Latest KFF Health News Stories
Roundup: States Raise Employee Insurance Contributions To Save Money
A selection of health policy stories from Minnesota, Texas, California, Florida and Massachusetts.
Study: GOP Plan For Medicaid Block Grant Would Lead To $1.7 Trillion Spending Cut
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the GOP-backed House Budget Committee plan, which would also repeal the health law, could leave between 31 million and 38 million fewer people with Medicaid coverage. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.)
Meningitis Outbreak Spreads; Mass. Revokes Compounding Center’s License
Investigators found unsterilized and contaminated vials at the New England Compounding Center.
Swing State Highlights: Sprinting To The Finish Line In Ohio, Virginia And Missouri
KHN’s Sarah Barr samples campaign news coverage each week from swing states to see how health policy developments, and other political issues, are playing.
First Edition: October 24, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, incluidng reports about a variety of Medicaid-related issues, such as how a scheduled pay raise for physicians who participate in the program will not be easy to implement.
Romney’s Promise To Repeal ‘Obamacare’ Makes It Into Candidates’ Foreign Policy Debate
GOP challenger Mitt Romney said he would pay for military spending increases by repealing the 2010 health law and scaling back other health programs.
Wis. Senate Candidates Wrestle With Health Policy Issues
Medicare and the health law also are emerging as flashpoints in Pennsylvania’s Senate contest and various House races.
Developments Regarding Ways To Connect Elderly Or Disabled People With Care
Kaiser Health News reports on how one program helps people on Medicaid move out of institutional settings and return to the community while The New York Times reports on an agreement that might make it easier for people with chronic conditions and disabilities to qualify for Medicare coverage of home health care, skilled nursing home-stays and outpatient therapy.
‘Substantial’ Variation From State To State In Hospital Safety Records
A new report cites Arizona, California, Illinois and Ohio as having the safest hospitals in the U.S.
Stark Health Care Spending Differences Between U.S., Other Developed Countries
A new report says the U.S. spends more than $8,200 per person per year on health care, 2 1/2 times more than most developed nations. In the meantime, a survey finds corporate executives are generally more worried about health care costs for their companies than other issues.
Rep. Issa Subpoenas HHS Records On Medicare Advantage Program
Republicans have suggested that a demonstration project providing more funding to the program is helping to cover up the cuts from the health law. The administration provided 1,300 pages of documents to Issa last week.
State Roundup: Wis. Judge Keeps Law Barring Most Collective Bargaining On Shelf
A selection of health policy stories from Wisconsin, Mississippi, the District of Columbia, Nevada, New York, Florida and Oregon.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Meningitis Outbreak Linked To Compounding Has Long History
News outlets report that the FDA released a list of customers – including some major hospitals – of the New England Compounding Center. But the FDA later “found technical problems” and withdrew the list, promising to repost it as soon as the data are corrected.
First Edition: October 23, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports from the campaign trail as well as the latest news about current meningitis outbreak.
In Campaign’s Home Stretch, Presidential Candidates Launch Ads On Women’s Health Issues
President Barack Obama and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney continue to fight for women’s votes, which are considered key to winning the election. Medicare also figures prominently in strategies for the last two weeks of the campaign.
Democrats And Republicans See Medicare Issue Working To Their Advantage
Regardless of who emerges as the victor, the Medicare debate makes it likely that changes will be made to the program in the future, according to The Associated Press. Also, Kaiser Health News examines how Medicare policies are playing among Reagan Democrats.
Are Some Factors Related To Readmissions Beyond Hospitals’ Control?
Reuters reports on a “fresh look at past research” that finds several non-medical variables may be central to how some patients do once they are discharged from the hospital.
States Facing, Making Health Law Decisions That Could All Change Post-Election
While next month’s election will likely affect how states implement the health law’s insurance exchange and Medicaid expansion provisions, state legislators are facing — and making — decisions on them now.
Federal Judge Blocks Ariz. Law Stopping State Money For Planned Parenthood
A federal judge in Arizona has issued an injunction barring Arizona from enforcing a law that halts state money from flowing to Planned Parenthood, saying the women’s health provider’s challenge will likely succeed on a “freedom-of-choice” provision in Medicaid.
