Latest KFF Health News Stories
White House Conference Spotlights Mental Health Issues
The meeting covered a range of topics — from the need for more training for mental health providers regarding the mental health parity law to the need for people to be more open about mental illness.
AHA: Hospital Consolidation Trend A Positive Development
A study conducted by the American Hospital Association makes the case that the consolidation trend has potential to drive down costs.
HHS Unveils Medicare Claims Data Detailing Hospital Price Information For Outpatient Treatment
The average charges for 30 hospital outpatient procedures show big hospital-to-hospital variation in terms of how much the facilities bill patients for the same service.
Rubio Propses Constitutional Amendment To Invalidate The Individual Mandate
In other Capitol Hill action, the House approved a measure on Monday to set out how the government should track prescription drugs through the distribution chain.
End-Of-Life Care: A Challenge In Terms Of Costs And Quality
The Medicare NewsGroup takes a long look at the issues surrounding end-of-life care within the American health care system with a series of stories.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Conn. Budget Moves Medicaid Money, Cuts Some Hospital Funding
Connecticut lawmakers approved a budget Monday that moves about $6 billion in federal Medicaid dollars out of the budget. The budget also cuts some hospital funding.
State Highlights: Ore. Mental Health Could See Expansion
A selection of health policy stories from Oregon, California, New York, Virginia, Mississippi, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Massachusetts.
D.C. Officials, CareFirst Clash Over Insurance Offerings
The Washington Post reports that D.C. officials have criticized the insurer for cutting the number of small business plans it will offer in the city’s online insurance marketplace. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports the city council is considering a measure that would require all individual and small business plans to be sold through that marketplace by 2015.
Democratic Strategists Urge New Strategy: Embrace The Health Law
Politico reports on this trend.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a report about what the Democrats’ health law strategy might be as the 2014 mid-term elections approach.
Chances For Deficit Deal Diminish As Medicare’s Outlook Improves
Last week’s report on Medicare projected that the program’s hospital trust fund would be solvent until 2026 — two years longer than the last prediction. That slowing of health care costs, combined with shrinking near-term federal deficits and partisan gridlock are making a congressional deficit deal unlikely, at least until after the 2014 elections.
Lawsuits, Congressional Charges And Questions About Health Law Initiatives
News outlets explore a range of issues related to the health law’s implementation.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Private Companies Get Mixed Marks On Managed Medicaid
The Atlanta Journal Consitution reports on this development.
A Case Study In U.S. Health Care Costs
The New York Times offers this explainer.
Federal Judge Lifts Ban On Medicare Releasing Individual Doctor Data
A federal judge has lifted the ban on Medicare releasing data on individual doctors to the public. The end on the 33-year ban — after the publishers of The Wall Street Journal sued to end it — could mean closer scrutiny of doctor practices in the program.
MBA Program Offers Doctors Business Background Amid Health Law Changes
An Indiana business school is hoping to catch more doctors interested in learning something about business as the practice of medicine changes.
News outlets report on health exchange developments in California and Florida.
Medicaid Expansion Deepens GOP Intraparty Rifts
The different positions taken by various Republican governors on the health law’s Medicaid expansion underscore the political divisions in play.
