Latest KFF Health News Stories
Slowing Down The ER To Improve Care For Patients With Autism
A small but growing number of hospital emergency rooms are taking steps to improve quality of care for patients with autism while also adding efficiency and cost effectiveness.
The Stethoscope: Timeless Tool Or Outdated Relic?
Why is a 200-year-old icon of the medical field still in wide use in the digital age? Some say modern tools are more informative and worth the extra cost, but the stethoscope has staunch defenders.
Majority Of Young Men Don’t Know About Emergency Contraception, Study Finds
The survey of 93 men, most of whom were sexually active, finds that 42 percent had heard of emergency contraception, or the morning-after pill.
For Fertility Treatment, Wounded Veterans Have To Pay The Bill
U.S. military health care covers the high cost of in vitro fertilization, but the Veterans Affairs health system doesn’t. The discrepancy is putting vets with combat injuries in a bind.
Dueling Star Ratings May Confuse Some Home Health Patients
Medicare offers star ratings of agencies’ quality and of patients’ perceptions, but often they don’t match up.
Urban Medicare Beneficiaries May See More Drug Savings This Year
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says access to special, lower-cost pharmacies has improved for Medicare beneficiaries in urban areas.
Health Reform Roils Downton Abbey
The hospital consolidation plot in the final season of the beloved British series is historically accurate — and has parallels in today’s U.S. health industry.
Insurers And Medicare Agree On Measures Tracking Doctors’ Quality
The first set of measures focus on seven types of care, including for hearts and cancer. The metrics will be integrated into formulas that determine physicians’ pay.
Are States Obligated To Provide Expensive Hepatitis C Drugs?
New hepatitis C drugs boast cure rates of at least 95 percent. But states are restricting their use for Medicaid patients and prisoners because the cost is so high.
Study: 29 Percent Of Colonoscopy Patients May Have Unneeded Pre-Screening Visits
Primary care doctors can do the initial screening and recommendations for a colonoscopy, the researchers write in JAMA.
Study Finds No Harm In Allowing Surgeons-In-Training To Work Longer Shifts
Researchers found little difference in patient outcomes or satisfaction after placing restraints on medical residents’ working conditions in the past decade. Officials have previously sought to prevent inexperienced doctors from making mistakes caused by fatigue.
California Voters Will Have Their Say On Drug Prices
Heated battle expected over November ballot proposal to curb state’s prescription drug costs, as pharmaceutical industry opens its pocketbook to defeat the measure.
Medical Advocates Can Help Guide Patients On Difficult Care Choices
Hired advocates help patients develop treatment plans, meet with doctors and explain options, among other services.
A Closer Look At The Senate’s Investigation Of Tainted Medical Scopes
A Senate investigation recently found that 16 hospitals around the U.S. failed to file mandatory paperwork with the federal government after patients at their hospitals became infected or died from the use of tainted medical scopes. KHN’s Chad Terhune, who reported on the story for the Los Angeles Times, spoke with Madeline Brand on KCRW’s Press Play about the investigation and steps the scope maker is taking to stop the infections.
Check The Fine Print: Some Work-Based Health Plans Exclude Outpatient Surgeries
This new generation of so-called “skinny plans” can save employers money, but it’s not yet clear if they will meet regulatory scrutiny.
Consumer And Research Groups Release Cancer Guides For Patients
Families USA and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review are collaborating on a series of patient guides on treatment and screenings.
Study: Some Marketplace Customers Spend 25 Percent Of Income On Health Expenses
Urban Institute researchers found that premiums and out-of-pocket costs are still a major concern for people seeking coverage on the health care marketplaces.
Fueled By Health Law, ‘Concierge Medicine’ Reaches New Markets
Doctors, insurers and others are kick-starting experiments to broaden access to direct primary care, a service long associated with only wealthy Americans.
Making The Most Of Military Medics’ Field Experience
A new physician assistant training program at UNC-Chapel Hill recruits veterans and gives them credit for their years spent aiding injured troops.
Health Plan Watchdog Still Seeks Progress After 25 Years
Increased comparative information on health plans is helping consumers shop, says Margaret O’Kane, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
