Latest KFF Health News Stories
Romney Outlines How He Would ‘Replace Obamacare’
Mitt Romney, who is expected to be the Republican nominee for president, doesn’t usually talk about health care in his campaign stump speeches. Tuesday, at Con-Air Industries in Orlando, Florida, he blasted the 2010 federal health law and outlined what he would do if elected president.
State Medicaid Head: Uncertainty, Legislative Politics Have Slowed State Implementation
Andy Allison, Arkansas Medicaid director and president of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, is adamant that cash-strapped states won’t be able to do much to expand coverage to the uninsured if the Supreme Court strikes down the law.
Ex-Medicare Chief Vladeck: Deaths Will Increase If SCOTUS Strikes Health Law
Bruce Vladeck, who ran Medicare and Medicaid under President Clinton, forecasts “chaos” in the health care delivery system if the Supreme Court strikes down the health law.
Will The Cadillac Tax Extend To Individual Plans Or The Self-Employed?
Michelle Andrews answers a question from a reader about who will be affected by the health law’s Cadillac tax, a 40 percent excise tax on high-cost plans set to start in 2018.
Wallack On Vermont’s Goal: ‘Universal, Affordable Coverage’
Anya Rader Wallack, tapped to move Vermont toward a single payer system, is confident the state would enact its own individual mandate if the Supreme Court strikes down the federal mandate.
Ahead Of Elections, GOP Readies Vote On Repealing Parts Of Health Law
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about two measures from the health law that the House GOP will attempt to roll back in votes this week. Republicans want votes on repeal now, Carey says, to make an economic argument ahead of elections.
Kingsdale: ‘People Are Aware That There Are Huge Problems’
In the first installment of a KHN video series, Jon Kingsdale discusses the three strategies being taken by states in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling and the fall election.
Video: Ex-Medicare Administrator Says Premium Support “Is Going To Have To Happen”
In an interview with KHN’s Marilyn Werber Serafini, former CMS administrator Thomas Scully urges both parties to take a second look at the premium support model for overhauling Medicare.
Romney Clinches Nomination, Promises Health Law Rollback On ‘Day One’
Now the presumptive GOP nominee, the former Mass. governor warns in a Las Vegas speech that health law will “make it harder for small businesses to hire and grow.”
Can I Continue My Health Insurance After Quitting My Job?
Michelle Andrews answers a coverage question from a reader contemplating quitting his job to stay home with his wife who has breast cancer.
Can I Pay Negotiated Rates When I Pay Out Of Pocket?
A reader asks Michelle Andrews how to get the negotiated rates insurers pay even when paying for a medical procedure directly.
Former CMS Chiefs: Medicare SGR Problem Can Be Fixed
The Senate Finance Committee convened a group of former Medicare administrators Thursday — Gail Wilensky, Bruce Vladeck, Thomas Scully and Mark McClellan — to discuss how they viewed the current crisis on physician fees and the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, the “doc fix” problem.
Federal Budget: Health Care Politics Trump Policy
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Jackie Judd discuss the congressional wrangling over the federal budget and what’s ahead for the automatic cuts scheduled for January.
Obama On The Stump: Don’t Turn Back The Clock On Health Reform
In a pair of speeches on Saturday, President Obama fired up Democratic party faithful in Ohio and Virginia. He spoke about his plans for — and record on — Medicare, health insurance and birth control. And he vowed that the country “will not go back to the days when insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy.”
‘Virtual’ Consultations: A Physician’s View
Once a month, Dr. Ankush Bansal, an internist, travels to his home in Miami to see patients virtually via computer for three different health care companies. Bansal said he doesn’t think telemedicine will replace practicing traditional medicine.
Health On The Hill: Competing Prescriptions For Medicare’s Financial Health
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Marilyn Werber Serafini join Jackie Judd to preview this week’s House hearings on Medicare and to dig into the details of the Medicare trustees’ report.
In Victory Speech, Romney Goes After Health Law
As Mitt Romney celebrated his primary night wins in Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New York, he attacked the Affordable Care Act and the president.
Q&A: Can I Be Denied Coverage For My Daughter Who Is Returning To College?
The health law allows parents to enroll their adult children in their insurance plan until they are 26. A reader asks Michelle Andrews if that applies to individual plans.
Video: Georgia Clinic Seeks To Meet Health Needs Of Many
Providing adequate primary care at Oakhurst Medical Center, a community health center in Georgia, is often hampered by language and cultural barriers that separate immigrants seeking care at the center from the doctors who care for them.
Health On The Hill: Medicare’s Payment Change For Physicians
KHN’s Jordan Rau and Mary Agnes Carey discuss Medicare’s transition to compensating doctors based on the quality of the medical care they provide.
