Latest KFF Health News Stories
What Do Moms, Librarians And Local Officials Have In Common?
News outlets report on how a range of organizations and professions could play a role in advancing the Obama administration’s effort to get more people to enroll in the health insurance that will become available as a result of the health law.
NFL Says It Has No Plans To Help With Obamacare Promotion
After receiving letters from Republican senators urging it to stay out of a political fight, the National Football League said Friday that it will not work with administration officials on the effort. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius suggested earlier that the league was enthusiastic to help.
Budget Cuts Likely To Undermine Medicare Anti-Fraud Efforts
The Center For Public Integrity reports on this development
Several news outlets offer opinions on the Texas debate on abortion and other states’ efforts to tighten restrictions.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Contraceptive Exemption For Religious Groups Finalized
The rule, issued under the health care law, attempts to quell the controversy by balancing the interests of women with the concerns of the Roman Catholic Church and other employers with religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptives.
Hospitals, Doctors Consider Changes Amid Medicare Hospital Readmissions Scrutiny
Hospitals and doctors are feeling the health care law heat as officials try to reduce readmissions and increase quality of care in the Medicare program. PBS NewsHour looks at the law’s hospital readmissions penalties and Medpage Today explains what the hospitals are doing.
Health Law Has Businesses, Health Systems Weighing Tough Decisions
News outlets also attempt to “demystify” the health law and report on recent poll results.
Nearly Half Of States Opt Not To Expand Medicaid
With most state legislative sessions coming to a close, 23 states and the District of Columbia have agreed to expand the program, as laid out under the health law. Many of the others will leave billions of federal dollars on the table, while a handful are still undecided.
Lawmakers Gird For New Abortion Fight As Texas Special Session Convenes
Texas lawmakers resume debate on proposed abortion legislation as the state legislature opens a special session Monday. Republicans say they will quickly pass new abortion restrictions despite opponents’ efforts. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office projected that a House bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks would increase Medicaid costs by as much as $400 million.
State Highlights: Calif. Bill To Fine Firms With Workers On Medi-Cal Fails
A collection of health policy stories from California, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Georgia and Iowa.
Stakes Are High For Rollout Of Health Exchanges
An estimated 7 million people will shop for individual health coverage this fall in the new online health insurance marketplaces, with another 2 million seeking coverage through the law’s small business program. Federal and state officials are working full tilt to have them ready in time.
This week’s studies come from Health Affairs, the Urban Institute, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kaiser Family Foundation, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, The Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies and news outlets.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of the Obama administration’s final contraceptive coverage rule as well as a range of other stories on health law implementation issues.
GOP Senators Press Sebelius To Back Away From Helping Nonprofit
The group of 28 senators are also seeking more information about the health secretary’s efforts to help the nonprofit Enroll America to get more people signed up for coverage available through the health law. Meanwhile, the head of the House Republican Study Committee urged the NBA and the NFL not to promote the health care law.
Impact Of Health Law On Costs Reaches Beyond Premium Pricetags
Much of the debate about the overhaul’s costs has focused on “rate shock,” but other issues also are in play.
Feds Shut Down More Than 1,600 Fake Online Pharmacies
Authorities from the Food and Drug Administration closed these illegal pharmacy websites and sent letters to hundreds more that sell counterfeit prescription drugs and dangerous supplements.
CMS Proposes Medicare Payment Adjustment For Home Health Agencies
A proposed rule released Thursday would cause home health agencies to experience a 1.5 percent reduction in their Medicare payments for 2014, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates could reduce payments to these facilities by $290 million next year.
Panel Studying Long-Term Care Issues Holds First Meeting
The commission, established by Congress in January, faces some hurdles in getting a report done by September.
High Court Moves Tentatively Toward Hearing Case On Abortion-Inducing Drugs
The Supreme Court asked Oklahoma’s Supreme Court to clarify a law that state judges had struck down as an unwarranted curb on medical practice and the right to abortion.
