Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the nation.
Research Roundup: Who Do Patients Seek For Primary Care?
This week’s studies come from the Archives of Internal Medicine, the Archives of General Psychiatry, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Kaiser Family Foundation and other news outlets.
State Highlights: Rate Regulation On Calif.’s Ballot; Ga. Workers Face Premium Hike
A selection of health policy stories from California, Georgia, Kansas, South Carolina, Minnesota, North Carolina and Massachusetts.
HHS Awards New Insurance Exchange Grants To 8 States
The funding will be used to help build marketplaces for consumers to buy coverage.
Judge Questions ‘Ripeness’ Of Challenge To Contraception Coverage Mandate
Meanwhile, two more Christian universities have brought lawsuits against this Obama administration policy.
Calif. Insurer Agrees To Pay Record Settlement Over Medicaid Payments
A health plan in California has agreed to pay a record $320 million settlement over allegations it was overpaid by the state’s Medicaid program. Also in the news, a California hospital chain will pay $16.5 million to settle with the California Medicaid program and Medicare after a patient “kickback” investigation.
First Edition: August 24, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports comparing presidential candidates’ Medicare plans and health reform views.
Campaigns Jockey For Upper Hand In Medicare Debate
Just as new polls find that voters in three key swing states are more likely to trust President Barack Obama than GOP presumptive nominee Mitt Romney on Medicare, the Romney campaign is struggling to quiet controversies related to this issue.
Abortion Issues Continue To Stir Political Pot
Although GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s campaign advisers say they don’t anticipate the need to adjust their strategy to respond to the latest fracas over reproductive rights, news outlets analyze the possible repercussions of the dust-up regarding Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin’s statements about “legitimate” rape and pregnancy.
Viewpoints: Cantaloupes And Food Safety; Diversity In Health Incentives
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Commentators welcome the addition of Medicare policy to the presidential campaign rhetoric.
Commentators from the left and right examine the controversy.
CMS Moves Forward With Initiative To Coordinate Medicare Primary Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Innovation Center will administer the program, which was created by the 2010 health law. Five hundred medical practices have been selected to participate.
Issa Questions IRS On Health Law Insurance Subsidies
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has raised questions about the implementation of a key part of the health law — the tax treatment of subsidies for low-income people to purchase health insurance.
CBO: Medicare Spending Growth Slower Than Expected
The Congressional Budget Office released new projections for the country’s economic outlook Wednesday, forecasting that despite slower-than-anticipated spending growth, Medicare will account for an even larger share of the economy in the next decade.
Senate, Congressional Races Focus On Medicare Positions, Health Law Votes
Medicare moves to the forefront of House races in Pennsylvania while Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, defends his policies — including his health law vote — against TV ads and record spending brought by outside groups.
Kansas Officials Promise Smooth Transition For Medicaid Overhaul
In the meantime, Medicaid program changes and reforms in Virginia and Texas also make news.
San Francisco To Require Employers Pay More For Employee Health Care
Elsewhere, three major insurers in Connecticut are asking for rate increases of 13-14 percent for small business coverage.
Planned Parenthood In Texas Braces For End To State Funding
Officials are moving quickly to end state funding for Planned Parenthood, which for now remains a part of the Texas’ Women’s Health Program despite a judge’s ruling that state funds can be stopped while a related lawsuit is pending.
State Roundup: $2.8M In Fraudulent Public Assistance Given In Mass.
A selection of health policy stories from Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland, New York and California.
