Post reports that D.C. officials have criticized the insurer for cutting the number of small business plans it will offer in the city’s online insurance marketplace. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports the city council is considering a measure that would require all individual and small business plans to be sold through that marketplace by 2015.
Democratic Strategists Urge New Strategy: Embrace The Health Law
Politico reports on this trend.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a report about what the Democrats’ health law strategy might be as the 2014 mid-term elections approach.