Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of health policy stories from Florida, Illinois, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Washington.
Cruz And His Crusade To Derail The Health Law
According to press reports, just as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was stirring up interest among the tea party and other grass roots conservatives, his anti-health law strategy was also causing differences among his GOP colleagues.
Longer Looks: Dangers Of Too Much Tylenol; Death Dinners
This week’s articles come from ProPublica, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg and The New York Times.
Low Health Insurance Premiums May Come With High Deductibles
News accounts look at the price data for the new insurance marketplaces released by the administration Wednesday and note that consumers need to consider costs beyond the premiums. That’s because some lower-cost policies may have stiffer copayments and deductibles layered on top of their monthly costs.
Obama Campaigns For Health Law In Advance Of Oct. 1 Launch
President Barack Obama is slated to speak about the health law again today, this time at a Maryland community college, in an effort to “cut through all the noise.” Meanwhile, the White House stressed that next week’s launch of new online insurance exchanges will include glitches – but that the exchanges will open whether the federal government is shut down or not.
First Edition: September 26, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details regarding the ongoing congressional battle over the future of the health law in the context of avoiding a government shutdown, as well as the developments on the ground as the Oct. 1 launch of the health law’s insurance marketplace nears.
‘Average’ Exchange Premiums Come In Lower Than Projected
The Obama administration said Wednesday that average premiums in the health law’s online insurance marketplaces will be lower than projected by the Congressional Budget Office – 16 percent lower nationwide. But the rates will vary widely depending on where you live, from significantly higher than average in Wyoming and Alaska to lower than average in Tennessee and Texas.
Politics And Strategies Complicate GOP Efforts To Derail The Health Law
Democrats see the threat of shutting down the federal government over the health law as potentially bringing electoral gains in 2014. Meanwhile, House Republican leaders are mulling whether to attach new repeal amendments — including one that would delay the health law’s individual mandate — to the pending bill to fund the government.
Senator’s Marathon Stand Against Health Law May Do Little To Stop Senate Measure
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s winding, marathon speech on the Senate floor and aimed at bringing attention to efforts to block money for Obamacare’s implementation but may have little effect.
Businesses, Other Stakeholders Confront Health Law’s Nitty-Gritty Details
From renewing health policies early and pushing marketing efforts to creating new patient-care programs and seeking new workplace wellness rules, stakeholders are busying themselves wading through a deep pool of health law changes.
Federal Appeals Court Mulls Whether Businesses Can Be Exempt From Birth Control Mandate
The court is considering a case in which two brothers who own businesses in Ohio say the requirement to cover the cost of contraceptives to their employees would violate their Roman Catholic beliefs.
Popular Or Unpopular, Health Law Rollout Fires Up Backers, Detractors
The popularity, or unpopularity, of the health law in different parts of America remains a flashpoint issue in determining how the law rolls out, as lawmakers and health officials share their points of view with a skeptical public.
Lawmakers Weigh Deal Giving FDA Greater Clout After Meningitis Outbreak
House and Senate negotiators appear to be making progress towards stiffer regulations over the type of drugs that caused last year’s outbreak. In other Capitol Hill news, the GOP pushes to repeal a tax on medical devices, and rural health care providers ask for more time to meet electronic health record deadlines.
Fed, State Work On Medicaid Applications In The Marketplaces Face Delays
Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the panel tasked with deciding if the state will expand its program faces an Oct. 15 deadline to provide recommendations to the legislature.
State Highlights: N.M. Officials Seek Less Medicaid Money Next Year
A selection of health policy stories from Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Missouri and California.
Many aspects of the health law will be mostly untouched by the looming federal government shutdown. But some officials are concerned that it could jam up the exchanges’ data hub.
Some Consumers May Not Find Obamacare Premiums Affordable
Even as the Obama administration releases average premiums for insurance policies to be sold in each state exchange, some news outlets explore how affordable those options will be for certain groups of consumers.
Obama, Clinton Make Joint Pitch To Uninsured Americans
White House officials said the rare, hour-long appearance by the two presidents was an attempt to focus attention on next week’s opening of enrollment in health insurance exchanges, which are key to the health law’s expansion of coverage.
Outreach Efforts, Especially For Young Adults And Minorities, Take Center Stage
The Detroit Free Press looks at the challenges in getting the message about the new insurance programs out to the uninsured, while in Florida, some officials are defying the governor’s decision to curb federal outreach efforts.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health policy from around the country.
