Latest KFF Health News Stories
Obama’s Veto Threats Seek To Protect Health Law
The president is also requesting hundreds of millions of dollars to develop personalized medical treatments. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., pushes to repeal the medical device tax and lawmakers debate the definition of rape.
Health Insurance Enrollment Efforts Hailed In Ga.
In the meantime, a “Night Ministry” in Illinois boosts enrollment efforts. Elsewhere, New Hampshire officials are torn over whether a proposed change to the health law’s enrollment period could be good or bad for consumers.
Ark. Governor’s Choice On Medicaid Is A Risky One
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s decision to continue the state’s “private option” program while exploring other options opens him to criticism from his party.
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Will Seek Liquidation Of CoOportunity
This marks the first failure of one of the nonprofit health insurance co-ops created by the health law, which provided $146 million in federal grants and loans.
Healthcare.gov Moves To Shield Consumer Information
The administration is making changes to boost privacy protections on the health insurance portal used by millions of Americans, a week after the Associated Press reported that details such as consumers’ income and tobacco use were going to private companies with a commercial interest in such data. Meanwhile, a government audit confirms the agency responsible for developing the website did not properly vet contractors.
First Edition: January 26, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: GOP’s Difficulties With Abortion; Physician-Assisted Suicide; Problems At WHO
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
How Georgia And Missouri Hospitals Stack Up
George Health News and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch take a look at how their hospitals rate on new quality metrics put in place by the Affordable Care Act and whether those metrics are meaningful. Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare explores how payment spats between providers and insurers continue despite the move away from fee-for-service systems.
Disneyland Measles Outbreak Triggers Discussion, Criticism Of Anti-Vaccination Movement
The measles outbreak originated in California at Disneyland and has since been tracked to include 70 infected people in six states.
Opioid Use By Young Women Spurs Birth Defect Concerns
Federal health officials say nearly one-third of women who might get pregnant are getting opioid painkiller prescriptions such as Vicodin and Oxycontin, even though such prescriptions carry birth defect big risks.
A selection of health policy stories from Maryland, Idaho, Wisconsin, Colorado, Rhode Island and New York.
Research Roundup: Reforming Medical Training; The Effects Of A Ruling On The Health Law
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Obama’s Push To Change Sick-Leave Laws Raises Small Business Concerns
News outlets analyze some of the health policy issues included in President Barack Obama’s state-of-the-union address.
House Approves Bill To Permanently Prohibit Taxpayer Funding For Abortion
The vote, which coincided with the annual March for LIfe rally, came after some Republican women and moderate lawmakers helped scuttle another vote on a more controversial measure that would have banned abortions after 20 weeks.
Obama Administration Offers Supreme Court Robust Defense Of Health Law
Chief Justice John Roberts will be pivotal to deciding the fate of the law, The Washington Post reports. The administration says health law detractors have offered a challenge that “strains credulity.”
Latino Enrollment Is Obamacare Priority
Officials are using a bevy of new methods to try to entice this traditionally hard-to-reach group to purchase health insurance. In the meantime, one Florida zip code leads the nation in enrollment.
New Congress Faces Old Medicare Pay Issues
Meanwhile, the new GOP Senate Budget Committee chairman said he wants to balance the budget within 10 years, and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin calls for hearings on improper opioid prescribing at a VA medical center.
Elizabeth Warren Would Ding Law-Breaking Drug Makers And Use The Fines To Fund Research
The Massachusetts Democrat plans to introduce a bill next week that would require drug makers that break the law to send a percentage of their profits to the U.S. National Institutes of Health for five years.
Judge Orders Calif. To Grant Temporary Coverage To Medi-Cal Applicants Caught in Limbo
The state of California will offer temporary benefits to applicants who have been waiting more than 45 days for officials to determine if they are eligible for the state’s Medicaid program.
Ark. Gov. Calls For Keeping Medicaid Expansion For Two Years, Then Rethinking Approach
The program, often called the private option, did not expand Medicaid in the usual way, but instead used federal funds to buy private insurance for more than 200,000 poor people. Even with new Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s support, it’s not yet clear if the legislature will support an extension of the program.
