Latest KFF Health News Stories
80 House GOP Members Urge Boehner To Defund Obamacare
House Speaker John Boehner floated the idea of a short-term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown in October. But conservatives in his caucus expressed opposition, insisting that funds be stripped from the health care law even if that forces a government shutdown.
State Laws Could Upend Elements Of The Health Law Enrollment Effort
Twelve states have passed such laws, including measures that could undermine funding for “navigators.” Also, news outlets report on the latest from California, Wisconsin and Florida regarding this and other issues related to health exchanges.
Congressional Obamacare Sparring Matches Continue At Home
Both sides of the political aisle in Washington are continuing their Obamacare sparring sessions at home in their districts during the August recess with town hall meetings and debates on the law taking spotlight.
State Highlights: Colo. Effort To Reduce Hospital Readmissions Pays Off
A selection of health policy stories from Colorado, Wisconsin, Georgia, California, Texas, Arizona and North Carolina.
Local Governments Wrestle With Employee Hours And Health Coverage
Even though the requirement that employers — including state and local governments — offer full-time employees health coverage does not kick for 16 months, many are alreayd making cuts, The Washington Post reports.
Delta Air Lines Tells Feds: Health Law Makes Costs ‘Rise Dramatically’
The airline is saying its increased health-care costs will be tens of millions of dollars.
Federal Court Strikes Down Arizona Abortion Law
The measure would have kept Medicaid funding from some providers, including Planned Parenthood.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Utah’s Medicaid Expansion Decision On Hold
Medicaid news from Utah and Ohio.
Research Roundup: Moving Kids Onto Medicaid; Competitive Markets
Studies this week come from JAMA Surgery, JAMA Psychiatry, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, The Urban Institute, the Heritage Foundation, The Kaiser Family Foundation, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the Commonwealth Fund, the Annals of Internal Medicine, The Heritage Foundation and news outlets.
Despite Additional Dollars, Texas Doc Shortage Is Hard to Fix
The medical community is concerned the state’s plans to produce more physicians to treat a surging population are insufficient.
First Edition: August 23, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, inlcuding reports on what’s becoming of the potential for a deficit deal, as well as the political posturing related to House GOP efforts to block health law funding even if it means shutting down the government.
Letters to the Editor is a periodic KHN feature that details readers responses to recent KHN stories.
Brokers Associated With More, Cheaper Health Coverage, Study Says
Health insurance agents, feeling threatened by the Affordable Care Act, will welcome research from the University of Minnesota that supports their longstanding argument that agents and brokers make insurance shopping easier and cheaper. A new paper by economist Pinar Karaca-Mandic and colleagues finds that small employers were more likely to offer medical coverage in markets with many brokers […]
UVA, UPS To Stop Health Benefits For Some Workers’ Spouses
While the university cited costs, UPS noted that, because the overhaul will require most employers to provide insurance, spouses should be able to gain coverage from their own workplaces.
Political Hijinx Surround Gov’t. Shutdown Threat, Push To Defund Health Law
News outlets report on the possible mid-term election impact of the GOP push to shut down the government if the health law receives funding.
Birth Control Mandate Could Cause Health Law’s Speedy Supreme Court Return
The Hill reports that experts say the high court will consider this controversial policy as early as the next term.
Rate Of Circumcisions Falls 6 Percentage Points, Study Finds
The analysis by the National Center for Health Statistics shows the rate dropping from 64 percent to 58 percent over 32 years.
Report Finds Number Of Doctors Accepting Medicare Patients Is Up
In other news, Sen. Max Baucus took Medicare’s top administrator to Montana to meet people stricken by illness from an old mine who are now eligible for benefits.
Viewpoints: Health Spending Driving U.S. Recovery; Time To Get Rid Of The Insurance Middle Man
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.