Latest KFF Health News Stories
High Court Ruling Chips Away At Health Benefits Promised To Union Retirees
In what’s being viewed as a victory for corporate America, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that “ambiguous” provisions of union contracts shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted in workers’ favor.
Federal Employees Would Get Paid Parental Leave Under House Democrats’ Bill
The measure, which was introduced Monday, follows a call by President Barack Obama during his State-Of-The-Union address to take such action. In other legislative news, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled this week to consider a bipartisan veterans’ bill that would create incentives to hire veterans. It also includes a health law tweak that would allow companies to exempt vets who get health care through the Veterans Health Administration from the health law’s employer mandate calculations.
The Congressional Budget Office forecasts that the red ink will start flowing again in 2017, and by 2025, deficits could again top $1 trillion.
Medicare Officials Announce Major Shift To Pay For Quality
The goal, officials say, is for the health care program for the elderly and disabled to pay providers based on quality and frugality. HHS officials say 50 percent of all Medicare pay would be made this way by 2018.
First Edition: January 27, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Ending Health Law Is Not Immoral; ‘Revolution’ In Hep C Drug Prices
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Hospitals See $46B In Unpaid Bills Before Health Law’s Insurance Expansions
The data comes from a 2013 survey by the American Hospital Association. Other stories look at how hospitals are faring under the law’s new incentive programs to boost quality and at the vice president’s call for renewed focus on patient safety.
WHO Works To Reform Its Capacity To Respond To Global Health Emergencies
Following its slow start in battling the Ebola epidemic in Africa, the World Health Organization unanimously approves a resolution designed to overhaul its capacity to respond to and stop outbreaks and other health emergencies.
Measles Outbreak Fails To Move Vaccine Opponents
As of late last week, 78 cases of the illness had been reported in seven states and Mexico.
Governors’ Budget Plans Touch State Employee Health Benefits, Medicaid
News outlets report on the health policy impact of budget blueprints advanced by the governors of California, Georgia and Maryland.
State Highlights: Calif. Bill Advanced To Address Doctor Network Concerns; KanCare May Go Without IG
A selection of health policy stories from California, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Florida.
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.
