Latest KFF Health News Stories
Florida Eyeing Cuts To Medicaid
The response of Gov. Rick Scott’s administration to the soaring cost of Medicaid is drawing fire from hospitals, and HHS may refuse to approve the plan.
Why Observing Prostate Cancers Is Gaining Ground On Surgery
An expert panel suggests doctors shouldn’t call most low-risk prostate tumors cancer at all.
When ‘Critical Access’ Hospitals Are Not So Critical
A Medicare program intended to preserve “critical access” to rural hospitals may have grown beyond that goal, possibly keeping open hospitals that should close.
Health Law May Accelerate Growth In Urgent Care Centers
Crowded emergency rooms and a lack of primary care doctors have fueled recent expansions. But the drive to lower costs is also a factor and could bring more customers under the overhaul.
Medicare Offers Extra Enrollment Time For Seniors Who Call Today
Extra time is limited only to seniors who have had trouble signing up and contact one of several organizations that are working to help beneficiaries.
Clock Is Ticking for ‘Doc Fix,’ Medicare ‘Extenders’
In today’s Health on the Hill, Jackie Judd and KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey discuss the prospects for an agreement this month on Medicare reimbursement rates, and what happens if nothing is done before the end of the year.
Florida Grappling With Questions About Taxes For Indigent Care
A special panel appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott has been meeting to figure out a way to scale back what taxpayers at the local level contribute to hospital costs in some parts of the state.
Minnesota Health Exchange Demonstrations Online For Public Review
Until now, an insurance exchange in Minnesota, which will allow consumers to buy health insurance online and is part of the health overhaul, has been just an abstract idea. But now, prototypes for public review are now available online.
What Every Baby Boomer Should Know About Medicare
Among the most costly mistakes is missing the deadline for enrollment.
Calif. Hospital Report Cards Likely To Go Away
Most major hospitals in California give data voluntarily to independent analysts who publish consumer-friendly reports. But the California Hospital Association says it is withdrawing from the project.
Doing Things Right: Why Three Hospitals Didn’t Harm My Wife
A bike accident sent Michael Millenson’s wife to three hospitals. It led him to offer a unique perspective on the health care system.
Weighing Berwick’s Top Five Accomplishments At CMS
Dr. Donald Berwick’s 15-month tenure at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was marked by ambitious efforts to improve the nation’s health care system.
Enrollment Still Growing In Medicare Advantage Plans, GAO Says
Predictions of the demise of Medicare’s private insurance plans are premature, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.
Hospitals Gear Hiring To Health Law And Industry Changes
Defying the economy, hospitals are hiring, but many are looking more for administrative staff and clerks than care givers.
Study: Big Employers Could Dump Sickest Employees On To Exchanges
A loophole in the health law could allow employers to game the system by dumping their sicker employees onto health insurance exchanges.
Unconventional Clinic Providing Safety Net For Women
Marilyn Ringstaff’s clinic fills a void for low-income uninsured women in Rome, Georgia.
Colleges Face Challenges With Influx of Military Veterans
The demand for new services rises as veterans flock to schools around the country and need help for health, psychological and social issues that college officials generally haven’t dealt with.
Tavenner To Replace Berwick At CMS Helm
President Barack Obama chose Marilyn Tavenner, a nurse and former hospital executive, to run the agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid.
Where ‘Hospital Food’ Takes On A New Meaning
A Minneapolis clinic gives its patients what they need to stay healthy: screenings, immunizations, prescriptions. And, in an uncommon twist, food.
Officials Looking To Cut Federal Spending Eye Medigap Policies
They argue that if policies were less generous, seniors might reduce their trips to the doctor of find cheaper care, which would save the government money.
