Latest KFF Health News Stories
New Yorker Article Sparks Strong Reaction
Surgeon and author Atul Gawande’s recent article in The New Yorker is generating intense discussion about the cost of medicine and exerting a powerful influence over the health reform debate.
HELP Committee Postpones Day Of Reckoning
Senate Democrats release health care bill leaving out–for the moment–two of the most contentious items, while promising more talks with Republicans. Meanwhile, in the House, chairmen of three committees brief fellow Democrats on the contours of their bill.
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey Discusses The Latest Developments In Senate, House Reform Bills
Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today released their health care reform bill called “Affordable Health Choices Act.” Kaiser Health News Senior Correspondent Mary Agnes Carey discusses the bill.
A new memo from Democratic pollster Celinda Lake is the latest to give advice for partisans on shaping the health reform legislation messages to the public.
DeParle, Sebelius: Time To Tackle Health Care Disparities
Officials said Tuesday that the time is now to tackle ethnic, economic and gender disparities in health care as they ready a major overhaul of the nation’s health care system.
Baucus: Comp Effectiveness Will Be In Health Reform Bill
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus says the bill soon to come out of his committee will include comparative effectiveness requirements.
Lawmakers Pick Up Pace on Health Legislation
House and Senate Democrats are gearing up for what could be a crucial, month-long drive to craft health care legislation before the July 4 recess.
The Risks And Rewards Of Taxing Health Benefits
Taxing employee health benefits might fund a health care overhaul, but could sink its political chances.
How Congress Might Tax Your Health Benefits
Lawmakers are considering varied approaches to taxing employer-provided health insurance as a means of paying for an overhaul of the health system, Kaiser Health News reports. Proposals include taxing benefits above a certain premium amount, taxing the benefits only of high-income earners, or combining both approaches.
‘Draft Of A Draft’ Of Kennedy Bill Surfaces
A partial draft of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s HELP committee health reform legislation is circulating in Washington.
How The Opposition Might Emerge In Health Care Debate
It’s almost crunch time: Influential senators involved in drafting health care legislation say they will begin unveiling bills within days. That means the real debate is about to begin. The big question: Where will the opposition come from and how intense will it be? We consulted policy and political experts to find out what they think will happen next.
GOP: Public Plan Option Big Obstacle To Health Reform
Democrats and Republicans moved further apart this afternoon over the possibility of including a public plan in any health care reform legislation.
Insurers Apply Different Methods In Making Coverage Decisions
Public and private insurance plans say they evaluate medical services for coverage by looking at published scientific research, rating the evidence and making comparisons based on effectiveness and safety. But their approaches vary widely in terms of transparency, comprehensiveness in reviewing evidence, openness to outside suggestions and explicit consideration of cost.
Washington State Takes a Hard Look at New Treatments and Tests
A Washington state program decides whether to cover new treatments and tests by comparing them with the standard alternatives. If there’s no real difference, a panel of medical professionals can pick the least expensive. Decisions are binding for employees insured by the state, workers’ compensation claimants and patients in Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor.
Letter From Obama to Sens. Kennedy and Baucus
President Obama sent this letter to Senators Edward Kennedy and Max Baucus regarding health reform.
Sen. Max Baucus told single-payer advocates Wednesday that he regrets not allowing more discussion of the single-payer plan in attempts at health care reform, but that it’s too far along in the process to consider it now.
A Consumer’s Guide to Health Care Reform
How Congress decides several important issues could affect how millions of Americans get and pay for insurance and medical care.
Daschle Gives Health Reform 50-50 Chance Of Passing
The man originally designated to run President Obama’s health reform effort debated President Bush’s HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt about possible overhaul legislation.
Transcript of President Obama’s Remarks On Health Reform
President Barack Obama urges reform of the U.S. health care system in a meeting at the White House with Senate Democrats.
Some Doctors Cut Deals With Struggling Patients
Doctors across the country are reducing their charges and offering payment plans to patients who have lost health insurance or income. This helps people stay well, but it also helps doctors maintain their practices at a time when many financially struggling Americans are deferring care. Patients who don’t pay their bills still run the risk of hearing from bill collectors.
