Latest KFF Health News Stories
L.A. County Health Department Allegedly Falsified Nursing Home Probe Records
Two staffers accuse the county of altering the dates when complaints were received amid rising concern over the pace of investigations.
An interview with Consumer Reports’ Nancy Metcalf, author of a new guide to end-of-life planning.
California Audit Finds Backlog Of 11,000 Nursing Home Investigations
California’s public health department has failed to adequately manage investigations of nursing homes statewide, resulting in a backlog of more than 11,000 complaints, according to an audit released Thursday.
Disabled Vt. Senior Wins Medicare Coverage After 2nd Lawsuit
On Wednesday, Medicare officials agreed to pay for Glenda Jimmo’s home health care, reversing an earlier denial that said she didn’t qualify for coverage because she was not improving.
Medicare Changes Could Limit Patient Access To ALS Communication Tools
Patient advocates say that, because of an official coverage reminder “the door is closing” for ALS patients who depend on Medicare to get speech-generation devices.
Disabled Vt. Senior Who Led Class Action Suit Sues Medicare — Again
The landmark settlement was supposed to be a victory for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions and disabilities who had been denied coverage for skilled care because they didn’t meet “the improvement standard” — meaning they were unlikely to improve. But when Glenda Jimmo was denied coverage this spring for that same reason, her lawyers filed a second lawsuit.
L.A. County Officials Allegedly Reduced Penalties In 3 Nursing Home Deaths
The cases appear to flesh out an auditor’s finding in August that citations recommended by inspectors were downgraded without explanation.
Turning 65? 9 Tips For Signing Up For Medicare
A consumer reporter shares what she learned when getting ready to join the federal health plan for seniors.
Calif. Governor Vetoes Bill To Protect Assets From Medi-Cal
This story is part of a partnership that includes Capital Public Radio, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Jerry Brown rejected an effort to protect the estates of Medicaid beneficiaries in California, the San Jose Mercury News reported Friday. The bill, which […]
How To Fix Medicare? Ask The Public
This KHN story can be republished for free. (details) Washington is full of ideas to overhaul Medicare. Some would increase the program’s eligibility age, others would charge higher-income beneficiaries more for their coverage. There’s movement to link payment to the quality — rather than the quantity — of care delivered. Marge Ginsburg decided to ask ordinary […]
Dying In America Is Harder Than It Has To Be, IOM Says
Comprehensive report on end-of-life care says both medicine and society need to change “to make those final days better.”
One-Quarter Of ACOs Save Enough Money To Earn Bonuses
About a quarter of the 243 groups of hospitals and doctors that banded together as accountable care organizations under the Affordable Care Act saved Medicare enough money to earn bonuses, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Tuesday. Those 64 ACOs earned a combined $445 million in bonuses, the agency said. Medicare saved $372 […]
CBO Projects Lower Medicare and Medicaid Costs
Reduced costs for medical services and labor have trimmed the 10-year projected cost of Medicare and Medicaid by $89 billion, the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. Medicare spending is projected to drop by $49 billion — or less than 1 percent — from 2015 and 2024, while Medicaid spending is expected to drop by $40 […]
In Study, Questions About Who Should Perform In-Office Surgeries
A study of Medicare billing found that many dermatology procedures were done by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Government Streamlining Medicare Coverage For Cancer Test
FDA and Medicare officials conduct a parallel review of a new screening test for colorectal cancer and that could bring the test to beneficiaries six months faster.
For Aging Inmates, Care Outside Prison Walls
As the number of elderly inmates needing long-term care rises, some states are looking for alternatives beyond prison walls.
First Look At Medicare Quality Incentive Program Finds Little Benefit
One of Medicare’s attempts to improve medical quality –by rewarding or penalizing hospitals — did not lead to improvements in the first nine months of the program, a study has found. The quality program, known as Hospital Value-Based Purchasing, is a pillar of the federal health law’s campaign to use the government’s financial muscle to […]
Medicare Experiment Could Signal Sea Change For Hospice
What happens when hospice patients can keep getting life-extending treatment? Palliative care expert Diane Meier discusses the new program.
Advocacy Groups Say Medicare Should Negotiate With Drugmakers
Medicare could save billions if Congress overcame its reluctance to anger the drug industry and allowed the program to demand rebates or negotiate prices, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said Wednesday. He added that’s something polls show many Americans support. Expensive new blockbuster drugs, such as a $1,000-a-pill hepatitis C treatment called Sovaldi, highlight the need to […]
Medicare Testing Payment Options That Could End Observation Care Penalties
The pilot projects underway at hospitals eliminate the requirement that seniors must be admitted for three days before they qualify for nursing home coverage.
