Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of health policy stories from Pennsylvania, Texas, Delaware, Georgia, California, New Mexico and Iowa.
California Regulators Fault Kaiser Permanente For Mental Health Care Delays
Elsewhere, the New Mexico Senate approves a measure to require some state residents with severe mental health illnesses to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment, and an Iowa mental health hospital — tapped for closure by Gov. Terry Branstad — is under scrutiny after a patient tried to kill himself.
Newspaper’s HPV Vaccine ‘Exposé’ Scrutinized After Criticism
An investigation into the “dark side” of Gardasil led many in the medical community to pan The Toronto Star’s anecdotal findings as not supported by data. In the U.S., the CDC says deaths tied to opioid painkillers spiked in 2012.
Study: Electronic Health Records Lead To More Patient-Doctor Collaboration
Elsewhere, the Department of Defense nears a contractor pick to modernize its electronic health records system.
Rehab Hospitals Lobby To Keep Payments Away From ‘Doc Fix’ Cuts
As a Medicare payment fix deadline looms, CQ Healthbeat also looks at who stands to be affected — and it’s not just doctors.
FBI Closing In On Culprits Behind Massive Cyberattack On Anthem’s Database
Anthem officials disclosed more information about the theft of personal information for 60 million to 80 million people, including customers who were members of other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.
Fight Over Medicaid Expansion Creating Stark North-South Divide
The highest rates of uninsurance are mostly in Southern states, where opposition is strong to the health law’s option to expand the health program for low-income residents. Meanwhile, Utah’s state Senate gives preliminary approval to a plan by the governor to expand Medicaid.
Half Of Obamacare Enrollees Must Pay Back Part Of Insurance Subsidies
Tax-preparer H&R Block says that 52 percent of Americans they are helping file their taxes owe an average of $530 in paying the government back for subsidies because their income changed during the course of the year. Elsewhere, the Department of Health and Human Services plans health law investigations this year, and exchange problems make news in Washington state and Minnesota.
Burwell: No Back-Up Plan If High Court Overturns Obamacare Tax Credits
In a letter to Congress Tuesday, the secretary of Health and Human Services says a court decision striking down the subsidies on the federal marketplace would do “massive damage,” and the administration would not have authority to fix the problems.
Stakes Are High In Supreme Court’s Review Of Health Law’s Subsidies
Currently, there’s no clear alternative if the court rules that the health law’s subsidies cannot be used on the federal marketplace, healthcare.gov. Such a decision could increase coverage costs for an estimated 6 million people.
IRS Issues Reprieve To Those Who Filed Taxes Before Faulty Forms Were Detected
The Internal Revenue Services won’t collect additional taxes from the estimated 50,000 people who filed their tax returns based on incorrect government statements — known as 1095-A forms — regarding their 2014 health coverage.
First Edition: February 25, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: A Possible GOP Alternative To Health Law; Disability Insurance ‘Meltdown’
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
A selection of health policy stories from North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, California and Vermont.
Va. Lawmakers Reject Medicaid Expansion, Embrace Some Mental Health Spending
Negotiators working on Virginia’s budget found agreement after working over the weekend, but decided against expanding a health program for poorer Virginians. In Connecticut, some criticize proposed Medicaid cuts.
Calif. A.G. Allows Sale Of Safety-Net Hospitals To Prime Healthcare
Attorney General Kamala Harris approved the $843 million deal late last week but laid out a number of “take it or leave it” conditions Prime must meet.
Federal Lawmaker Calls For ‘Superbug’ Prevention Investigation
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., is asking a House committee to examine what the federal government is doing to prevent such infections. In the meantime, regulators are skeptical the instruments implicated in a superbug outbreak in California can be properly cleaned.
Medicare May Fine Advantage Plans For Inaccurate Provider Lists
Elsewhere, a Medicare decision on “preferred pharmacy networks” is met by mostly cheers from industry officials.
Hospitals Spending Billions On New Buildings, But They May Not Improve Patient Satisfaction
NPR examines the building boom among hospitals and how these new facilities differ from what they’re replacing. KHN reports on a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore that found patients weren’t any more satisfied in a new building.
Humana, Aetna Project Lower Medicare Revenue
The insurers respond to Medicare’s announcement of a slight decline in payment rates for Advantage plans. Meanwhile, Tenet recorded higher admissions and revenue as newly insured patients sought treatment.
