Latest KFF Health News Stories
Upcoming House Votes Part Of GOP Assault On Health Law
Emboldened by the Obama administration’s delay by one year of the employer mandate provision of the health law, House Speaker John Boehner is scheduling two votes next week to delay all or part of the entire law.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Health Law’s Employer Mandate
A panel of the 4th Circuit threw out a lawsuit from Liberty University that challenged both the law’s requirement of large employers to provide insurance for workers and the administration’s contraception coverage requirement.
Rollout Resembles Some Of The Problems Of Medicare Part D
NPR examines how the implementation of that last big government health program might offer lessons for the health law. Also, two stories explore outreach to people needing insurance, and the grocery chain Wegmans reportedly is cutting health benefits to part-time workers.
‘Defanged’ HIV Used To Deliver Gene Therapy
Researchers are having success using a vector that is derived from HIV to deliver gene therapy to children suffering from genetic diseases, a development that could improve other such care.
Gay Men Plan Blood Donation Protest
Gay men plan to try to donate blood Friday in protest to a 1977 policy that bans them from doing so. In the meantime, gay health care issues are considered in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking part of the Defense of Marriage Act.
State Highlights: Calif. Insurers, Lawmakers Fight Over Premium Disclosure
A selection of health policy stories from California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Wisconsin and Oregon.
Viewpoints: GOP Should Focus On Fixing Health Law; Bishops Refuse To Accept Victory
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Texas Abortion Vote Near; N.C. House Passes Restrictions
The contentious abortion issue gets continued attention from state legislatures and courts.
Mass. Employer Health Insurance Mandate Repeal Moves Forward
Gov. Deval Patrick has agreed to end a state mandate that employers provide health insurance to their employees, included in Massachusetts’ 2006 health care overhaul, because a federal law — which is now delayed a year — was set to impose a similar mandate on employers. The repeal is included in the 2014 budget.
WellPoint Agrees To $1.7M Fine After Patient Data Exposure
HHS announced that the insurance company has agreed to the penalty after personal data for more than 600,000 people enrolled in plans was found accessible over the Internet.
Health IT Systems Being Used To Track Doctors, Too
Some physicians feel second-guessed by systems that track how they handle their patients. Also, in other coverage about health care delivery, the Fiscal Times examines the growth of minute clinics.
Research Roundup: PSA Testing Recommendations Often Ignored; Medicaid Expansion’s Impact
This week’s studies come from Health Affairs, The Kaiser Family Foundation, the Annals of Family Medicine, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and news outlets.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including articles on data tracking of doctors and comparing the rollout of the Medicare Part D drug plans to implementation of the federal health law.
Weekend Reading: Doctors Who Decide, Death Desires, and Decisions
Every week reporter Ankita Rao selects interesting reading from around the Web.
Viewpoints: ‘Implosion’ Of The ACA; Administration ‘Spin Machine’
A variety of opinions, editorials and analyses from around the country.
CMS To Settle Payment Fight Over Gamma Knife
The rule would end a provision — inserted into the fiscal cliff agreement — that would have helped a U.S. company by slashing payments to the Swedish maker of a similar device.
Maryland’s Action May Offer Middle Ground In Abortion Clinic Debate
After a woman was hurt during an abortion, the state tightened its oversight. Americans continue to hold complex views on the subject, even as lawmakers on Capitol Hill gear up for a possible Senate fight on a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Community Health Centers Get $150 Million For Health Law Enrollment
Also, Walgreen and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association announces a combined effort to help get information to consumers about getting insurance through the federal health law.
State Highlights: N.Y. Expects $20M Savings With Psychiatric Care Overhaul
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Michigan and California.
Longer Life For Americans, But Obesity Problem Persists
Americans are living longer than they did 20 years ago, but they still lag other countries on life expectancy and the obesity rate, a new study has found.
