Latest KFF Health News Stories
10 GOP Senators Want Sebelius To Be Fired; Some Dems Press For Individual Mandate Delay
Health law politics are triggering a new wave of political posturing among lawmakers who are attempting to position themselves for the upcoming election season.
People With Canceled Policies Could Dampen Financial Risks Of Exchanges
People who had their insurance policies canceled could improve the financial risks for the health law’s online marketplace risk pool, a fact often ignored by those hammering the law. In the meantime, the uninsured and young aren’t flocking to the marketplaces yet, and a health policy expert says one fix could help improve marketplace enrollment.
Long-Awaited Rules Requiring Parity In Mental Health Coverage To Be Unveiled Today
The New York Times reports on the release of the mental health parity regulations.
Officials Acknowledge New Capacity Problems With Healthcare.gov
New Healthcare.gov capacity problems are emerging — this time as people trying to sign up for coverage get further along in the process, officials said in a conference call Thursday.
Small Businesses, Too, Are Getting Insurance Cancellation Notices
Some small businesses are getting notice of insurance policy cancellations, just like their individual coverage counterparts. Other small business owners continue to wait to learn what options will be available to them through the law’s online marketplaces.
Administration Pushes GOP-Controlled States To Accept Medicaid Dollars
The White House is pushing Florida and Louisiana to accept the health law’s Medicaid expansion — and the federal dollars that come with it. In the meantime, lawmakers from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania look for ways their states can also expand the state-federal health care program.
USA Today Reports 140,000 People Have Enrolled In Plans On Marketplaces Run By 13 States
State officials say the numbers are low because of snags in the websites and because consumers aren’t yet worried about the sign-up deadline. Other news organizations examine some of the marketplace issues in states.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: Judge Greenlights Medicaid Contractor’s Lawsuit Against La.
A selection of health policy stories from Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and California.
Research Roundup: Pricing And The SHOP Exchange
This week’s studies come from Health Affairs, Pediatrics, the Journal of the American College of Radiology, The Kaiser Family Foundation, Topics in Antiviral Medicine, CDC, and news outlets.
First Edition: November 8, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of President Barack Obama’s apology to people who lost their individual market health coverage because of requirements of the health law.
Senate Dems Go To White House To Assess Health Law Political Fallout
The group of 16 met with President Barack Obama for about two hours, focusing on the floundering Healthcare.gov website and the possibility of backlash in next year’s elections. Some lawmakers also pressed the administration to extend the health law’s open enrollment period.
Sebelius Says Healthcare.gov Fixes Coming, Rejects Calls For Delay
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sought to reassure lawmakers in a Senate Finance Committee hearing Wednesday that fixes — hundreds of them — are being made to Healthcare.gov, but rejected calls to delay the law or shut the website down. She also said she expected enrollment from October to be “quite low.”
AMA Panel Involved In Physician Rate Setting Moves Toward More Transparency
The Washington Post reports on this development.
Some Union Health Plans Could Get Break From Health Law’s Reinsurance Fee
Language included in a Health and Human Services regulation released last week indicated that some self-insured, self-administered plans would not have to pay this fee in 2015 or 2016. It is not entirely clear, however, which plans would qualify for this exemption.
For Some Republicans, Support For Medicaid Expansion Draws New Adversaries
The Los Angeles Times examines the political backlash in Ohio to GOP lawmakers who supported the Medicaid expansion. Meanwhile, CQ HealthBeat reports on efforts to phase-in the electronic data system that will send states information about people who appear to be eligible for Medicaid who have tried to sign up for coverage through healthcare.gov.
For Health Exchange Navigators, Enrollment Frustrations Continue
Workers helping people enroll in policies through the health law’s new online insurance marketplaces are still finding website problems and it’s causing concerns.
New Coverage Gaps, Cost Issues Spur Health Law Worries
News outlets look at the nuts and bolts of the health law’s implementation, including a worry that coverage gaps will persist for some vulnerable people, as well as how the government pays for insurance subsidies and why some premium costs increase under the health law.
Who Gets What Under Obamacare, And Who Is Left Out
News stories look at who wins and who loses under the health law. Elsewhere, Obamacare message sparring gets personal.
Reports Of Insurance Policy Cancellations Spread
News organizations in California, Georgia, Colorado and Virginia examine the issue.
