Latest KFF Health News Stories
Report: Ohio’s Medicaid Costs $2B Below Estimates
The report found that Medicaid costs, even with the state’s expansion and increase in eligible beneficiaries, were 7.6 percent less that projected for the fiscal year ending in June. Meanwhile, Georgia’s health care agency has all but rejected Grady Health System’s proposed waiver to cover more uninsured people. News outlets in Kansas, Maine and Iowa also report on Medicaid-related developments.
Rising Drug Costs Emerge As Major Hurdle For Defense Authorization Bill
In other news, a study finds that the costs the Pentagon would absorb by allowing transgender people to serve in the military and providing them specialized medical care would be relatively minimal.
Mass. Consumers Struggle To Get Info On The Varying Prices For Health Care Services
Massachusetts’ consumers say it isn’t easy to find out what a procedure will cost ahead of time, even though the state has a law requiring that information be available. face challenges in determining medical services pricing, Kaiser Health News also reports on how some business leaders and lawmakers want to reexamine the out-of-pocket spending limits for families set by the health law.
Medicaid Expansion Is Key Issue Among GOP Governors Vying For Presidential Nomination
Wis. Gov. Scott Walker used this issue to draw a clear line to separate himself from Ohio Gov. John Kasich and N.J. Gov. Chris Christie. Other talk among the GOP presidential hopefuls has to do with childhood vaccinations, fetal tissue research ethics, and Planned Parenthood and race.
Nearly 1 Million People Signed Up For Obamacare After Open Enrollment Closed
About 950,000 people enrolled in health law insurance coverage beyond the official enrollment period — between Feb. 23 and June 30 — because they experienced life changes such as losing their job-based insurance or having a baby that made them newly eligible.
First Edition: August 14, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Fetal Tissue’s Importance; Getting Sen. Kirk’s Health Plan; Revamping Medicare
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Caring For Elders; The Transportation Barrier; Meeting John Kasich
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Health care stories are reported from Michigan, Massachusetts, Florida, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maryland, Kansas, New York and California.
Judge Sanctions Idaho For Manipulating Prison Health Care Files
The federal judge’s ruling was a response to court findings that said prison system employees misled the court and manipulated files. Meanwhile, news outlets report on prison health care-related stories from Florida and California.
Audits To Be Conducted On 31 Florida Hospitals That May Be Receiving Too Much Medicaid Money
Elsewhere, Connecticut agrees to pay back the federal government $1 million in Medicaid funds paid based on improper billing but disputes that the state owes another $23 million. In Missouri, officials are considering a switch of all Medicaid services to managed care.
Partners Healthcare To Open Urgent Care Clinics In Massachusetts
This step, by Massachusetts’ largest health system, will likely shake up this fast-growing market. In other news, a Kansas City clinic receives a federal designation that will likely translate into funding boosts and two grants were awarded to Wisconsin health centers to pay the costs of new clinics.
The Push For Mental Health Parity Shows Slow Progress Even In A State Ahead Of The Curve
Kaiser Health News examines California’s efforts to achieve parity in mental health care. In other news related to mental health, a status check on Iowa’s mental health care system and the difficulties faced by an Illinois clinic.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports on a recent study exploring the demographic factors related to who calls for ambulances.
Kasich Seeks To Redefine Conservatism With His Moderate Policies
His efforts involve defending his decision to expand Medicaid in Ohio and emphasizing campaign themes regarding immigration policies, mental health, drug treatment and help for the working poor who don’t have health insurance.
Lawmakers Seeking No-Cost Coverage For Mammography For Younger Women
The members of Congress are concerned about an expected review by the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force, which has signaled that it doesn’t find convincing evidence of potential benefits for women in their 40s. Also in the news are articles about the push for a new libido-boosting drug for women and First Lady Michelle Obama’s new policy adviser on nutrition and obesity.
HHS Warns States About Ending Medicaid Funds For Planned Parenthood
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has been in contact with officials in Louisiana and Alabama this month warning them that efforts to defund the nonprofit organization could result in restricting beneficiaries’ access to services, which is protected.
Survey Explores Trends In Employer Health Benefits, Efforts To Control Health Costs
News outlets report on a variety of findings from the National Business Group on Health’s annual survey of large employers.
CDC Uninsured Data Highlights Progress In Expanding Coverage To Adult Hispanics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics reported coverage gains in the first three months of this year that were related to the health law. Hispanic adults had the greatest percentage point decrease in the uninsured rate — 28.3 percent — since 2013, before enrollment began in marketplace plans authorized under the law.
First Edition: August 13, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
