Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: September 2, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including an analysis of care at small military hospitals and a look at the $8 billion in health law taxes that come due Sept. 30.
Judge Rules Against Strict Texas Abortion Law
A U.S. District judge ruled that the law’s provision requiring abortion facilities to meet certain surgical standards was unconstitutional.
Washington State Exchange Confronts Persistent Technical Problems
Officials for the state’s online health marketplace also ask lawmakers to increase the cap on general fund money they can use for marketing.
Pennsylvania’s Corbett Becomes 9th GOP Governor To Expand Medicaid
Gov. Tom Corbett reached a deal with the Obama administration to use federal funds to put about 500,000 low-income residents into managed care plans already used by the state.
CBO Chief Says Obamacare Is Reducing Deficit
News outlets also look at a looming court decision on the health law’s subsidies and the potential impact of big data on health outcomes.
News outlets look at health care issues in California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Texas and Washington, D.C.
Viewpoints: GOP’s 2015 Obamacare Plan; The Need For Community Health Workers
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Research Roundup: Benefits Of Hip Surgery; Preventing Surgical Infections
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
NIH To Begin Trials For Experimental Ebola Vaccine
The announcement about the testing comes as the outbreak in West Africa grows. The World Health Organizations says it could have infected more than 20,000 people.
FDA Plan To Diversify Clinical Trials Raises Some Concerns
Women’s advocacy groups complain that the plan doesn’t have “teeth” needed to make a change, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Texas Hospitals Complain Insured Patients Moving To Urgent Care Centers
The hospitals complain that the shift is a problem because they are getting less funding for the uninsured.
First Edition: August 29, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the Obama administration and Pennsylvania reaching an agreement to expand Medicaid in that state.
Health Law Provision Seeks To Rein In Executive Compensation At Insurance Companies
News outlets report that this little-noticed provision puts in place stricter limits regarding the amount companies can deduct from their federal tax bills. Also in the news, The Associated Press reports on ways health plans discourage sick people from enrolling and The New York Times examines the health law’s efforts to expand mental health coverage.
Consumers Unable To Update Healthcare.gov Data With Deadline Looming
Hundreds of thousands of people risk losing subsidized health insurance if they don’t resubmit immigration information by the end of next week, but many have been unable to comply because of glitches with healthcare.gov. Other stories look at the millions spent on healthcare.gov and at exchange developments in Connecticut, Oregon and Washington.
CBO: Smaller Deficits Projected As Medicare And Medicaid Spending Declines Slightly
In the Congressional Budget Office’s latest forecast, reduced costs for medical services and labor have trimmed the 10-year projected cost of Medicare and Medicaid by $89 billion.
A selection of health policy stories from Colorado, Minnesota, Georgia, Virginia, California, New York, Michigan and Tennessee.
Pennsylvania Officials Say Medicaid Expansion Talks Are In Final Stage
But the state offered few details about where the negotiations with the federal government are heading. Also in news about changes from the health law in the states, the Arizona Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of a case that could unravel that state’s Medicaid expansion.
Obama’s Plans For Vets Include Development Of Computer Chips To Stop Pain
The novel effort will be spearheaded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Also, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tells an American Legion convention that Congress will continue to revamp the VA.
Viewpoints: Medicare No Longer ‘Busting’ The Budget; A ‘Nightmare’ Trying To Get Coverage In D.C.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: A New Kind Of Abortion War; Foster Kids And Psychotropic Drugs
Each week KHN finds interesting reads from around the Web.
