Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Will My Family Be Eligible For Subsidized Coverage?’
Health insurance columnist answers questions about coverage subsidies for families in the health law, Medigap and rules for workers whose companies operate in more than one state.
California Law Likely Resulted In Lower Bills, Free Care For Uninsured
A California law limiting how much hospitals can charge the uninsured likely resulted in lower bills for many patients – and free care for most of the state’s poorest uninsured residents, according to a study published today in the journal Health Affairs. While some hospitals around the country have voluntarily agreed to reduce how much they […]
Miss. To Require Cord Blood Testing On Babies Born To Some Teenage Moms
The law is designed to identify older men who had sex with underage women.
Medicare Data Show Wide Divide In What Hospitals Bill For Outpatient Services
Medicare released average bill charges for 30 hospital outpatient procedures Monday, showing big differences from hospital to hospital in how much they bill patients for the same service. The data come a month after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services garnered front-page attention for its release of similar information about 100 common hospital inpatient procedures. […]
Chances For Deficit Deal Diminish As Medicare’s Outlook Improves
Last week’s report on Medicare projected that the program’s hospital trust fund would be solvent until 2026 — two years longer than the last prediction. That slowing of health care costs, combined with shrinking near-term federal deficits and partisan gridlock are making a congressional deficit deal unlikely, at least until after the 2014 elections.
Lawsuits, Congressional Charges And Questions About Health Law Initiatives
News outlets explore a range of issues related to the health law’s implementation.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Private Companies Get Mixed Marks On Managed Medicaid
The Atlanta Journal Consitution reports on this development.
A Case Study In U.S. Health Care Costs
The New York Times offers this explainer.
Federal Judge Lifts Ban On Medicare Releasing Individual Doctor Data
A federal judge has lifted the ban on Medicare releasing data on individual doctors to the public. The end on the 33-year ban — after the publishers of The Wall Street Journal sued to end it — could mean closer scrutiny of doctor practices in the program.
MBA Program Offers Doctors Business Background Amid Health Law Changes
An Indiana business school is hoping to catch more doctors interested in learning something about business as the practice of medicine changes.
News outlets report on health exchange developments in California and Florida.
Medicaid Expansion Deepens GOP Intraparty Rifts
The different positions taken by various Republican governors on the health law’s Medicaid expansion underscore the political divisions in play.
HHS Limits Obamacare Options For Small Businesses
A final rule released Friday confirms that a provision of the health law aimed at helping small businesses provide insurance to their employees will be limited until 2015.
State Highlights: Calif. Bill Would Fine Big Employers with Employees on Medi-Cal
A selection of health care policy stories from California, New York, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Arizona and Minnesota.
States Grapple With Mental Health Care After Federal Inaction
Mental health legislation is taking the spotlight in states after federal lawmakers have failed so far to act. In Wisconsin, some mental health care changes gain momentum.
Today’s early morning highlights from major news organizations, including a number of stories detail health law implementation developments.
PSA Screening: New Round Of Guidelines Emphasizes Importance Of Weighing Harms And Benefits
Physicians’ and patients’ thoughts on the prostate cancer screening test are changing, with many taking a more cautious approach to the test and what it might mean.
Will Consumers Sign On For Health Law’s Co-Ops?
Created by the health law to boost competition among insurers, co-ops in 24 states emphasize primary care and treating consumers as partners, but can they compete with the big guys?
Slowdown In Medicare Spending Extends Trust Fund
Slower growth in spending is helping extend the life of Medicare’s hospital trust fund to 2026, two years beyond last year’s estimate, officials said Friday. They also reported, however, that Social Security’s disability trust fund, which pays monthly benefits to disabled workers and their families, is expected to be exhausted by 2016. Social Security will begin to […]