Latest KFF Health News Stories
Sides Wage Fights Over New Or Proposed Abortion Laws In Wis., Mich.
Wisconsin Planned Parenthood is challenging a state law in court that could expose doctors who give medically induced abortions to criminal charges. In the meantime, Michigan bills limiting abortion move closer to becoming law.
State Leaders Brace To Make Mental Health Program Changes
Officials and lawmakers in Wisconsin and North Carolina struggle to reform their mental health programs over delivering care and budgeting.
Study Examines Medicare Out-Of-Pocket Expenses In The Last 5 Years Of Life
The study conducted by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine study found that these expenses averaged about $39,000 for individuals and $51,000 for couples, CNN reports.
Question For Physicians, Politicians: Is ‘Doc Fix’ Part Of Capitol Hill Negotiations?
Medical providers are hoping that part of the fiscal cliff negotiations includes adjusting the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula for Medicare.
States Face Friday Deadline On Health Exchanges
States must decide by Dec. 14 if they are going to operate their own health care marketplaces, or if they will defer to the federal government. They have until mid-February to decide whether to partner with the federal government or let the feds do it all. Meanwhile, polls in Missouri and Tennessee show public support for state-run marketplaces.
In Shadow Of The ‘Cliff,’ Other Capitol Hill Health Care Activity Goes On
On Capitol Hill, various members and committees are writing letters to the administration or proposing legislation.
GOP Govs Seek White House Meeting To Discuss Medicaid Expansion
The governors hope to discuss ways to make the health law’s Medicaid expansion — as well as the challenge of setting up health exchanges — more affordable.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: The Struggles To Reopen N.Y. Hospitals
This week’s articles come from the Los Angeles Times, The New York World, Modern Healthcare, The New York Times and The Atlantic.
First Edition: December 13, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including stories about how proposals to cut Medicare and other entitlement programs are playing with Democrats, and how a new poll shows overwhelming support from the public for a compromise deficit deal.
State Roundup: Health Centers Moving Into Contaminated Tracts
News outlets report on state health news in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
Feds Seek Dismissal Of Contraception Mandate Challenge Filed By Archdiocese Of Atlanta
In related coverage, religious colleges involved in a separate challenge to the birth control mandate will go to court this week to argue their standing to bring a lawsuit.
Analyzing The Medicaid Expansion Balance Sheet
As states contemplate the financial implications of pursuing the health law’s Medicaid expansion, the recent Health and Human Services decision to not fund partial expansions continues to draw reactions.
Family Health Insurance Costs Up 62 Percent Since 2003
The total cost of family health insurance, for both employers and employees, hit $15,000 last year, up 62 percent since 2003 — and worker wages rose only 11 percent in that time, a new Commonwealth Fund report says.
States Still Have Time To Build Exchanges, Some Experts Say
Politico Pro reports that some exchange experts aren’t buying the argument that states have too little time to set up insurance markets. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports on the fragmented regulatory landscape that insurers selling products in those new markets will face.
Texas Governor Calls For Late-Term Abortion Ban
Citing what he called fetal pain, former GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry urged state lawmakers to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. He said his ultimate goal was to eliminate abortions altogether.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Liberal Democrats Pledge To Protect Medicaid
Some Democrats argue that cuts to Medicaid, which provides health insurance coverage to low-income Americans, should not be part of the fiscal negotiations.
Fiscal Talks Continue With New Round Of Proposals, Finger-Pointing
With the deadline looming, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boener, R-Ohio, traded new fiscal offers but appeared no closer to a deal. Boehner is pushing for more specifics on how Obama would cut safety net programs, while the White House continues to press for tax increases for the wealthy.
First Edition: December 12, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that GOP lawmakers want to see details on the safety net cuts President Barack Obama would offer as part of the “fiscal cliff” talks while some liberal Democrats want to leave Medicaid out of it.
