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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Federal Watchdog Urges Crackdown on Medicare Advantage Home Visits

KFF Health News Original

Medicare officials are pushing back against a federal watchdog’s call to crack down on home visits by Medicare Advantage health plans — a practice the watchdog says may waste billions of tax dollars every year. In late October, a Health and Human Services inspector general audit found that the insurers pocketed $7.5 billion in 2023 from diagnosing health conditions that […]

Georgians With Disabilities Are Still Being Institutionalized, Despite Federal Oversight

KFF Health News Original

For nearly 15 years, the feds have had oversight of Georgia’s treatment of people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Observers say the state still jeopardizes some of its most marginalized residents by not meeting the terms of its settlement with the Justice Department.

TV’s Dr. Oz Invested in Businesses Regulated by Agency Trump Wants Him To Lead

KFF Health News Original

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz recently held broad investments in health care, tech, and food companies. Were he confirmed to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, his job would involve interacting with giants of the industry that have contributed to his wealth.

Florida Gov. DeSantis’ Canadian Drug Import Plan Goes Nowhere After FDA Approval

KFF Health News Original

Florida sued the FDA over what it said was a “reckless delay” in approving its drug importation plan. Now, nearly a year after the FDA gave the state the green light, the program has yet to begin.

Washington Power Has Shifted. Here’s How the ACA May Shift, Too.

KFF Health News Original

With a new Trump administration poised to move into the White House and Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress, party leaders are making a to-do list for the Affordable Care Act.

California Sets 15% Target for Primary Care Spending Over Next Decade

KFF Health News Original

The state Office of Health Care Affordability has set a goal for insurers to direct 15% of their spending to primary care by 2034, part of a push to expand preventive care services. Health plans say it’s unclear how the policy will mesh with the state’s overarching goal to slow spending growth.

El poder en Washington ha cambiado. ACA podría cambiar también

KFF Health News Original

El futuro gobernante prepara el terreno para hacer cambios potencialmente sísmicos que podrían limitar la expansión de Medicaid, aumentar la tasa de personas sin seguro, debilitar las protecciones para los pacientes y elevar los costos de las primas para millones de personas.

Nearly All Vermonters Have Health Insurance, but Care Is Tough To Find

KFF Health News Original

Almost all people have health insurance in Vermont, a state famed for its maple syrup and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, yet residents pay the nation’s highest insurance premiums for individual coverage and endure months-long waits for care — and most hospitals here are losing money, according to state reports and interviews with residents and […]

Ex-Eye Bank Workers Say Pressure, Lax Oversight Led to Errors

KFF Health News Original

Corneas, the windshields of the eye, are the most transplanted part of the human body. But four former employees at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank told of numerous retrieval problems, including damage to eyes and removal from the wrong body.

FTC, Indiana Residents Pressure State To Block Hospital Merger

KFF Health News Original

Hundreds of people and the Federal Trade Commission weighed in on a proposed hospital merger in Terre Haute, Indiana, with most arguing that the creation of a monopoly would increase costs and worsen patient care.

Nationwide IV Fluid Shortage Could Change How Hospitals Manage Patient Hydration

KFF Health News Original

Many U.S. hospitals are conserving critical intravenous fluid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say the shortage accelerated their plans to change IV fluid hydration protocols altogether.

Does Fluoride Cause Cancer, IQ Loss, and More? Fact-Checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Claims

KFF Health News Original

Research has generally shown that drinking fluoridated water at the recommended levels is safe and beneficial for oral health, especially in children. But many people feel that more research is needed to better understand whether and when health risks kick in.