Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health Law Coverage Sign-Ups Hit 7.5 Million, Administration Reports
The number rose 400,000 since last week because of updated figures from states and an extension that allowed some to enroll until April 15.
Florida Sees Medicaid Enrollment Rise Even Though It Didn’t Expand The Program
While the state’s Republican legislators have opposed the federal effort to expand the program for low-income people, many Florida residents are learning — to their surprise — that they already qualified for Medicaid, the Associated Press reports. In other Medicaid news, Ohio reports more than 100,000 new enrollees and Maine’s governor vetoes legislation to expand the program.
Exchange Fixes Readied In Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota
Officials with Oregon’s exchange say they will choose between repairing the existing system or going to the federal exchange by month’s end. In Massachusetts, an executive appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick to fix the problems says she will make recommendations by next month and in Minnesota, Deloitte Consulting has a pending deal to fix that state’s exchange.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
House Passes Budget With Big Medicare, Medicaid Changes
The plan would reduce spending by $5.1 trillion over 10 years and includes an overhaul of both Medicare and Medicaid as well as cuts to other government programs. It would also repeal the health law but stands little chance of passing in the Senate.
A selection of health policy stories from Texas, Louisiana, California, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, Georgia, Iowa and New York.
This week’s health policy studies come from Health Affairs, Annals of Family Medicine, JAMA Surgery, the Urban Institute, The Kaiser Family Foundation, the American Journal of Medicine, Rand Corp. and the University of Minnesota.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as well as coverage of her likely successor, Sylvia Mathews Burwell.
As Sebelius Plans Departure, Challenges Remain For Successor
Sources said that Kathleen Sebelius decided to resign and was not “forced out.”
Details — And Limits — Of Medicare Billing Data Emerge
News outlets begin to analyze the wealth of information now available as a result of Wednesday’s release by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services of a trove of payment records. They also note the limits.
Analysis Of Medicare Pay Shows Variations In Drugs Used And Earnings By Specialists
The Washington Post examines how drugs administered by doctors is different in various regions of the country. Other outlets look at other issues, including how eye doctors are among the highest paid specialty.
White House Admits ‘Worrying About The Wrong Thing’
Top officials say they focused too much on whether enough insurance companies would participate and not enough on the smooth rollout of the exchange website, The New York Times reports.
Taking A Close-To-Home Look At The Medicare Billing Data
Other news outlets offer localized takes on the Medicare data, including the Miami Herald’s coverage of a physician who emerged as the federal program’s top-paid doctor, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s look at an ambulance business’ billing patterns and the Seattle Times’ examination of ophthalmologists.
The bill, which was surprisingly defeated, would have exempted expatriates’ insurance plans from the health law.
N.H. Senate Hopeful Makes Anti-Health Law Motto Cornerstone Of Campaign
The former Massachusetts senator, running now for Senate in New Hampshire, says the health law forces people to “live free or log on,” a variation of New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die” motto.
Oregon, Minnesota Exchanges Weigh Next Steps
Officials overseeing the troubled exchanges examine what went wrong this year and debate how to proceed. Meanwhile, a small business exchange in Georgia gets few enrollees and The Denver Post reports that more residents signed up for Medicaid than for private insurance.
Viewpoints: Medicare’s ‘Doctor Payment Problem’; A ‘Wasted Advantage’; ‘Puzzling’ Rand Numbers
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
A selection of health policy stories from Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Florida, Iowa and Oregon.
Longer Looks: Vermont’s Single Payer System; Nevada’s Cancer Cluster
This week’s articles come from Vox, The Atlantic, Health Affairs, The Houston Chronicle, The Boston Globe and WBUR.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a range of stories taking additional looks at the Medicare physician payment data released yesterday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
