Latest KFF Health News Stories
Updated Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Unlikely To Affect Insurance Coverage
The American Cancer Society now recommends that women begin annual mammogram screenings at age 45 instead of age 40, and that providers reduce the frequency of screening to every two years after age 54.
Don’t Just Renew Your Medicare Plan. Shopping Around Can Save Money.
Enrollment for private Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans begins Oct. 15 and consumer advocates urge seniors to check out prices to find the best deals.
Medical Prices Higher In Areas Where Large Doctor Groups Dominate, Study Finds
Researchers report that prices for a dozen procedures and tests were 8 to 26 percent higher in counties with the highest level of physicians concentrated in large group practices.
Adults With Insurance Often Still Have Unmet Dental Needs, Survey Finds
Dental care is the health service that people most frequently avoid because of cost, researchers at the Urban Institute found.
In Colorado, Health Insurance Surges But Cost Still A Concern
A comprehensive statewide survey shows Colorado cut its uninsured rate in half, with one in five state residents on Medicaid. But out-of-pocket health expenses can still be hard for families to afford.
Small Changes Can Have Notable Effects In Workers’ Coverage Or Costs
As the fall enrollment window begins for job-based insurance, workers may see a number of changes in provisions such as wellness programs, dependents’ coverage and specialty drug spending.
Readers Ask About Concierge Medicine And Medicare; Insulin Costs And The Doughnut Hole
KHN consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers questions about Medicare beneficiaries’ costs associated with doctors who have concierge medicine practices, insulin pumps and respite care.
Getting The Word Out: Obamacare Is For Native Americans Too
Many Native Americans rely entirely on free care from the financially strapped Indian Health Service. Advocates say signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act can broaden their choices.
Answering Your Questions On The ‘Cadillac Tax’
The excise tax will be levied on health insurance plans costing more than $10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for a family. Any value over those thresholds will be taxed at 40 percent, and that’s likely to affect consumers’ benefits, share of health care costs or their coverage entirely.
Study: 2 Million Exchange Enrollees Miss Out On Cost-Sharing Assistance
Consumers must enroll in a silver-level plan in order to be eligible for reductions in out-of-pocket spending.
Cost Of Diabetes Drugs Often Overlooked, But It Shouldn’t Be
Much of the recent debate about drug costs has centered on high-priced specialty drugs, such as those to cure hepatitis C. But millions more people have diabetes and their drugs are also expensive.
Business Leaders, GOP Question HHS’ Change On Families’ Out-Of-Pocket Limits
The Obama administration has announced a change in how the out-of-pocket health spending limits will be calculated for families, but employers object that it will leave them holding the bill.
The Battle Over Planned Parenthood
Kaiser Health News correspondent Julie Rovner discusses the efforts to defund Planned Parenthood on NPR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook.
Women In Combat Zones Can Face Difficulty Getting Some Contraceptives
Tricare, the military’s health plan for active and retired servicemembers, covers most contraceptives approved by the Food and Drug Administration. But women who are deployed can have trouble refilling specific types of birth control.
Despite Obamacare Promise, Transgender People Have Trouble Getting Some Care
Advocates say that enrollees get turned down for coverage of some services that are tied to gender.
More Health Plan Choices At Work. What’s The Catch?
Despite the benefits to a company’s bottom line, and more choices for employees, John Henry Foster is one of relatively few businesses using a private health insurance exchange.
Aetna Breaks Ties To Man Who Sold Policies To Hundreds Of Homeless
Aetna is ending its relationship with a Charlotte insurance agent who used the Affordable Care Act to sell premium-free policies to hundreds of homeless people while the N.C. Department of Insurance continues its review of the arrangement. The state has scheduled a Sept. 3 “informal administrative conference” on the sales, which sparked questions and criticism […]
N.Y. Law Offers Model For Helping Consumers Avoid Surprise Out-Of-Network Charges
Under the comprehensive law, patients are generally protected from owing more than their in-network copayment, coinsurance or deductible on bills they receive for out-of-network emergency services or on surprise bills.
He says they’re better off having some insurance coverage, even if they have high deductibles. But advocates say they lose access to free clinics and can’t afford to use their coverage because of the deductibles.
Your Colonoscopy Is Covered, But Surprise! The Prep Kit May Not Be
KHN’s consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers questions from readers about the coverage of bowel prep kits for a colonoscopy, how travel insurance handles pre-existing conditions and prenatal screening coverage for tobacco, drugs and alcohol.
