Latest KFF Health News Stories
Study: Seniors Look For Star Ratings On Medicare Advantage Plans
America’s seniors are benefiting from a star rating system that ranks the quality of Medicare Advantage plans, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Authors affiliated with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conducted a study of almost 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries. They found a positive relationship — […]
Utah, HHS Quibble Over Best Way To Run State Insurance Market
The Obama administration says it is bending over backwards to help states carry out the federal health law. Utah’s top health insurance exchange official says the federal government could do more. “There’s hasn’t been much dialogue,” said Patty Conner, director of the Utah Health Exchange, which recently rebranded itself Avenue H. She hopes federal health officials […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 15, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest on how Medicare and other entitlement programs fit into the looming battle over raising the federal debt limit. The Wall Street Journal: Obama Escalates Debt Fight Mr. Obama said he was willing to work with the GOP on an agreement to cut spending—including […]
Not Too Early To Plan For Health Taxes, H&R Block Says
Even if you owe Affordable Care Act taxes, you probably won’t have to start paying them until next year. But H&R Block wants you to come in and talk about them now. “The Affordable Care Act means big changes this year when you file your taxes,” a chipper Block employee says in a new television ad. She says the company offers a free […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 14, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the health care marketplace and about the issues being raised by this year’s intense flu epidemic. The Wall Street Journal: Public-Private Fund Aims At Health Care, Housing Gap Hoping to bridge the gap between low-income residents and health-care services, a $100 million fund […]
Is California Headed For State Vs. Counties Health Budget Battle?
SAN FRANCISCO – After four years of massive budget cuts to California’s public health insurance programs – and the voters’ approval of a tax increase – Gov. Jerry Brown is laying down his scalpel. Brown presented his proposed budget for the coming year on Thursday, including an additional $350 million in funding for the state’s […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 11, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on developments in the health care marketplace as well as state health policy and budget news Politico: Insurers’ 2014 Hikes Already Taking Toll If you work for a small business, your next health insurance premium may give you sticker shock. Many of the small-business […]
Commonwealth Fund Panel Proposes Options To Slow Health Care Spending
A group of health policy professionals Thursday called on federal, state and local governments to help slow the relentless growth of health care spending by setting firm limits on those expenditures. The group, assembled by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research group, urged each level of government to agree to hold the increases in health […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 10, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Jack Lew, who is President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Treasury Department and has a record of protecting Medicaid and the safety net. The Wall Street Journal: Obama Aide Is Treasury Pick In 2011, as political leaders were designing the spending reductions […]
Governors’ Group Highlights Health Care In 2013 Outlook
As governors gear up to deliver their state-of-the-state addresses later this month, the Democratic and Republican leaders of the National Governors Association spoke Wednesday about the broader policy challenges facing all states in 2013 — and sure enough, health care was among the major issues both mentioned. The “State of the States” addresses by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 9, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a number of health policy developments on the state level. Politico: Berwick Eyeing Run For Massachusetts Governor Former Obama administration Medicare chief Don Berwick — vilified by Senate Republicans who made his confirmation impossible — is considering a run for Massachusetts governor in 2014, he […]
A Regional Analysis Of Which Hospitals Got Rewards, Penalties Based On Quality
In Medicare’s new program that ties about $1 billion in payments to quality of care, hospitals in Fort Wayne, Ind., are faring the best on average while hospitals in Washington, D.C., are doing the worst, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of the country’s 212 major health care markets. All seven hospitals in the nation’s […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 8, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of a government report concluding that U.S. health-care spending grew at a record low pace for a third consecutive year. The New York Times: Growth Of Health Spending Stays Low National health spending climbed to $2.7 trillion in 2011, or an average of $8,700 […]
Connecticut, The Insurance Capital, Moves Ahead With Exchange Plans
Five health plans — including all the major insurers in the state’s individual and small group markets — have told Connecticut’s health insurance exchange that they plan to offer policies in the state’s new online marketplace this fall. Exchange officials said Monday that Aetna, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare and a new nonprofit co-op owned by the Connecticut […]
Under Tight Budgets, Public Health Spending Falls For First Time
Policymakers took heart from another year of relatively slow health-spending growth in 2011, documented by government statisticians and disclosed in a report Monday. But one aspect of moderating health expenditures — and the only category showing outright decline — could cost more than it saves. Hit by recession and tight budgets, spending on public health by federal, state and local governments […]
Study: Doctors Give In To Patient Demands For Brand-Name Drugs
Doctors are more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs over lower-cost generics when patients request them and when physicians have contacts with drugmakers, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine Monday shows. The researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston analyzed data from a survey of 1,891 doctors in 2009 and found that 37 percent of […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 7, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about entitlement spending in the context of the debt debate, as well as reports regarding the health insurance industry. The Associated Press/Washington Post: White House, GOP Draw Red Lines In Debate On US Debt Limit, Vow Not To Budge Republicans say they are willing […]
Today’s Headlines – January 4, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the Department of Health and Human Services gave seven more states the thumbs up to run their own health exchanges. NPR: Bargain Over Fiscal Cliff Brings Changes To Health Care The bill that prevented the nation from plunging over the fiscal cliff did […]
Colorado Will Expand Medicaid, Governor Announces
Gov. John Hickenlooper said Colorado will expand its Medicaid program as much as the federal health care law calls for, and he said the state won’t have to spend any extra money to make it happen. The federal health overhaul law requires states to significantly expand the health care program for the poor, but when […]
Today’s Exchange Surprise: Republican-Led Utah Gets Thumbs Up From HHS
The Obama administration’s announcement Thursday that it has given Utah a conditional okay to run its own state health insurance marketplace came as a surprise to many exchange watchers. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, had resisted making major changes to the state’s existing market, which was built before passage of the health care law […]
