Latest KFF Health News Stories
Questions Surround Future Of Some Troubled State Exchanges
State insurance exchanges in Maryland, Oregon and Colorado are under the microscope and drawing criticism. Meanwhile, Republican state lawmakers in Tennessee and Texas propose legislation to undermine the health law in those states. And a cybersecurity official at the Department of Health and Human Services tells congressional investigators that testing of healthcare.gov, the federal online exchange, was inadequate.
Companies Find Ways To Keep Offering ‘No Frills’ Health Plans To Employees
The Wall Street Journal reports that, as long as companies offer at least one plan that complies with the health law’s requirements, they are free to also offer employees choices that don’t. Also in the news, Obama administration data analysts are watching health care habits and patterns, and other health companies are seeing business opportunities in sharing the information they collect, too.
Longer Reads: Connecting With Patients; Children With Chronic Disease
This week’s articles come from NPR, MedPage Today, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Modern Healthcare, The New York Times and Health Affairs.
First Edition: January 16, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that a federal judge on Wednesday rejected a legal challenge related to the health law’s insurance subsidies.
Enrollment Deadline Extended For People In High-Risk Pools
A special insurance program for about 30,000 people with a history of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, among other illnesses, will be extended for an additional two months so enrollees can continue treatments while they search for other coverage, the Obama administration announced Tuesday.
Md. Continues To Wrestle Health Exchange Glitches
Even as one cabinet member told Maryland lawmakers Tuesday that the troubled system may need to be abandoned or overhauled, Gov. Martin O’Malley issued a statement saying the state would keep the online marketplace operating and work on improvements and fixes. News outlets also provide the latest developments from Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota.
Bill Seeks Team-Based Approach To Caring For Medicare Patients With Chronic Illness
Sen. Ron Wyden plans to unveil a bill to encourage team-based care in the program for older and disabled Americans. In the meantime, Medicare readies to deliver payment data for individual doctors on a “case-by-case” basis.
High Court To Hear Arguments In Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Case
The arguments, which pit anti-abortion protestors’ freedom-of-speech rights against women’s health providers’ public safety concerns, will be heard on Wednesday.
Health Law’s Prevention Funds Diverted To Other Programs In $1T Spending Bill
New details emerge about the cut to the health law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund in the $1 trillion spending bill, but a jobless benefits extension in Congress stalls. In the meantime, a mental health plan pushed by President Obama will get spending bill funds.
Health Law Attack Ads Pressure Democratic Congressional Candidates
An onslaught of ads target vulnerable Democrats for their support of the overhaul. Health law opponents, notably the Americans for Prosperity group, which is in part financed by the Koch brothers, have spent an estimated $20 million on television advertising. A conservative Hispanic advocacy group is also planning its own round of ads.
Coverage, Payment Confusion Persists For Insurers, Consumers
The CT Mirror details how coverage delays are affecting consumers while the Sacramento Bee reports on how some insurers on California’s health exchange have pushed back the due date for premium payments while others are not.
In States Opposed To Health Law, Many Low-Income Residents Are Left Out
Politico examines the stark differences in the impact of the Affordable Care Act between Republican-led states fighting it and others that have accepted the health overhaul. Meanwhile, USA Today finds that even with the law, many consumers will face troubling medical debt.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Alabama, S.D. Governors Defend Decisions Not To Expand Medicaid
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, a physician, began the state legislative session by presenting better education and jobs as the best strategy to help residents escape poverty. South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, meanwhile, said he would seek federal approval to cover only those earning below 100 percent of the federal poverty line — $10,890 a year for a single person.
State Highlights: Tough Road Ahead For Ga. Medical Malpractice Bill
A selection of health policy stories from Minnesota, Georgia, California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas and North Carolina.
State Officials Seek Ways To Undermine Obamacare
Lawmakers in several states continue to look for ways to stop implementation of the health law, making proposals to ban state employees from carrying out the law, forbidding state officials from taking federal money to implement it, and suspending the state licenses of insurers who take federal subsidies meant to defray the premiums of poor and middle-class consumers.
First Edition: January 15, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services that people who get their health insurance through high-risk insurance pools will have an extra two months before this program ends.
Insurance Sign-Ups Skew Older, Spurring Cost Concerns
Halfway through the six-month enrollment period for private insurance under the health care law, just one in four adult enrollees are between ages 18 and 34, the crucial demographic group whose participation rates are key to keeping monthly premiums affordable. Administration officials say they are confident that a greater proportion of young people will enroll by the end of March.
State-Specific Numbers Highlight December Enrollment Surge
Various news outlets report on the enrollment totals through December — and some demographic data — for Alabama, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, California, Illinois and others.
Medicaid Expansion Battles Resume In State Capitols
Aided in some cases by a new cast of elected officials, groups pushing for Medicaid expansion hope to reopen the debate in state legislative sessions beginning in Maine, Virginia, Louisiana, Kansas and Georgia.
