Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Sebelius To Testify On Healthcare.gov Problems

Morning Briefing

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is expected to answer lawmakers’ questions about the troubled rollout of the health law’s exchange website as early as next week. Her staff had declined a request to have her testify Thursday citing scheduling conflicts.

First Edition: October 22, 2013

Morning Briefing

Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the Obama administration’s plans to address the problems with healthcare.gov.

‘Tech Surge’ Mounted To Fix Healthcare.gov

Morning Briefing

The Obama administration promised Sunday to enlist experts both inside and outside the government to solve the problems that have crippled healthcare.gov and caused consumers frustration as they attempt to shop for coverage. But some federal contractors worry the system may be weeks away from operating smoothly.

Health Exchanges By The (Application) Numbers

Morning Briefing

The Obama administration reports that about 476,000 applications have been filed through federal and state health insurance online marketplaces but has not released how many people have actually enrolled in coverage.

States Shaking Health Law Tree To Deal With What Falls Out

Morning Briefing

States are grappling with the realities of the health law: Illinois is using social media to field consumer worries over the rollout of the law even as the law brings more money — and more stress — to the state. In the meantime, the differences between exchange launches in Washington state and Oregon are examined.

Medicaid Expansion: Ohio Board To Decide On Governor’s Proposal Today

Morning Briefing

Republican Gov. John Kasich is seeking to expand Medicaid without the legislature’s approval, a move that could prompt a lawsuit. Elsewhere, the Obamacare’s Medicaid “gap” is examined and health policy experts say they expect more states will end up expanding the program.

GOP Sees New Political Battleground Because Of Bumpy Rollout

Morning Briefing

Though the health law came through the most recent budget battle unscathed, its opponents view the problems with the website as a potential opportunity — both in terms of the fight to derail the law and as an election issue for the upcoming campaign cycle.

GOP Leaders Want Answers To Questions About Website Difficulties

Morning Briefing

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is among the people some congressional Republicans want to testify about what some have termed the health exchanges’ “failure to launch.”

Dems, GOP Ready To Wage New Budget Fights, Even Inside Their Own Parties — And Medicare Is In The Mix

Morning Briefing

Democrats and Republicans aren’t just fighting each other, they’re also dealing with intra-party squabbles over the latest plan to come together to find an accord to fix the nation’s budget woes. The decisions are sure to involve Medicare as a 29-member panel has until Dec. 13 to reach an agreement to present.

Va. AG: Health Law Rollout A ‘National Embarrassment’

Morning Briefing

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is also a candidate for governor, blasted the rollout of the health law in the GOP’s weekly address this weekend. Cuccinelli callede the implementation of the law a “national embarrassment.”