Latest KFF Health News Stories
Obama Seeks To Rally Health Law Support With Appearances This Week
President Barack Obama will push the benefits of the health law at appearances this week to rally support to help the fledgling law.
Figuring Out Health Law Winners And Losers Involves Trade-Offs; Triggers Anxiety, Confusion
News outlets examine a range of policy issues related to the health law and its implementation.
Federal officials last week OK’d allowing pharmaceutical companies to help cover patient out-of-pocket costs for costly drugs in the health law’s insurance exchanges, a closely watched move by drug companies and patient advocates.
Consumers Losing Their Health Policies Could Become Potent Political Force
Several news stories examine how this group is adept at generating attention, especially among its elected representatives.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
State Hightlights: GOP Tries Abortion Issue To Lure Hispanic Vote
A selection of health policy stories from Texas, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California and West Virginia.
First Edition: November 4, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest on the efforts to address the problems with healthcare.gov, as well as the continuing controversy surrounding President Barack Obama’s promise that Americans could keep their health coverage if they liked it juxtaposed with the news of recent policy cancellations.
Romney Says Obama’s ‘Fundamental Dishonesty’ Is Undermining Second Term
Former GOP presidential candidate says Obama did not learn the lessons of the Massachusetts’ health overhaul.
Appeals Court Rules Against Health Law’s Contraception Rule
The decision was in a case of Catholic employers who oppose the requirement that most insurance policies include free coverage for women’s birth control.
Insurers Seek To Explain The Factors Behind Wave Of Health Plan Cancellations
The top trade group for health insurers, among others, is attempting to explain the “why” behind these recent developments.
A Central Health Law Question: Who Is Getting Covered? Who Is Getting Canceled?
The Associated Press reports that some of the newly insured will now become the faces of healthcare.gov, while The New York Times tells three stories about people who won’t be able to keep their coverage.
Lawmakers Don’t Have To Say Which Staffers Have To Use Health Exchange
Members of Congress can choose who — if any — among their staffs go on the health law’s insurance exchange.Sen. David Vitter, R-La., objects to the fact that they don’t have to announce those decisions.
Ads Seek To Refocus Obamacare Debate; Dems Point To GOP’s ‘Sabotage’ Campaign
Health law opponents are using President Barack Obama’s promise that Americans could keep their health plan if they like it against him in a series of new ads. Meanwhile, Politico examines the effect of the long-running Republican effort to derail the law.
A selection of health policy stories from California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
Health Law Policy Issues: Abortion And Maternity Coverage Raising GOP Concerns
News organizations look at a variety of policy issues that affect the health law.
New IRS Rule Gives Consumers A Break On FSA Accounts
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service will allow Flexible Spending Account holders to carry over as much as $500 from one year to the next without a penalty.
Details Emerge About Key Fixers In ‘Tech Surge’ To Address Website Issues
News outlets report that the administration’s so-called “tech surge” has been somewhat mysterious, but it’s becoming clear that the administration has enlisted engineers from a number of major companies.
As Healthcare.gov Falters, Navigators And Marketing Efforts Forced To The Sidelines
Navigators, who had planned to be working hard on online enrollments by now, are forced to try paper insurance applications or trying to answer consumers’ questions about why they can’t enroll. At the same time, a marketing blitz planned by health law advocates is on hold.
Some States See Enrollment Success Even As Others, Federal Insurance Exchange Struggle
Even as the federal and some state-based insurance marketplaces falter, enrollment numbers in some state-based exchanges are exceeding expectations — including nearly 49,000 in Washington state alone. But some places, like Oregon, are dealing with technical problems that are forcing officials there to hand-process applications.
Democrats Feeling Health Law Anxiety Over Troubled Start
Democrats are worried the health law’s problems could hurt them politically as Senate Democrats push Obama administration officials to ease their anxiety and fix implementation of the law.
