Latest KFF Health News Stories
Lawsuits: Medicare Advantage Plans Boost Payments By Claiming Sicker Patients
Also, retirees of big companies are being moved off of health plans, and advocates help African Americans understand their elevated risk of Alzheimer’s.
Scrutiny Of Morcellator Tool Halts Its Use
The Wall Street Journal looks at the history of the tool used during hysterectomies and reports that some doctors continued it even after the risks of it spreading cancer were known.
Reports Depict Failed Mental Health System
Tens of thousands of people with severe mental health problems go without care and many end up on the street, as well as in jails and shelters, reports The Denver Post. Meanwhile, a report on Newtown Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza cites his parents’ denial about the extent of his problems and missed opportunities to intervene by educators, mental health professionals and doctors.
Patients’ Costs Mount When Oncologists Work For Hospitals
Many oncologists are selling their practices to hospitals, and consumers are finding that treatments suddenly cost more, with higher co-payments for patients and higher bills for insurers. Meanwhile, some experts are challenging the notion that the U.S. faces a growing doctor shortage.
House Oversight Panel Calls On Gruber, Tavenner To Testify On Health Law Claims
The MIT economist and the CMS administrator have been called by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to testify about “repeated transparency failures” on the health law.
TennCare Director Speaks About Political Difficulties Of Expanding Medicaid
Darin Gordon, in remarks to medical students, points to the state’s experience 20 years ago when it tried on its own to expand TennCare. The state found that it could not support the program and scaled it back. Also, Medicaid expansion news from Virginia, New York and Kansas.
Health Law In Jeopardy At Supreme Court Because Of Gridlock In Washington
Congress will not fix technical issues in the law, forcing the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of a part of the law that many say is merely a typo.
State Marketplaces Must Soon Prove That They Can Succeed Financially
The federal funding to get the marketplaces up and running will end soon, The Associated Press reports. Other outlets examine enrollment and outreach efforts in California, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina and Florida.
House GOP Sues Obama On Health Law
The suit says the administration acted unlawfully when it postponed penalties in the law for larger employers who don’t offer health insurance, among other things.
HHS Eyes Auto Renewal Into Cheaper Plans
The proposed rules would also set up a permanent enrollment window that would run from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15 every year. Meanwhile, the administration is tightening rules about how insurers go about charging women for abortion coverage to ensure that federal money isn’t used to cover the procedure.
First Edition: November 24, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Effects Of A ‘Market-Driven’ Health System; Administration’s Poor Accounting
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Mastectomies; Hospital Drug Discounts; Homeless Coverage
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
A selection of health policy stories from Minnesota, Georgia, Washington state, Nebraska, North Carolina, New York and Virginia.
State Spending Swells — Mostly Driven By Medicaid Expansion Fund Infusion
According to a report from the National Association of State Budget Officers, state spending has not increased at a rate this fast since before the recession.
Senate Panel Examines Soaring Generic Drug Prices
In other Capitol Hill news, lawmakers continue to meet about — but report no agreements on — the Labor-HHS appropriations bill, as well as other spending measures, for fiscal year 2015.
Who Uncovered The Gruber Videos?
Fox News reports on the person who found the politically damaging videos of Jonathan Gruber. It turns out he wasn’t an operative, but a normal person who feels like he lost his coverage as a result of the health law.
Poll: Almost Quarter Of Uninsured Say They Can’t Afford Coverage
Nearly a quarter of those without insurance said they expected to stay that way because of the cost of coverage, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll done just before the health law’s insurance exchanges opened.
Immigrants Here Illegally Will Not Get Access To Health Law But May Get Other Coverage
Politico reports that once these immigrants don’t face deportation threats, they may be able to take regular jobs with health insurance. Also in the news, some anti-abortion activists are charging that states are not complying with the health law’s provisions to offer one plan that does not cover abortion and a former administration officials talks about making narrow provider networks smarter.
