Latest KFF Health News Stories
House Passes Bill To Ease Insurance Requirements For Employers Hiring Veterans
The measure, which passed unanimously, would allow employers to exempt workers who received health coverage through the Defense or Veterans Affairs departments from the tally used to determine the health law’s employer mandate.
GOP, Now In Control Of Capitol Hill, Takes Aim At Health Law’s Employer Mandate
Republicans want to change a provision of the law that defines a full time employee from those working 30 hours a week to those working 40 hours. President Barack Obama has threatened a veto.
First Edition: January 7, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Republicans’ Tough Choices; ‘Mortal Threat’ To Medicaid; ‘Whiny’ Harvard Professors
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
A selection of health policy stories from California, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, Florida and Vermont.
CDC Reports Flu Activity Widespread In 43 States
This number is an increase over last week’s count of 36 states.
Providers Collect Increasing Amounts Of Data But It Doesn’t Always Lead To Better Care
Although doctors and other medical personnel can get access to massive amounts of data, figuring out a way to harness it for patient improvement is still difficult.
VA Protocols For Monitoring Depression Are Faulted
The Veterans Affairs Department does a poor job of tracking and caring for vets who are prescribed antidepressants and who may be at risk of suicide, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Meanwhile, those who leave the service early as a result of sexual trauma are pushing for benefits.
Seniors In Traditional Medicare Are Moving To Private Advantage Plans, Study Finds
Also in the news is another examination of the reduction in appeals waits for Medicare beneficiaries.
Study: Hospital Quality Reporting May Help Control Prices
Commercial health plans used hospital performance as leverage to negotiate prices, the study reported in Modern Healthcare found. Also in the news, author Steven Brill talks about how the health law has increased access to care but has yet to reduce costs.
In Industry Battle Over Hepatitis C Drugs, CVS Sticks With Sovaldi And Harvoni
CVS Health Corp., which is one of the primary drug benefit managers in the nation, says it will give preferred status to the two expensive drugs made by Gilead, rather than another new drug made by AbbVie.
Harvard Professors Protest Higher Deductibles
Harvard University professors are mad they’ll have to pay more for their health care in 2015 in part because of the health care law that some of them helped devise. The deductibles — $250 for an individual and $750 for a family — are still much lower than most Americans pay.
State Exchanges Report Enrollment Figures
Officials in Massachusetts, Maryland and Minnesota note ever-growing tallies of people signing up for health insurance via the online marketplaces. In Massachusetts, there have been some glitches. Meanwhile, in California, the Covered California Board of Directors is about to get some new members.
Republicans’ Challenge Is To Satisfy Party’s Right Wing While Showing They Can Govern
Among the flashpoints for the GOP will be how to deal with the health law, including expected action on the medical device tax and the law’s definition of a full-time worker.
First Edition: January 6, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Debate On Medical Device Tax; GOP’s Turn On Health Law; Surgeon General’s Role
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: Fla. In Trouble Over Kids’ Medicaid; No Calif. Plans To Continue Medicaid Pay Bump
A selection of health policy stories from Florida, California, Georgia, Texas, New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Kansas and Missouri.
For-Profit Hospices Draw Scrutiny
The Washington Post compares for-profit and nonprofit hospices on several measures, including the amount of money spent per patient. Other stories look at a rural doctor who makes house calls to dying patients, and at the lack of training for most caregivers who tend to frail elderly people in their homes.
Obama Plans Vigorous Response To GOP Congress, Efforts To Roll Back Health Law
In a change from tradition, the president will take a three-day tour to highlight his initiatives before his State of the Union address.
Trickier Tax Season Ahead Due To ACA
The law’s requirements that most Americans carry health insurance means that all filers must indicate whether they had coverage last year and got tax credits to help pay for it. Other media outlets look at how low-wage industries are hiring more part-timers to minimize the law’s impact on their bottom lines and how big deductibles are leading some Americans to put off getting care.
