Latest KFF Health News Stories
Help Flies In For Troubled Hospital In Estes Park, Colo.
Fires, floods, and a government shutdown have plagued the town at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. With roads still closed, medical staff commutes via helicopter to Estes Park Medical Center.
Oregon Experiment Puts Therapists On Primary Care Teams
Medicaid patients can see different kinds of doctors in one visit, and the hope is it will provide better patient care, eventually at less cost to the state.
Houston Embraces Obamacare Outreach, Despite Cruz and Perry
A coalition of the city’s health department, county clinics and groups like the Urban League and Enroll America is trying to get the word out to Houston’s 800,000 uninsured residents about the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, which will open Oct. 1.
After The Floods, Colorado Hospital Braces For Winter
Estes Park Medical Center escaped the flood damage that hit most of the area. But two roads leading to the town known as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park are impassable. One snowstorm could close the remaining road and ground helicopters, leaving the hospital and its patients stranded.
The Overlooked Obamacare Sales Force: Hospitals
Nobody has a bigger financial stake in the success of Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges than hospitals. And few may work harder to sign up consumers than hospitals themselves.
A Road To Health? Rural Alaska Town Argues For Access
A road in King Cove, Alaska would give 1,000 residents better access to emergency health care, but it would slice through a wildlife refuge. The decision rests with new Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who toured the town in late August.
Rural Hospitals in Texas Wary of Proposed Medicare Cuts
A federal proposal to reduce the number of hospitals that carry the ‘critical access’ designation could cost 60 Texas hospitals that status, along with their enhanced Medicare reimbursements, potentially jeopardizing their survival.
Nurse Practitioner’s Life Story Prepares Him To Work With Homeless
As a primary care clinician at a health care clinic in northeast D.C., Douglas Reed’s life growing up in the neighborhood near the clinic prepared him to care for the residents there — and the special needs they have.
‘A Calling’ To Care For The Poor At St. Louis’ Grace Hill Community Centers
Some of the funding for Grace Hill and smaller community health centers in St. Louis may be in jeopardy, even as the number of people seeking discounted care or free is increasing in a state that will not expand Medicaid under the health law.
Despite Additional Dollars, Texas Doc Shortage Is Hard to Fix
The medical community is concerned the state’s plans to produce more physicians to treat a surging population are insufficient.
St. Louis’ Busiest Safety Net Hospital Braces For Health Law Challenges
Christian Hospital’s struggle to serve the disadvantaged is not likely to get easier under the Affordable Care Act.
What To Say When Mom Or Dad Has Cancer
The Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston offer emotional and practical support for families dealing with the disease.
Health Law Boosts Status Of Alternative Medicine — At Least On Paper
The Affordable Care Act says that insurance companies “shall not discriminate” against any state-licensed health provider, which could lead to better coverage of chiropractic, homeopathic and naturopathic care. Alternative medicine is also mentioned in parts of the law on wellness, prevention and research.
Florida Providers Jump On ACO Bandwagon
The health care model encouraged by the Affordable Care Act rewards physicians for coordinating patient care and controlling costs.
Medicaid Coverage Limits Access To Medications For Painkiller Addicts
Patients face severe limitations on the amount and duration of medicines they take to fight addiction to pain pills.
Cerner Builds Recession-Proof ‘Bunker’ For Health Data
As more doctors turn to digitizing patient health records, large companies like Cerner are building bigger and more sophisticated ways to house — and secure — the nation’s health data, and it’s turning into a big business.
Why Your Doctor May Still Have Paper Records
The federal government is paying doctors go to digital. But many practices are daunted by the expense and other obstacles as they struggle to take the leap from paper to electronic records.
Kentucky’s Rush Into Medicaid Managed Care: A Cautionary Tale For Other States
Doctors, hospitals, patients and their advocates complained about disruptions in care and payments after Kentucky moved more than half a million people on Medicaid into private plans.
Connecting Minnesota’s Latino Community To Health Care
One-in-eight Minnesota Latinos is uninsured. As the health law rolls out, community clinics in the state will be connecting Latinos to their new insurance options.
How Oregon Is Getting ‘Frequent Flyers’ Out Of Hospital ERs
The state is trying to reduce health care costs by encouraging those who constantly turn up at the ER to get their health care from regular doctors instead.
