Latest KFF Health News Stories
Big Data Offer New Strategy For Public Health Campaigns
In Chicago, data analytics methods once used in political campaigns helped identify women needing mammograms.
EEOC Takes Aim At Wellness Programs Increasingly Offered By Employers
The lawsuits brought by the commission, which have raised complaints from business leaders, highlight the lack of clarity in the standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
More Competition Helps Restrain Premiums In Federal Health Marketplace
In counties that are adding at least one insurer next year, average premiums for the least expensive silver plan are rising 1 percent on average, compared to 7 percent in counties where the number of insurers is not changing, KHN analysis finds.
School District Pays For Health Care But Can’t Get Itemized Bill
Like most big employers, the Miami-Dade County Public School system is self-insured, but finding out just how much they are expected to pay for many health care procedures for employees is proving difficult.
Marketplaces Will Automatically Renew Consumers’ Plans, But Take A Look First
KHN’s consumer columnist answers questions about enrollment under the health law and cautions people not to just go with last year’s choice.
Former HHS Official Calls For ‘Smarter’ Networks That Deliver Cost-Effective Care
Gary Cohen, a former deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the challenge for regulators and insurers is to create networks that not only save money but also deliver better patient outcomes.
Hospitals And Pharmacies Grapple With Rising Drug Prices
Spending on drugs by Ascension, a large Midwestern health care system, has increased $36 million in the last year — with two-thirds of that attributed to costlier generics.
Costly Hepatitis C Treatments Help Drive 12 Percent Drug Spending Jump
Increases are expected to moderate as more brand-name drug patents expire and the impact of the liver disease treatments lessens.
Big Changes For 2015 Workplace Plans: Watch Out For These Six Possible Pitfalls
Consumers who get health insurance through their employers need to pay close attention this year to their enrollment materials.
Laws Spreading That Allow Terminal Patients Access To Experimental Drugs
Five states have approved the measures this year, but critics note that they don’t address the issues of patient costs and don’t mean the drug makers will necessarily make the medications available.
The Future Is Uncertain For The National Children’s Study
What was once considered a ground-breaking U.S. study to track the health of children from birth to adulthood may be stopped before its official start, causing alarm for researchers who say its findings are crucial to developing prevention strategies for a range of childhood illnesses.
Consumer Guide To The Supreme Court’s Action On ACA Subsidy Issue
At issue is whether the federal government can pay subsidies to people living in states that use healthcare.gov, the federal exchange.
How Much Is That MRI, Really? Massachusetts Shines A Light
A state law now requires insurers to reveal prices of their medical tests, and the variation is amazing, bargain hunters say. An MRI of the back is $614 at one place; $1,800 at another.
Home Health Workers Struggle For Better Pay And Health Insurance
Home health care aides often toil for low pay and in jobs without benefits, including health insurance. A million more home health care workers will be needed to meet demand over the next decade.
Oregon Has A Shortage Of Certified Medical Interpreters
Thirteen years ago, Oregon passed a bill requiring trained translators be available in health care settings for patients who speak little English. But there are still fewer than 100 qualified interpreters in the state.
Hepatitis C Patients May Not Qualify For Pricey Drugs Unless Illness Is Advanced
Many insurers are restricting access to new drugs that promise higher cure rates because the price tags can run $95,000 or more.
The Latest In Public Health Funding: Tapping Investors
An asthma prevention program in California hopes to offer returns based on savings from reduced hospital visits.
Administration Signals Doubts About Calculator Permitting Plans Without Hospital Benefits
he Obama administration may reverse course on an online spreadsheet that lets large employers comply with the health law by offering what consumer advocates call substandard insurance.
Got Insurance? You Still May Pay A Steep Price For Prescriptions
These high-priced medications are often shifted to the top tiers of drug plans, so consumers dealing with cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV and other complicated diseases can end up paying thousands of dollars for their prescriptions.
Hidden Costs For ‘Fully Covered’ Care Can Slam Patients’ Wallets
In North Carolina and elsewhere, hidden costs have popped up on “fully covered” services ranging from contraception to cancer screening to annual checkups, and it’s leaving a growing number of people to cover thousands of dollars out of pocket.
