Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Health Spending On The Rise; GOP’s New ‘Passion For The Pill’
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Ill. Fines Hospitals For Preventable Hospital Readmissions
Also, a federal lawsuit in California alleges nursing homes overmedicated their residents and and seeks repayment.
Companies Move To Make Adjustments In Workers’ Health Benefits
The Washington Post reports that, while few employers are likely to stop providing employee benefits, many will likely shift costs onto workers in the form of higher out-of-pocket expenses and reduced subsidies. Wellness programs also continue to pick up momentum.
McAuliffe To Unveil Plan To Expand Health Coverage In Virginia
In the wake of losing his battle to expand Medicaid, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe will detail steps today he plans to take that will not require approval by the GOP-controlled General Assembly.
Va. Lawmaker Stabbed By Son Calls For National Mental Health System Reform
Elsewhere, the Washington state Supreme Court will allow psychiatric hospitals more time to find beds for patients with mental illnesses, and Connecticut plans to overhaul children’s mental health care.
State Highlights: Texas Lawmaker Proposes ‘3 Strikes’ For Nursing Homes
A selection of health policy stories from North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Iowa, New Mexico, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, Wisconsin and California.
First Edition: September 8, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including stories about how companies are adjusting their health benefits in the current health care marketplace, as well as a range of state-level health policy developments.
Obama Warns About Ebola Security Threat
Meanwhile, the administration has requested more money to fight the epidemic.
Report: CMS ‘Quietly’ Creating New Enrollment Period For Immigrants’ Health Plans
Inside Health Policy writes that the agency has 60-day special enrollment periods for those unable to get the documents in on time.
Hacker Breaches Healthcare.gov But Steals No Data
A hacker broke into part of the government insurance enrollment website in July and uploaded malware, federal officials say. The intrusion was discovered last week by a government security team who said that no personal information was taken and that they boosted the site’s security.
D.C. Appeals Court To Rehear Obamacare Subsidy Challenge
In what could be good news for the Obama administration, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has agreed to rehear a lawsuit that argued the federal government lacks the authority to provide insurance subsidies in states that do not run their own exchanges. The order to hear the case technically cancels the three-judge ruling from July that would have nullified subsidies given to residents in 36 states.
Alaska VA Clinic Without Doctors
Three doctors that practiced at a clinic in Wasilla decided to not renew their contracts. In the meantime, some former employees at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center say they were told to falsify records on follow-up care.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Average Exchange Premiums Show Slight Decline In 2015: Report
Insurance filings in 16 major cities for benchmark “silver” plans sold on the online marketplaces show premiums will decline by less than 1 percent, the report by the Kaiser Family Foundation found.
N.H. Democrats Hammer GOP Candidate Scott Brown On Medicare Cuts
In the meantime, GOP Senate candidates in Colorado and North Carolina push over-the-counter contraception to appeal to female voters.
Cover Oregon Moves To Keep Exchange Semi-Independent
The state’s governor favors allowing state agencies take it over. Also in the news, updates on health exchanges and Medicaid expansion efforts from Wisconsin, Washington and Pennsylvania.
State Highlights: Democrats Consider Letting States Curb Health Costs
A selection of health policy stories from Texas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Virginia, Colorado, Georgia, California, Florida, Iowa and Connecticut.
Research Roundup: Doctors’ Training; Expanding FEHBP; The ACA And Part-Time Work
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
First Edition: September 5, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports of hacker activity at the healthcare.gov health insurance website.
Health Care Spending Projected To Grow Modestly
Government actuaries expect that U.S. health spending will increase over the next decade as a result of an aging population, a rebounding economy and the health law’s expanded insurance coverage, but the growth rates will be lower than those seen for most of the last two decades.
