Latest KFF Health News Stories
With $3.75B Deal, Centene Helps Solidify Its Status As A Giant In Medicaid Market
The company announces it is acquiring Fidelis Care, which will give Centene more than 1.6 million members in New York.
Americans Aging Into Medicare Helps Uninsured Rate Drop To 8.8%
The Census Bureau says there were no statistically significant year-over-year changes for any other kinds of health insurance. Media outlets break down what the numbers mean in the states as well.
With Their Budget Slashed, These ACA Navigators Are Starting To Think Outside The Box
“I’m talking about going to Friday night football games,” says Sharon Barker, a certified navigator, who thinks small local efforts are going to be needed since they won’t be able to rely on national TV ads. Meanwhile, Democrats are asking President Donald Trump to rethink the decision to cut the funding for the program.
To Fix Or To Gut? That Is The Question For Senate Republicans
Even as some senators work to bring about changes to stabilize the marketplace, others are still trying their hand at repeal and replace. Meanwhile, the deadline for both efforts ticks ever closer.
Disagreement Over State Flexibility Threatens To Send Bipartisan Health Care Efforts Off Rails
Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander stressed the need for compromise while top Democrat Patty Murray said none of the experts or governors who had testified in front of the panel had asked for more state flexibility. Media outlets cover other developments from Capitol Hill on the lawmakers’ health care efforts.
Lawmakers Reach Agreement To Extend Popular CHIP Funding
Nearly 9 million children receive health insurance through the program, which costs the government about $14 billion a year.
As Sanders Preps ‘Medicare For All’ Plan, Some Dems Scramble To Back It While Others Keep Distance
The measure is forcing Democrats to take a stand on the issue, which has become popular with progressive voters but may be politically risky with others.
First Edition: September 13, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Bracing For Health Data Breaches; The Economics Of Opioid Abuse And Despair
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives: A Bipartisan Path To Insurance Market Stability; Single-Payer’s Political Traps
Editorial writers offer their views on ways forward on health reform and where partisans have gone wrong.
Media outlets report on news from Connecticut, Virginia, Louisiana, California, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Florida.
National Dynamics Bump Up Abortion As A Priority In Virginia’s Gubernatorial Race
“It’s so fundamentally different with a Republican in the White House and a national threat to Roe v. Wade, a threat that hasn’t existed in a decade,” said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist with roots in Virginia.
Lawsuit Renews Concerns Over Link Between Antidepressants And Suicide In Adults
It is known that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide in young people, but new data revealed after a lawsuit may demonstrate dangers for older patients as well.
Treating Diseases With Electrical Pulses Is Compelling Concept, But Evidence That It Works Is Scant
That isn’t stopping companies from trying to strike while the iron’s hot, though. In other public health news: opioids in cough medicine, Sept. 11 first responders, obesity, the problems with a sedentary lifestyle, prostate cancer and more.
‘We Did Really Well’: After Bracing For Disaster, Florida Hospitals Breathe Sigh Of Relief
Most hospitals fared well during the storm, and hospital officials credited changes and additions they’ve made in the past decade to strengthen their buildings against natural disasters.
Rule Changes For Medigap Supplemental Plans Leaves New Beneficiaries With Tough Choices
Medigap Plans F and C, which are quite popular among Medicare beneficiaries, will close to new enrollment in 2020. In other Medicare news, federal officials have proposed some changes in home health payment policies, and public health officials ponder a rise in sepsis cases among beneficiaries.
Montana Lawmakers Put Plan To Cut Medicaid On Ice After About 175 People Protest
The governor ordered the reductions after the legislature cut the health budget. Meanwhile, federal officials say that New York Medicaid officials failed to follow rules when making about $1.4 billion in Medicaid payments.
Lawmakers Enthusiastically Reject Trump’s Proposal To Cut NIH Funding
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bipartisan bill last week providing $36.1 billion for the health institutes. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said it was the third consecutive year in which he had secured a $2 billion increase for the agency, and, in a separate hearing the audience erupted in applause when Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, announced the boost in funding.
ACA Navigators Begin Shutting Down Operations
The government has slashed funding for the organizations that help people enroll in coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Health reform experts predict that without adequate navigator services, enrollment in the exchanges will plummet.
Democrats Urge House Republicans To Follow In Senate’s Bipartisan Footsteps
Lawmakers are asking House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) to hold bipartisan hearings on solutions to stabilize the marketplace. Meanwhile, over in the Senate, Democrats worry Republicans are digging in their heels too much on state waivers, and Sen. Ran Paul (R-Ky.) says he does not support the Graham-Cassidy bill.
