Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports and analysis about President Barack Obama’s announcement that health law sign-ups hit the 8 million mark.
Health Law Strategies Emerge For Congressional Campaigns
Some Democrats are pointing to recent good news about the health law and urging candidates in tough races to embrace the overhaul. At the same time, GOP leaders say criticism of the law will resonate with voters.
News outlets report that outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is contemplating a run for the Senate in Kansas.
Va. Small Business Owners Press GOP To Expand Medicaid
More than 400 have signed a letter to Virginia’s House speaker asking Republicans to drop their opposition to the effort. Meanwhile, Utah’s governor says he is encouraged about his state’s prospects for its plan after talks with federal officials, and a Florida senator is trying to find a way around the logjam there.
MNsure Picks Deloitte To Revamp Exchange
Other state developments include the District of Columbia’s decision to extend enrollment until April 30, New York’s announcement that nearly 1 million residents enrolled in coverage and a Georgia report that only about half of the 220,000 enrollees in that state have paid their first month’s premiums.
Industry Coalition Pushes For Price Transparency
A report put out Wednesday by a coalition of hospitals, insurers, doctors and consumer advocates recommends how providers can make information available about the costs of various tests and procedures. An accompanying guide tells consumers how to find it.
Actuary Says Stats Point To Smaller Premium Increases Next Year
Also, the disparities in insurance coverage between states that embraced the health law and those that did not are more closely examined. And many Iowans will get to keep their pre-health law coverage.
Skin Docs Prescribe Costlier Drugs After Free Samples
In other news, panels recommend a costly hepatitis C drug for the sickest patients, and cancer doctors will compare the value of costly cancer drugs.
UnitedHealth’s 1st Quarter Profit Falls 7.8%
Officials blame part of the downturn on reductions in federal funding for the Medicare Advantage program and new taxes resulting from the health law.
State Highlights: N.Y. Court Ends Taxi Health Care Fund
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Maryland, Colorado and Massachusetts.
Medicare Pays Doctors Even After They’re Sanctioned
A ProPublica report finds that the agency continued paying doctors, pharmacists and other health professionals even after they were charged with bilking the program. Meanwhile, a report recommends that Medicare pay hospitals less for low-risk outpatient surgeries.
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Longer Looks: HIV Epidemic In The Deep South; Planning For Alzheimer’s
This week’s articles come from The New Yorker, Health Affairs, The New Republic, Matter and Slate/Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about emerging political strategies related to the health law and the upcoming congressional elections.
Census Changes Will Make It Hard To Gauge Health Law’s Impact
The revisions are intended to make the survey more accurate, but specific questions will be so different that the results will not be comparable to previous years.
Enrollment Extensions Wind Down But Health Law Politics Getting Complicated
People wanting coverage on the federal and some state websites needed to sign up by Tuesday, and federal officials say they won’t again extend the deadline. In addition, news outlets examine why it will take time to determine whether the overhaul is a success and how Republicans are treading carefully as they call for overturning a law that has provided benefits to millions of Americans.
Vulnerable Democrats Fight Health Law Stigma
In tight races around the nation, Democrats are hoping that stories about the health law’s rocky rollout are behind them, while Republicans try to make the races a referendum on the law.
A Heavy Lift? Legal Challenge To Medicare’s ‘Two Midnight’ Rule
Modern Healthcare reports that some legal experts say it will be tough to convince judges to overturn the controversial rule on classifying Medicare in-patients.
Uninsured Rate Drops More In States That Expanded Medicaid, Run Own Exchanges
News outlets also provide updates on Medicaid expansion efforts and debates in Colorado, Virginia, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina and Indiana.
Scientists Trying To Merge Millions Of Patient Medical Records
The attempt includes collecting and connecting terabytes of patient medical records from every patient recently treated at one of New York’s major hospital centers. Meanwhile in Kansas, a council discusses ways to regulate so-called “secondary use” of patient health data.
