Latest KFF Health News Stories
The Hypocritical And Reckless Attacks On The Ryan Medicare Plan — Guest Opinion
Last week, the president said the country has serious issues to address. He’s right. One of the biggest is the budget challenge. Unfortunately, the president’s carefully orchestrated attack on the Ryan plan has made it much less likely that real progress will be made before 2013 to address the problem.
Few Seniors Support GOP Plan To Restructure Medicare
A new Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds 30 percent of seniors support the effort to switch Medicare to a voucher-type program. Among all adults, opinion is more evenly divided, but confusion is rampant.
Berwick Says Obama’s Plan To Trigger Medicare Cuts Won’t Be Necessary
Current plans to improve quality and reduce waste should avoid the need for the Independent Payment Review Board to step in and order cuts, Medicare chief says.
Health On The Hill: Spending Negotiations Remove Provisions Of Health Law, Entitlement Reform Looms
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about an 11th hour spending deal reached late last week that would remove some minor provisions of the health care law and require that the Senate will vote separately on two measures the House already has approved
Ryan Plan For Medicare Is ‘Pure Budget Solution, Not A Health Policy Solution’ -The KHN Interview
Alec Vachon, who once worked for Republican Sen. Bob Dole and the Senate Finance Committee, says the GOP premium support proposal will run into trouble if funding doesn’t meet seniors’ needs to buy insurance.
Health On The Hill – House Republicans’ Budget Plan: What It Means, What’s Next
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with CQ HealthBeat’s Rebecca Adams about the fiscal 2012 budget plan from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. It would dramatically change Medicaid and Medicare.
Study Finds Raising Medicare Age Would Shift Costs
If eligibility went up to age 67, the federal government would save $7.6 billion but total costs would rise more than that for seniors, employers and states.
Ignoring Political Risk, Ryan Renews Push For Medicare Vouchers
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says he will include “aggressive” changes to Medicare in his upcoming budget proposal.
Health On The Hill Transcript: President Obama’s Health Budget Scrutinized
Jackie Judd of the Kaiser Family Foundation is joined by Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News and David Nather of Politico to talk about the president’s 2012 proposed budget and a House bill that would repeal a provision of the health care overhaul that small businesses find particularly onerous.
Health On The Hill: Democrats On Defense As Republicans Plan Attack On Health Law
House Republicans are holding committee hearings this week on the health law’s provisions governing Medicare, abortion and small business.
Health Industry And Lawmakers Move Against Medicare Spending Board
The Independent Payment Advisory Board, a key cost-containment provision of the health law scheduled to be created this year, faces an uncertain future.
Effort To Reward Medicare Advantage Plans Draws Criticism
MedPac assails Medicare plan to extend quality bonus payments – meant for top-performing health insurers – to those with lower scores.
Health Care Battles To Surge Anew In 2011: Marilyn Werber Serafini
KHN reporters preview some of the big issues coming this year: Marilyn Werber Serafini, the Robin Toner Fellow at KHN, says efforts to cut federal spending likely will be hampered by campaign promises on Medicare funding.
Medicare Key To Conquering Deficit Dilemma
Controlling Medicare costs is key to conquering the deficit, experts say, but there are few cost-containment measures that are politically viable.
Health On The Hill Transcript: Congress Passes One-Month Medicare ‘Doc Fix’
As Congress resumed its lame duck session, the House passed a one-month extension of a Medicare physician payment “fix” that would stop scheduled cuts for another month. Meanwhile, the Senate rejected a repeal of the so-called “1099” tax reporting provision in the health law that requires that businesses file a form for any purchase of goods or services worth more than $600.
Administration Unexpectedly Expands Bonus Payments For Medicare Advantage Plans
The Obama administration will spend up to $1.3 billion to extend special payments — meant to reward top-performing insurers — to those that score only average ratings.
Republican’s Controversial Proposal To Mend Medicare
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan’s ideas
Some Hill Races Could Hinge On Seniors’ Anger Over Medicare
As emotions run high over the new health law, older voters’ concerns about Medicare cuts could be a deciding factor in some particularly close congressional races.
Dueling Letters On Medicare Part D Changes
Officials at CMS say they’re streamlining Medicare Part D – including eliminating some plans they call duplicative. But as the open enrollment period nears, some Republicans are criticizing the move as “frightening.”
Feds Reassure Hospitals, Doctors On Cooperation Through ACOs
The agencies that oversee doctors and hospitals promised they will give unified guidance on how medical providers can form “accountable care organizations” without violating antitrust regulations. ACOs are a key part of the new health law.
