Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opting Out Of Medicaid Expansion Creates Coverage Gaps, Leaves Hospitals Short On Payments
The Wall Street Journal examines the gap created by some states deciding not to expand their Medicaid programs and what that decision means for hospitals’ bottom lines. Also, Republican lawmakers consider “bailouts” for hospitals after they decided not to expand Medicaid. In the meantime, Arkansas’ lawmakers get ready to debate the state’s Medicaid experiment.
Critics Continue Efforts To Limit Health Law Navigators
In Georgia, some navigator events were canceled after health law opponents held a protest at one and posted other events on its website, urging more protests. In South Dakota, meanwhile, a lawmaker introduced a bill to require state registration and background checks of the insurance guides. And a New Hampshire hospital that was excluded from Anthem’s network is in the news because it is challenging that decision.
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Budget Issues Begin To Cloud Outlook For State Exchanges
The Associated Press reports that questions are emerging about how these online marketplaces will operate under the current financing model. Also, the latest news on exchanges from California, Oregon and Florida.
On Capitol Hill, Some Debt Limit Solutions Include ‘Doc Fix’
In other congressional news, health insurers are upping their efforts to fight Medicare Advantage cuts and the Washington Post’s fact checker takes a look at health law claims made by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Health Law Issues Take Key Place In Run-Up To Elections
For instance, the Louisiana chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the group backed by the Koch brothers, made a $600,000 ad buy against Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La, because of her health law support. Meanwhile, other Democrats in tight races are trying to claim credit for trying to fix the problematic parts of the measure while still embracing its popular elements.
Federal Appeals Court Denies UnitedHealthcare Request To Throw Out Medicare Advantage Case
An appeals court upheld an injunction stopping UnitedHealthcare from dropping thousands of Connecticut doctors from their Medicare Advantage network and directed the parties to arbitration. In the meantime, some consumers must re-enroll in the original Medicare program there to keep doctors UnitedHealthcare dropped in New Haven, Conn.
Dems, GOP Continue Battles Over CBO Report Linking Health Law And Jobs
Various news outlets find that both sides aren’t interpreting the report correctly.
State Highlights: Wis. Bill Would Limit Worker’s Comp Medical Costs
A selection of health policy stories from Wisconsin, North Carolina, Connecticut and Kansas.
First Edition: February 10, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including stories about the health law’s coverage gap.
After Uproar About Obamacare Remarks, AOL Reverses 401(k) Policy
The company blamed the law and the health costs of two “distressed babies” for a significant change in how it matches 401(k) contributions.
CBO Report On Obamacare And Jobs Still Hot-Button Issue
Republicans and Democrats jumped on the Congressional Budget Office report of the effects of the health law on employment.
States Struggle To Fix Failed Exchanges
The “spectacular failure” of health insurance exchanges in Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maryland and Oregon — despite their support of the health law — gets a closer look from ProPublica. Repair efforts in Maryland and Oregon are also covered.
Mass. Hires New Firm To Fix Online Insurance Marketplace
A report blames Massachusetts’ online insurance marketplace woes on problems at the firm the state hired to build the website, CGI. Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled a plan Thursday that would hire another firm, while retaining CGI, to make fixes to the site.
Hill Committee Leaders Reach Deal On Replacing Medicare Doctor Pay Formula
The agreement would get rid of the troubled system that has often left doctors uncertain about their reimbursements, but the bipartisan leaders have not yet found a way to pay for such a change.
Arkansas’ Model Medicaid Expansion Plan In Jeopardy
Arizona’s efforts to expand the program are also facing challenges while a new approach is being advanced in Virginia.
N.H. State Senators Agree To Bipartisan Medicaid Expansion Compromise
The plan will require three federal waivers, would sunset after three years without continued 100 percent federal contributions and would use private insurance to reach the additional low-income New Hampshire residents. It’s similar to the Iowa and Arkansas approaches.
GOP Considers Asking For ‘Doc Fix,’ Other Proposals, In Return For Debt-Ceiling Raise
House Republicans are considering their options on tying proposals they want to see to passing an increase in the debt ceiling, among them fixing the way Medicare pays doctors. Democrats and the White House are making it increasingly clear that they don’t intend on making concessions with the debt limit.
Despite Enrollment Jump, Aetna Says It Faces Losses From Health Exchanges
Insurer Aetna said that although it has signed up 135,000 new members, it expects to lose money on the health law’s marketplaces this year. Cigna, in the meantime, saw its fourth-quarter profit dip as it lost members.
AOL Blames Health Law For Change In Retirement Benefits, Without Details
AOL owns websites such as Huffington Post.
