Latest KFF Health News Stories
State Exchanges Tally Their Enrollments For The First Month Of The Sign-Up Period
California’s number topped 144,000 while Colorado signed up 108,077 for private coverage. News outlets offer other specific tallies and exchange-related coverage from Connecticut, Minnesota and Washington.
First Edition: December 18, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Playing Politics With Ebola Hyperbole; The Value Of Comparing Health Plans; E-Cigs
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
A selection of health policy stories from California, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado and Missouri.
Justice Department Drops Drug Misbranding Case
Elsewhere, a woman accused of defrauding Medicaid to help an undocumented immigrant get prenatal care sees the case against her dismissed.
Companies Push Workers Harder To Lose Weight
The Wall Street Journal looks at how businesses are experimenting with more aggressive and personalized approaches to encourage employees to lose weight. Meanwhile, CVS projects strong earnings growth as a result of specialty drugs and acquisitions.
Congress Approves Tax-Free Bank Accounts For People With Disabilities
The accounts could be used to pay for education, housing and health care, among other needs. Also in news from Capitol Hill, House Democrats released a report showing how many people in each congressional district risk losing assistance if the Supreme Court upholds the challenge to premium subsidies in the health care law.
Jeb Bush Bolsters GOP Position With Obamacare Stance
Elsewhere, The New York Times examines the new surgeon general’s resolve on taking sometimes unpopular stances.
Feds Award States ACA ‘Innovation’ Grants
News outlets report on these Affordable Care Act grants, which are part of $620 million in funding provided to 11 states.
Shorter Shopping Season, More Choices, Complicate Search For Health Plans
The Detroit Free Press explores some of the issues consumers must think about before choosing individual insurance plans sold through the online marketplaces. Other stories look at how the long-delayed mandate requiring large employers to offer insurance kicks in Jan. 1 and how the penalties increase for not having coverage in 2015.
Health Law Will Reduce Ethnic, Racial Divides In Coverage, Urban Institute Says
But African-Americans aren’t seeing as much improvement as Latinos and American Indians because many live in states that have not expanded Medicaid, according to the Urban Institute.
Tennessee Joins List Of GOP-Led States Seeking Medicaid Expansion Money
A statewide coalition of business, health care and civic groups has formed in Tennessee to support Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, whose expansion plan faces opposition from some GOP legislators.
DC Exchange Glitch Puts Some At Risk Of Temporarily Losing Insurance
Meanwhile, in Maryland, exchange officials report that more than 100,000 people have newly enrolled in health plans; and, in Chicago, some residents will face increasing out-of-pocket costs as well as Obamacare premium hikes.
Federal Exchange Tallied About 2.5 Million Insurance Sign-Ups So Far
Federal officials said about a million of those new enrollments took place during the week of Dec. 6 through Dec. 12., and about 1.6 million people telephoned the call center between Dec. 13 and Dec. 15.
First Edition: December 17, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Focus Should Shift To Cost Effectiveness; Jamming Doctors’ Offices
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: State Highlights: NY Nursing Home Homicide; Concerns Raised About KanCare Waivers
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri.
Report: Estimates Of Veterans Harmed By Treatment Delays Were Incorrect
A new report by the top watchdog for the Department of Veterans Affairs finds errors in the statistics that were released last spring about the number of veterans who died or were harmed by treatment delays. Meanwhile, the defense spending bill approved by Congress requires military personnel facing less-than-honorable discharge to have their cases reviewed by at least one mental health professional.
Supreme Court Declines To Hear Arizona Abortion Appeal
The justices Monday turned down the state’s bid to limit how doctors prescribe pills that are commonly used in early abortions. Without comment, they left intact a ruling that blocks a 2012 Arizona law while a legal challenge plays out.
Drug Co. Ordered To Continue Making Alzheimer’s Medicine
A federal judge ordered an Irish manufacturer to halt plans to discontinue its widely used medication, Namenda, allegedly to drive patients to a newer drug. The Dublin-based Actavis PLC plans to appeal.
