Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: November 30, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about the continuing partisan back and forth regarding “fiscal cliff” negotiations as well as reports on the health law’s implementation.
Medicare, Other Entitlement Programs Key To ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Deal
Politico reports that “inside the talks,” a framework for addressing the “fiscal cliff” is taking shape that includes both tax increases and entitlement cuts. Other news outlets note that publicly, President Barack Obama is playing down spending cuts, while GOP leaders demand entitlement reductions but without offering specifics.
Several Health Law Provisions Take Effect In New Year
While health exchanges and the Medicaid expansion grab most of the headlines, media outlets explore other, lesser-known provisions soon to take effect.
State Roundup: Conn. Health Care Programs Face $70M
A selection of health policy stories from Connecticut, Mississippi, Florida, Illinois, California, Minnesota and Kansas.
Hospital Developments: Calif. Hospital Chain Fined In Privacy Case
Details on how hospitals around the nation are making deals, and getting fined, graded or taxed in this roundup.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Project Shows Simple Steps Reduce Hospital Infections
Seven health care institutions participated in a quality-improvement project advanced by the Joint Commission and the American College of Surgeons to reduce colorectal surgical-site infection rates. During a two and a half year period, those facilities saved more than $3.7 million by avoiding 135 infections.
How Technology Is Introducing New Twists Into Health Privacy Protections
The Wall Street Journal examines how a new wave of technologies test the limits of privacy laws and the definition of medical records.
Sharp Criticism For Medicare’s Conversion To Electronic Medical Records
A federal report scheduled for release today details specific vulnerabilities of Medicare’s EMR system.
Survey: More Workers Gaining Coverage Through Employers’ Self-Insured Plans
Based on 2011 data, the share of workers in self-insured company health plans increased for the fourth straight year, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Uncertainty Reigns As Some States Mull Medicaid Expansion
With key details left to be sorted out, including estimates of coming tax revenue to cover the cost, states like Colorado, Missouri and South Carolina are confronting whether to expand Medicaid to millions — a vital part of the health law’s coverage expansion.
Republican Top Docs Take Helm Of House Energy And Commerce Oversight Panel
In other news from the Hill, lawmakers called for stepping up the fight against Medicare fraud during a Wednesday Capitol Hill hearing.
Longer Looks: Are ‘Pods’ The Solution To Our Long-Term Care Crisis?
This week’s articles come from The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.
Health Exchange News: Ariz. Looks To Feds, Conn. And Co. Move Ahead
Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer has decided Arizona will not implement a key part of the health law by setting up its own health insurance exchange and will instead join at least 16 other states in letting the federal government do it for them.
First Edition: November 29, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a report detailing why the idea of raising Medicare’s eligibility age always seem to crop up in policy discussions.
Party Lines On Entitlement Programs Play Role In ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Negotiations
Congressional leaders signal they are making progress in “fiscal cliff” talks. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., urged his party to back an immediate extension of Bush-era tax cuts for households earning less than $250,000 and focus on tax breaks for higher-income people later. Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill, said that Medicare and other federal health care programs should be part of long-term solutions, but not a short-term deal.
Many suits have been filed against the Obama administration’s policy to require most employers to cover contraception in health plans under the health law. At the same time, there are still many questions about the exchanges that are also part of the law.
States Confront Menu Of Medicaid Changes
A two-year payment hike for primary care doctors who treat Medicaid patients, called for by the health care law, might not happen without a struggle in Florida. Meanwhile, Kansas waits to hear back from the feds on its proposal to change Medicaid, and New Hampshire officials seek more money for their program.
Preventive Mammogram Recommendations Could Result In Missed Cancer, Study Says
A new study has found that U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations that women over 50 get mammograms only every two years — instead of every year — could result in missed breast cancer.
Cost Increases For Branded Drugs Outpace Inflation
Reuters reports that prices in the U.S. for popular branded drugs went up more six times the overall rate of inflation for consumer goods.
