Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 13, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news from the Census Bureau that, although record numbers of poor people persist, the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million. The Washington Post: Number Of Uninsured Americans Drops By 1.3 Million, Census Report Shows One spot of good news in the census data […]
On Capitol Hill, Frustration At Administration’s Regulatory Pace
In separate House and Senate hearings, Obama administration officials got an earful from members of Congress and industry and consumer representatives, who want more clarity about regulations called for in the health law.
Health Care Jobs Report: A Dire Warning To Congress
You knew this was coming: Just four months before a series of automatic spending cuts kick in, Medicare providers warned that, if those cuts become reality, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost. The report, funded by the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association, predicts that the 2 […]
How Is Your Medicare Drug Plan Like Your Cable Company?
Economists have long chronicled the “lock in” effect — the ability to attract shoppers with low prices and then sock them with increases once they’ve stopped paying attention. Think car insurance or bank fees. Consumers often stay put even when they notice the higher bills, deciding that the hassles of switching represent an even greater cost. Boston University economist Keith M. Marzilli Ericson […]
A Rare Capitol Hill Sighting: 2 Parties Work Together On Health Care
The rare sound of bipartisanship was heard Tuesday at the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee. Panel members from both parties agreed — yes, you read that right, agreed — on bills dealing with clinical laboratories, recovering payments for the Medicare Trust Fund and pediatric research, among others. ”The bills before us prove that it is indeed […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 12, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about former President Bill Clinton’s role on the presidential campaign trail as well as reports from Capitol Hill and details of a new survey regarding health insurance costs. The New York Times: Embracing Role As Surrogate, Clinton Hits Campaign Trail Speaking to a sellout […]
Medicare Pilot Program Shows Cost Savings For Treating Dual-Eligibles
Researchers Tuesday released a deeper look at the Physician Group Practice Demonstration, one of the federal government’s first pay-for-performance experiments to improve health care and reduce costs for the Medicare population. They found that it created significant savings — especially for dual eligibles, which is the population who receives health coverage through both Medicare and Medicaid […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 11, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports exploring how, based on his recent comments, Mitt Romney’s health law replacement goals could become tricky. The New York Times: It Will Be Tricky For Romney To Keep Best Of Health Law While Repealing It Mitt Romney’s pledge to guarantee access to health insurance […]
Romney And Ryan Camps Walk Back Candidates’ Statements On Health Law
On Sunday, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he would keep the popular provision in President Barack Obama’s health law that “makes sure those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage.” And on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulus, Paul Ryan appeared to back a lesser-known part of the law called […]
Pressure From Insurers, Government Cuts Radiology Use And Spending
Here’s another reason health care inflation is down: The slowing growth in MRI scans, CT sessions and other diagnostic imaging that began in the mid-2000s has continued, paired with sharply lower Medicare reimbursements. The end of the MRI boom may not rank with the poor economy, high-deductible health plans and expiring blockbuster drug patents as a factor in slowing cost trends — scans make up about 5 […]
Today’s headlines – Sept. 10, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports detailing how GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said, if elected, he would retain some parts of the 2010 health law. Los Angeles Times: What To Expect If President Obama Wins Second Term White House aides have indicated that Obama would try for a deal […]
What’s Your Guess On Newest Uninsured Numbers? Win A Prize (Well, Recognition)
After the monthly jobs report on Friday, the next big federal report with implications for the presidential race comes Wednesday morning when the Census Bureau releases its annual study on the number of people without health insurance. Last year, the Census reported that in 2010 the number of uninsured rose by 1 million to 49.9 million while the rate […]
Ways And Means Subcommittees Take Aim Again At Health Law Provisions
After bashing President Barack Obama’s health law as part of their Tampa convention festivities, House Republicans will focus on the measure once again when they return to Capitol Hill next week. Two Ways and Means subcommittees will hold hearings focused on the Internal Revenue Service’s role in implementing the law’s tax provisions and on the […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 7, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including examinations of health policy references in yesterday’s Democratic convention speeches. Los Angeles Times: Obama, Biden Make their Case For Four More Years Spilling well past the hour of prime-time coverage allotted by the major TV networks, Obama offered a long list of achievements including passage […]
Where In The World Is Jerry Brown?
California’s Jerry Brown, the governor of the most populous state in the union, a state that has aggressively pushed ahead with the Affordable Care Act even when it wasn’t the “in-thing,” is sitting out this year’s Democratic National Convention. Like millions of American kids who returned to school this week, Brown has too much work […]
IOM Report Focuses On $750 Billion In Inefficient Health Care Spending
“If home building were like health care,” says a new Institute of Medicine report, “carpenters, electricians, and plumbers each would work with different blueprints, with very little coordination.” With physicians, hospital administrators and insurance companies on often diverging building plans, the idea that the health care system could fall apart like a badly built house […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 6, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including health policy highlights from the Democratic National Convention as well as dispatches from the states. Los Angeles Times: Bill Clinton Fires Up Democratic Convention The former president assailed Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, for accusing Obama of cutting $716 […]
Study: Decision Aids Show Promise In Reducing Medical Procedures
While policymakers debate complex changes to reduce health spending, promoting patients’ involvement in treatment decisions could have an immediate effect. A new Health Affairs report about decision aids — materials given to patients to help educate them about treatment options — shows they can help hold down costs by reducing demand for medical procedures. “The […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 5, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on how health reform is playing a role in presidential politics, both during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., and in a new GOP campaign ad. Politico: Dems Wear ‘Obamacare’ Proudly Democrats gathered in Charlotte this week are fighting to reclaim the term […]
UnitedHealth Cases Show Big Cost Differences For Same Illness
We’ve seen this before: a study showing large spending disparities to treat similar ailments and little if any link between expenditure and effectiveness. What’s different about this analysis is the patients. Many reports on cost and quality disparity (the best known is the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care) are based on data from the government’s Medicare program for seniors. This […]
