Latest KFF Health News Stories
Federal Push For Electronic Health Records May Make Fraud Easier
USA Today reports on this development. Meanwhile, in other health IT news, The Fiscal Times reports on how hospitals are getting more involved in big data collection.
House Of Representatives’ Lawyers Ask Judge To Reject SEC Lawsuit
In what is viewed as an ongoing power struggle between two branches of the federal government, the House lawyers termed the investigation related to Medicare insider-trading allegations to be a “fishing expedition.”
Medicare Proposes 2.1% Pay Boost For Outpatient Care
The increased rate highlights a trend towards discouraging unnecessary admissions. Meanwhile, the agency announces a pilot project to cut down appeal waits for long-term care providers.
Stress Levels Run High And Take Toll On Americans’ Health
NPR reports on a poll detailing this public health issue.
Fla. Hospitals On The Hook For $267 Million In Medicaid Overpayment
The federal government says the hospitals were paid too much, and it wants the entire overage back this year. That is a tough demand for two of the state’s safety-net hospitals. Meanwhile, a Florida teen battling cancer hits Capitol Hill to lobby for funding for Medicaid and other children’s programs.
Long Waits For Medical Attention Are Normal In Many Parts Of U.S.
The New York Times reports on what it calls the health care system’s “waiting game.”
Pending Health Law Legal Action Threatens Premium Subsidies And Exchanges
One of the key questions, according to The Fiscal Times, is whether the premium subsidies available to people shopping on the federal exchange are legal.
Health Overhaul Continues To Put Democratic Congressional Candidates In Hot Seat
News outlets report on how the health law is playing in various House and Senate races.
Lines Drawn Over San Francisco Court-Ordered Outpatient Mental Illness Treatment
Elsewhere, a program in Wisconsin assigns peer specialists to help those with mental illness reintegrate into society, cuts to mental health programs in Iowa haven’t materialized and North Carolina lawmakers look for ways to prevent suicide.
Nonprofit Religious Groups Pose Next Challenge To Contraceptive Mandate
The issue in more than four dozen lawsuits from faith-affiliated colleges, hospitals and charities is how far the government must go to accommodate them. Meanwhile, the administration weighs steps to provide contraceptive coverage, and the high court’s Hobby Lobby decision may help Democrats mobilize female voters.
Ill. Supreme Court Rules State Can’t Cut Retiree Health Benefits
The Court said the benefits are protected under the Illinois Constitution. The state wants to cut the benefits to save money on the state’s pension liabilities.
State Highlights: N.C. Medicaid Changes, Problems
A selection of health policy stories from California, North Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas and Colorado.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a range of stories related to the implementation of the health law, and the politics surrounding it.
High Court Temporarily Sides With Christian College On Contraceptives
Wheaton College is suing the government because it objects to the special accommodation on birth control that the Obama administration set up for religious-affiliated groups. The court said while its case goes forward, the college could be exempted. That order drew a furious response from the Supreme Court’s three women justices.
A selection of health policy stories from North Carolina, Idaho, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.
Digital Mammograms May Not Be Better At Diagnosing Older Women: Study
The Yale review adds to the mixed report card on digital mammography, reports NPR. Meanwhile, big increases in vaccination prices are straining public health budgets and creating dilemmas for some doctors, finds The New York Times.
NIH Expands Effort To Diagnose Misunderstood Disorders
The agency announces $43 million for its Undiagnosed Disease Network, which by the summer of 2017 is expected to enroll at least 300 new patients with mysterious and intractable conditions per year. Meanwhile, online ER booking in California is the latest example of how hospitals are attempting to compete with one another.
Health Law Still Looms As Issue In Midterms
Nearly seven in 10 adults say their view of the health law will factor in their congressional voting decisions this fall, a new Bankrate.com survey finds. Other stories look at positions staked out by candidates in Tennessee, Kansas and Oregon.
Longer Looks: Rethinking Involuntary Commitment; Awaiting A Transplant
This week’s articles come from The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and WBUR.
