Latest KFF Health News Stories
Providers File The Bulk Of Medicare Appeals
Health care providers who appealed to Medicare judges won more often than patients did, according to a report by the inspector general at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hospitals, physicians, medical equipment suppliers and other providers also filed 85 percent of the cases decided by the administrative law judges in fiscal […]
Hospitals, Home Health Care Services Lobby Against Cuts In Deficit Deal
As lawmakers and President Barack Obama discuss possible changes to federal entitlement programs as part of a larger deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, expect provider groups to make their case loud and clear: Don’t cut us. The American Hospital Association is circulating a list of alternatives that are well-known and included in other deficit-reduction […]
Progressive Group Recommends $385 Billion In Health Cuts
Hospitals, drug companies, nursing homes and health plans would lose billions in Medicare funding over the next decade under a budget deficit cutting plan recommended by the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank which has close ties to President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton. But officials at the center say their […]
Employer Health Costs Rise 4 Percent, Lowest Increase Since 1997
Furnishing new evidence of slower growth in health costs, consulting firm Mercer said Wednesday that employers spent 4.1 percent more on health benefits this year than in 2011. It was the smallest increase in 15 years. One reason, but probably not the only one: Employers shifted costs to workers through higher deductibles. Nearly 60 percent of very large employers (more than 20,000 workers) […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 14, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about how lines are being drawn regarding the ‘fiscal cliff’ negotiations. The New York Times: Obama Vows Firm Stance On Deficit-Reduction Plan President Obama reassured leaders of labor and progressive groups on Tuesday that he will not yield to Congressional Republicans and extend Bush-era […]
Health Law Was A Wash In The Election, Poll Finds
After two years of noise and stridency on the 2010 health care law, the Affordable Care Act ended up being a wash in the presidential election, a new poll finds. Both President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney ended up getting equal support among voters who said the law was a “major factor” in their vote for president, […]
U.S. Lowering Rate Of Premature Births, But Slowly
The United States is slowly reducing its rate of premature births, bringing the rate to 11.7 percent in 2011, but the figure is still higher than public health advocates believe it should be. The updated figures come from The March of Dimes, a non-profit group that works to improve the health of mothers and babies, […]
FEMA Hurricane Sandy Workers Win Health Benefits
That didn’t take long. Just one week after an online petition made news by calling for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to give health benefits to part-time disaster workers responding to Hurricane Sandy, the United States government changed its policy. The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees federal worker benefits, granted “certain employees who work on […]
Hospital Shift Changes A Dangerous Time For Patients
Before physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital finish their 13-hour shifts in the surgical intensive care unit, they hand off their patients to the crew taking over. The outgoing and incoming doctors carefully exchange important information about each patient to ensure that they are properly cared for through the next shift. Cheryl Ryan, a clinical nurse […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 13, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports previewing this week’s actions regarding negotiations about the fiscal cliff. The Associated Press/Washington Post: Most Of America Would Be Hit By Tax Increases And Spending Cuts From ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Everyone who pays income tax — and some who don’t —will feel it. So will […]
Health System Touted By Obama Is Not Yet Endorsing Medicaid Expansion
Intermountain Healthcare, the Salt Lake City-based hospital system praised by President Barack Obama as being a model for low-cost, high quality care, says it is not convinced Utah should expand Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul. The system wants those who would gain Medicaid coverage from the law to have the choice to obtain private insurance, which generally […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 9, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about effort to cut a deal on taxes and entitlements to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” The New York Times: With Obama Re-Elected, States Scramble Over Health Law After nearly three years of legal and political threats that kept President Obama’s health care law in […]
Bloggers Parse What Happens Next On Health Law
The health policy world has moved on from what happens IF the health law survives to what happens NEXT now that its future appears secure. Bloggers are focusing on how the law will be implemented, what the role of states may be, how patient care will be affected and how the work left to be done […]
Medicare Extends Enrollment Period For Those Affected By Sandy
Medicare beneficiaries battered by Superstorm Sandy have one less problem to worry about: Federal officials have extended the Dec. 7 deadline to enroll in a private medical or drug plan for next year for those still coping with storm damage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “understands that many Medicare beneficiaries have been affected by […]
Status Update: Medical Schools May Check Applicants On Facebook
While applying to medical school as a college student, Drew Lee did what many of his fellow “premeds” were doing at the time – he gave himself an anonymous name on his Facebook account. “We always heard of students being denied admission because of Facebook,” Lee said, adding that he had nothing to hide but […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 8, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations including analyses of how states move forward on implementing the health law and efforts by President Barack Obama and congressional leaders on solving the nation’s debt issues. Los Angeles Times: Obama’s Win Means His Healthcare Law Will Insure All Americans President Obama’s victory all but assures […]
Health Care Issues On The Ballot: The Final Tally
The rich variety of health issues at stake in Tuesday’s elections included the federal health law, abortion, medical marijuana and more. Here’s a round-up of state health initiatives and the results: Implementation of the 2010 federal health law Four states—Alabama, Florida, Montana and Wyoming—had provisions to block the federal health law’s requirement that almost all Americans have insurance or pay a […]
State Political Shifts Likely To Affect Health Law
In a power shift that could affect how the federal health law is carried out, Democrats took complete control of five additional state legislatures on Tuesday, while Republicans added a governorship and control of three additional state legislatures . All told, Republicans will have 30 governors and control 24 state legislatures next year, compared to 19 Democratic governors and […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 7, 2012
The nation’s re-elected President Obama, here are your health headlines: Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details of the outcome of the presidential election, as well as House and Senate races. Coverage also includes analysis regarding how those results will impact the implementation of the health law, negotiatioins surrounding the looming […]
Today’s Headlines – Nov. 6, 2012
Happy Election Day! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including an array of stories previewing today’s election possibilities and what the outcome might mean for the health law, Medicare and the health care industry. The Associated Press/Washington Post: No More Days: Obama, Romney Fight On Into The Night At The End Of […]
