Latest KFF Health News Stories
Romney And Ryan Camps Walk Back Candidates’ Statements On Health Law
On Sunday, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he would keep the popular provision in President Barack Obama’s health law that “makes sure those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage.” And on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulus, Paul Ryan appeared to back a lesser-known part of the law called […]
Pressure From Insurers, Government Cuts Radiology Use And Spending
Here’s another reason health care inflation is down: The slowing growth in MRI scans, CT sessions and other diagnostic imaging that began in the mid-2000s has continued, paired with sharply lower Medicare reimbursements. The end of the MRI boom may not rank with the poor economy, high-deductible health plans and expiring blockbuster drug patents as a factor in slowing cost trends — scans make up about 5 […]
Today’s headlines – Sept. 10, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports detailing how GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said, if elected, he would retain some parts of the 2010 health law. Los Angeles Times: What To Expect If President Obama Wins Second Term White House aides have indicated that Obama would try for a deal […]
What’s Your Guess On Newest Uninsured Numbers? Win A Prize (Well, Recognition)
After the monthly jobs report on Friday, the next big federal report with implications for the presidential race comes Wednesday morning when the Census Bureau releases its annual study on the number of people without health insurance. Last year, the Census reported that in 2010 the number of uninsured rose by 1 million to 49.9 million while the rate […]
Ways And Means Subcommittees Take Aim Again At Health Law Provisions
After bashing President Barack Obama’s health law as part of their Tampa convention festivities, House Republicans will focus on the measure once again when they return to Capitol Hill next week. Two Ways and Means subcommittees will hold hearings focused on the Internal Revenue Service’s role in implementing the law’s tax provisions and on the […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 7, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including examinations of health policy references in yesterday’s Democratic convention speeches. Los Angeles Times: Obama, Biden Make their Case For Four More Years Spilling well past the hour of prime-time coverage allotted by the major TV networks, Obama offered a long list of achievements including passage […]
Where In The World Is Jerry Brown?
California’s Jerry Brown, the governor of the most populous state in the union, a state that has aggressively pushed ahead with the Affordable Care Act even when it wasn’t the “in-thing,” is sitting out this year’s Democratic National Convention. Like millions of American kids who returned to school this week, Brown has too much work […]
IOM Report Focuses On $750 Billion In Inefficient Health Care Spending
“If home building were like health care,” says a new Institute of Medicine report, “carpenters, electricians, and plumbers each would work with different blueprints, with very little coordination.” With physicians, hospital administrators and insurance companies on often diverging building plans, the idea that the health care system could fall apart like a badly built house […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 6, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including health policy highlights from the Democratic National Convention as well as dispatches from the states. Los Angeles Times: Bill Clinton Fires Up Democratic Convention The former president assailed Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, for accusing Obama of cutting $716 […]
Study: Decision Aids Show Promise In Reducing Medical Procedures
While policymakers debate complex changes to reduce health spending, promoting patients’ involvement in treatment decisions could have an immediate effect. A new Health Affairs report about decision aids — materials given to patients to help educate them about treatment options — shows they can help hold down costs by reducing demand for medical procedures. “The […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 5, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on how health reform is playing a role in presidential politics, both during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., and in a new GOP campaign ad. Politico: Dems Wear ‘Obamacare’ Proudly Democrats gathered in Charlotte this week are fighting to reclaim the term […]
UnitedHealth Cases Show Big Cost Differences For Same Illness
We’ve seen this before: a study showing large spending disparities to treat similar ailments and little if any link between expenditure and effectiveness. What’s different about this analysis is the patients. Many reports on cost and quality disparity (the best known is the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care) are based on data from the government’s Medicare program for seniors. This […]
California Pilot Offers Caveats For Moving ‘Dual Eligibles’ To Managed Care
As federal officials evaluate state proposals to move millions of the nation’s poorest and sickest individuals into managed care plans, they might consider a recent report from the California HealthCare Foundation. The report analyzed California’s year-long transition of 240,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities from fee-for-service plans into managed care as part of a […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 4, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including previews of the Democratic convention and a New York Times analysis of how the Obama and Romney campaigns vary on Medicaid policy. The Wall Street Journal: Obama To Press Case For Four More Years A senior Obama campaign official said the president may offer one […]
Sherpaa Offers New Options For Employee Health Plans
In 2007, pediatrician Jay Parkinson, fresh from a Johns Hopkins residency program, rejected a traditional private practice model in developing his own approach to providing health care. To cut down on overhead costs and staff, Parkinson created a public Google calendar on his site for patients around Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, where he lives, to request […]
Tax Breaks For Organ Donors Aren’t Boosting Transplant Supply
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Seventeen states offer tax incentives to people who donate a kidney, a portion of their liver or bone marrow for transplantation. But a study finds these sweeteners aren’t working. Researchers looked at what happened in the years before and after these tax incentives were passed and found no increase […]
Today’s Headlines – August 31, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations examine Mitt Romney’s speech last night and the messages on health care at the Republican convention. Politico: In RNC speech, Mitt Romney Gives Passing Mentions To Health Care, Medicare Mitt Romney’s most significant political speech of the 2012 campaign made only a passing reference to two […]
Today’s Headlines – August 30, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on Rep. Paul Ryan’s speech to the GOP convention. The New York Times: Rousing G.O.P., Ryan Faults ‘Missing’ Leadership Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, whose budget plans have come to define conservative opposition to President Obama’s governing philosophy, accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination […]
Today’s Headlines – August 29, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news from the Republican convention in Tampa and previews of Rep. Paul Ryan’s speech coming tonight. The Wall Street Journal: Republicans Anoint Romney Where Mrs. Romney sought to round out her husband’s public image, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey suggested the policy direction Mr. […]
New Hospital Safety Effort To Link ICU Machines
Peter Pronovost’s reputation as a health care safety maven was built on his success in getting doctors and nurses to think more systematically about avoiding hospital infections from catheters by using checklists. Now Pronovost is trying to see if the machines in hospital intensive care units can be taught to communicate with each other to […]
