Latest KFF Health News Stories
Hopes Dim For Medicare Doctor Payment Fix This Year, Short-Term Patch Is Likely
Lawmakers may be giving up for this year on permanently fixing how Medicare pays doctors as lawmakers propose another patch to temporarily fix the Sustainable Growth Rate. The Ways and Means Committee, however, is readying to markup a bill next week that would permanently fix the SGR.
Senate Leader Reid Exempting Some Staff From Buying Health Insurance On Exchanges
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is exempting some of his staff from buying health care coverage on the health law’s exchanges, a move the law allows but one that few if any top congressional leadership figures have made. Elsewhere, Rep. Darrel Issa says healthcare.gov could cost $1 billion when the site is finally fully operational.
Medicaid Signups May Be Affected By Website Glitches
The federal government has been unable to transfer full Medicaid applications to the 36 states participating in healthcare.gov, potentially leaving some who sign up for Medicaid without coverage. The administration says it will send states partial files for processing, but some state officials are balking. Other Medicaid developments in Wisconsin, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Texas are also covered.
State Highlights: La. Targets Docs Who Steer Patients Into Some Managed Care Plans
A selection of health policy stories from South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and California.
Poll: Only 44 Percent Of Californians Support Health Law
Californians are split on support for the health law. In the meantime, other polls show 66 percent of the uninsured are planning on getting coverage and that the young are more likely to get insured, despite the popular notion that they would shun coverage.
Widely Varying Drug Costs In New Health Plans
The Wall Street Journal explores out-of-pocket drug costs in plans offered on the health law’s exchanges. Other stories probe so called “aggregation rules” that could affect some small businesses and the law’s potential impact on safety-net hospitals and clinics.
Pace Of Health Insurance Applications Picks Up
News outlets in Wisconsin and Minnesota report increases in applications for coverage through new online marketplaces. But baby boomers, as opposed to so-called “young invincibles,” dominate sign-ups in Colorado, while in California, Democratic lawmakers worry a lookalike website set up by Republican lawmakers will lead some applicants astray.
Longer Reads: Millenials’ Mental Health and Sleeping Pills Without Side Effects
This week’s reading comes from Slate, The New Yorker, Quartz, The Atlantic and ProPublica.
First Edition: December 5, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how President Barack Obama is trying to connect with young adults and urge them to sign up for health coverage.
White House Advances Health Law Defense, Urges People To Sign Up
The goal is to boost enrollment figures and reframe the debate with Republican opponents.
Today’s Administration Pro-Obamacare Theme To Focus On 18-35 Year Olds
Meanwhile, a new poll looks into how ‘young invincibles’ feel about buying insurance while a second measures public thoughts on paying the fine instead of getting coverage.
Viewpoints: Why Can’t Health Website Be Like Amazon?; Debunking GOP’s Resistance To Medicaid
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
United Health Details Expected 2014 Health Law Hits
The AP reports on these predictions offered by the nation’s largest health insurer.
States Lead In Health Law Insurance Sign-Up Race
States operating their own insurance websites are leading the federal government in signing up people for health coverage. Though healthcare.gov, the federal website which serves the residents of 36 states, is working better for some, complicated cases still bewilder “navigators” — and Texas has proposed new rules and background checks for the workers.
New, Improved Healthcare.gov Gets Praise, But Problems Persist
Administration officials lauded the website fixes and said that 750,000 users logged on Monday, but insurers continued to have concerns about the transfer of inaccurate data and automated subsidy calculations.
Report: IRS Ready To Calculate Subsidies, Needs To Boost Fraud Detection
The report concluded that subsidies could be vulnerable to fraud — marking yet another potential trouble spot for the health law’s implementation.
Federal Judge Hears Arguments On Health Law Subsidies
Millions of people in 34 states could be denied government subsidies to help them pay for insurance if the latest lawsuit brought by the opponents of the health law is successful. Meanwhile, Notre Dame joined the groups challenging the law’s mandate that most large employers offer birth control coverage without a co-pay.
1.46 Million Enroll In Medicaid Through Health Law Exchanges
The Obama administration said Tuesday that more than 1.46 million people have been found eligible and signed up for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program in October. Meanwhile, South Dakota’s governor won’t rule out expanding Medicaid in the future and Ohio lawmakers are poised to give themselves greater oversight of the program after the governor bypassed them to expand it.
State Highlights: Caremark To Pay MassHealth $2.6M After Not Reimbursing Claims
A selection of health policy stories from Massachusetts, Oregon, Kansas and North Carolina.
First Edition: December 4, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the White House’s push to defend the health law and advance positive messages about its benefits.
