Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of health care opinions and editorials from around the United States.
Perspectives: What Is The Role For Comparative Effectiveness Research?
The Journal of the American Medical Association devoted this week’s issue to the topic of comparative effectiveness and how it should be used in medicine.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the latest Capitol Hill developments related to the budget.
Video: Georgia Clinic Seeks To Meet Health Needs Of Many
Providing adequate primary care at Oakhurst Medical Center, a community health center in Georgia, is often hampered by language and cultural barriers that separate immigrants seeking care at the center from the doctors who care for them.
To determine the quality of care the nearly 1,200 federally funded health centers provide to more than 20 million people, Kaiser Health News used the U.S. Freedom of Information Act to obtain data showing how individual health centers performed in 2010 based on six patient care measures: controlling blood sugar of diabetics and blood pressure […]
Community Health Centers Under Pressure to Improve Care
Quality is uneven at federally funded clinics that treat millions of poor people.
Rural Georgia Center Relies on Educators, Electronic Records To Boost Patients’ Health
But some patients still struggle to find specialists.
Interactive Chart: Quality Of Care At Community Health Centers
Look up how your local community health center scores on six measures of clinical performance, as evaluated by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
Health On The Hill: Medicare’s Payment Change For Physicians
KHN’s Jordan Rau and Mary Agnes Carey discuss Medicare’s transition to compensating doctors based on the quality of the medical care they provide.
Smart Shopping Can Relieve Pain From Dentists’ Charges
If you need dental work, chances are you’ll pay a big chunk of the bill out of your own pocket, even if you have dental insurance. Dental coverage often maxes out at just a few thousand dollars a year or less and typically covers only half of the cost of major procedures like crowns and […]
Today’s Headlines – April 17, 2012
Reuters/Chicago Tribune: U.S. Cites Assurant Unit Over Health Premium Hike U.S. officials on Monday cited two health insurers for excessive premium increases, under consumer protection rules of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law that could soon be nullified by the Supreme Court (4/16). The Wall Street Journal: Romney Woos Conservative Leaders Mitt Romney, while ramping […]
Smart Shopping Can Relieve Pain From Dentists’ Charges
Dental coverage often maxes out at just a few thousand dollars a year or less. KHN’s “Insuring Your Health” columnist Michelle Andrews reports that getting a reliable estimate of prices in your area can be critical if you want to keep a lid on costs.
Feds Cite Two Insurers For Excessive Premium Increases
The insurance companies will be able to charge the higher amount, but they will be required to disclose on websites that reviewers found the rates to be unreasonable and explain why they are still imposing them.
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Finds Small Business Owners Wary Of Health Law Regs
The survey finds that the regulations rank at the top of small business owners’ concerns. In other news, the National Journal examines the future of accountable care organizations.
Seniors Increasingly Challenged By Cost, Logistics Of Handling Health Care
News organizations are covering how some seniors are moving in with their children or grandchildren — or using community programs — to help navigate the world of care.
State Roundup: Minn. Doc Training Money Cut
News outlets report on a variety of health policy issues in Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Rep. Frank Says Obama’s Push For Health Law Was ‘Mistake’
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said in a magazine interview that President Obama made a “mistake” pushing for health reform and that he urged Obama to take up financial system reform instead. In the meantime, Rep. Dennis Kucinich said a single-payer health care system is the only “obviously constitutional” health care plan.
Lawyers Eye Disability Act For Lawsuit Opportunities
The New York Times reports that a small groups of lawyers are using New York City’s idiosyncracies as the backdrop for a flood of lawsuits citing violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Medical Societies Bracing For Medicare Penalties
Medscape reports that physician groups are now focusing on the downside of incentive programs –the penalties for not meeting targets.
Romney Begins Vice Presidential Search And Rep. Ryan Could Be On The Short List
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the author of the House GOP budget plan which revamps Medicare, helped Romney in Wisconsin. In other campaign news, Romney renews attack on health law to woo conservative leaders.