Latest KFF Health News Stories
Data Miners Know What’s In Your Medicine Cabinet
Bloomberg reports on how data aggregators are piecing together Americans’ medical histories.
What Cancer Patients Want May Not Be Covered By Medicare
Patients and their caregivers want options such as home-based long term care and palliative care delivered alongside treatment — options that Medicare may not define as “reasonable and necessary,” according to a Duke University study.
Viewpoints: Conservative Alternative To Health Law Critiqued; Rare Slowdown In Premium Costs
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Utah Lawmakers Eager To See Details Of Medicaid Expansion Deal Governor Is Negotiating
Gov. Gary Herbert is seeking to get a work requirement as part of the deal for expanding Medicaid to the state’s low-income residents, but it’s not yet clear what federal officials are willing to approve.
Longer Looks: Drug Withdrawal, Accessing Your Doctor’s Notes; ‘Good’ Abortions?
Each week KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
First Edition: September 11, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a new study regarding employer health coverage and costs.
Obamacare Has Not Cut Uninsured Rate For Kids
The children’s uninsured rate hardly budged in the first year of the health law’s expansion of coverage, even as the rate for adults dropped four percentage points, according to reports from the Urban Institute and Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families.
Some Calif. Consumers Who Bought Exchange Plans Are Being Dropped Or Transferred To Medicaid
The shifts, which often happen without warning, come as the state works to verify incomes and make sure consumers are in appropriate health plans, the Associated Press reports
Justice Dept. Sues Spinal Surgeon For Alleged Medicare Fraud
The lawsuit alleges that the surgeon and the operators of a network of doctor-owned implant distributorships defrauded millions of dollars from Medicare.
Senate Panel Hears Testimony From VA Inspector General
During a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Inspector General Richard J. Griffin said administrators at 13 VA health facilities lied during the investigation of waiting list issues and other improprieties.
Private Managed Care Companies Lose Money Under KanCare
Medicaid news from Kansas, North Carolina and Louisiana.
State Highlights: Kaiser Permanente Agrees To $4 Million Fine
A selection of health policy stories from New York, California, the District of Columbia, North Carolina and Georgia.
Utah Gov. Announces ‘Conceptual’ Deal With Feds On Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Gary Herbert, after meeting with HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, says state and federal officials are nearing a final agreement on Utah’s alternative proposal for expanding Medicaid.
Health Law May Be Reducing Pressure On Some ERs
The Affordable Care Act is relieving financial pressures on some hospitals by reducing unpaid emergency room bills and may also be curbing the growth of such visits, CBS News reports. Meanwhile, Alcoa joins IBM and Time Warner in shifting white-collar retirees to a private insurance exchange, and nonprofit religious employers say they will continue lawsuits against the law’s contraception coverage requirement.
New WSJ/NBC Poll Finds Voters Have Doubts About The Health Law
As the November election approaches, the number of voters who think the overhaul is a bad idea outnumbers those who think it is good.
Viewpoints: Medicaid And Assets; A Surprising Look At Narrow Networks
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
First Edition: September 10, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll findings regarding how Americans feel about Obamacare.
HHS Chief Pledges Better Insurance Website
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said in her first major speech Monday that she would work with members of both parties to improve healthcare.gov, the government website used by millions of people to sign up for coverage.
Groups Get $60 Million To Hire Health Insurance Navigators
The money will be used to hire and train people to help consumers in 34 states which rely on the federal government for their Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges, where individuals can buy health coverage.
Young Adults Use ER Less Often After Health Law Allowed Them To Stay On Parents’ Plans
That conclusion is from one study of the expanded coverage. Another study finds young adults don’t see themselves as healthier and many still find health care expensive.
