Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 27, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, featuring details of the super committee’s latest action — the Dems’ $3 trillion debt deal, which includes a $400 billion Medicare plan; and the GOP counter approach. The Washington Post: Congressional Democrats Offer $3 Trillion Debt Deal Congressional Democrats are urging the debt-reduction supercommittee to […]
Harvard Study Highlights Wide Range Of Medicaid Expansion Estimates
If one thing is certain about the 2010 health law, it’s that almost nothing about it is certain. And according to a newly released report, one of the major unknowns involves the law’s expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for the poor. In a Health Affairs article released Wednesday, researchers at the Harvard […]
High-Deductible Health Plans More Common On Employers’ Menus
Health plan deductibles keep inching up. When employees sign up for coverage this fall during their company’s annual enrollment period, nearly a quarter will face annual deductibles of at least $1,000, according to a recent employer survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) At small companies, the high-deductible option, […]
Super Committee Dems Ready A $400 Billion Medicare Plan
Health on the Hill: Jackie Judd speaks with Politico Pro’s Matt DoBias about the super committee’s public hearing Wednesday when it heard from Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf. Democrats on the panel are near a $2.5 trillion to $3 trillion proposal to cut the deficit that includes about $400 billion in cuts to Medicare.
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 26, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the public’s distrust of government, the super committee’s progress — or lack thereof and the latest from the campaign trail. The New York Times: New Poll Finds A Deep Distrust Of Government With Election Day just over a year away, a deep […]
Groups Thank ‘Obamacare,’ And Not Sarcastically
“Thanks Obamacare.” Usually Americans hear that phrase only in the most sarcastic contexts. Opponents of the health reform law have hung the “Obamacare” moniker on it to belittle the measure as nothing more than an attempt to fix America’s health care problems – varied as they are – with a one-size-fits-all approach they say expands the reach of government […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 25, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that a group of Republcian governors communicated their concerns to the super committee. The Washington Post: Republican Governors Submit Recommendations To Debt “Supercommittee’ Four GOP governors sent a letter Monday to the congressional joint committee tasked with drafting a plan to reduce the […]
Help Wanted: New Research Institute Seeks A Patient Perspective
There’s a deadline this week for everyday people interested in shaping a controversial initiative from the 2010 health law. But whether or not enough people will follow through — or are aware of the timing — is unclear, according to advocates. Patients and other people who might not normally be involved in medical research have […]
Defense and Docs: Perfect Together?
It is often said that politics makes strange bedfellows. That’s especially true with the high-stakes budget discussions surrounding the congressional deficit reduction panel. As physicians seek to forestall cuts in Medicare payments, their interests may be aligned with the defense industry as both press the super committee to strike a deal. They would both benefit from […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 24, 2011
Good Monday morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including speculation about how the Supreme Court might review the health law and what’s happening with the super committee. Politico: High Court Call On Health Care If the Supreme Court decides to review President Barack Obama’s health reform law, it will also have to […]
Nixon’s HMOs Hold Lessons For Obama’s ACOs
The Obama administration acknowledges its highly touted accountable care organization program will have a modest early impact on the U.S. health system — with only 4 percent of Medicare beneficiaries affected by 2015 Perhaps the Obama White House is taking a lesson from the last time a U.S. president kicked off a major new program designed […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 21, 2011
Happy Friday! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more details about the Department of Health and Human Services’ revised rule for accountable care organizations. The Washington Post: Obama Administration Revises Medicare Rules For Coordinated Care The move was greeted with jubilation by groups representing doctors and hospitals. But organizations for insurers and […]
Message To Seniors: Stay Active, Stay Well
Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign for children now has a counterpart for the 50-plus set. The National Institute on Aging on Wednesday launched its “Go4Life” campaign, aimed at increasing physical activity among Baby Boomers and their parents. “Physical inactivity cuts across all age ranges, so we felt the need to do something especially for older adults,” […]
‘Remedy and Reaction’: Talking The History And Future Of American Health Reform
KHN’s Jordan Rau sits down with Paul Starr about Starr’s book on health reform “Remedy and Reaction.” In it, Starr looks back at America’s struggle with reforming its health care system — and what we can learn about its future.
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 20, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports analyzing the super committee’s progress, and detailing how Republican rivals’ stabs at ‘Romneycare’ are starting to gaining traction. The Washington Post: Supercommittee’s Lack Of Progress On Debt Reduction Raises Alarms On Hill Committee members say there is still time to cut a deal […]
To Curb Abortions, States Focus On The ‘Supply-Side’
States enacted a record number of abortion restrictions in the first half of 2011, many of them requiring 24-hour waiting periods, ultrasounds or parental permission to deter women from obtaining abortions. But these types of “demand-side policies” have not had much of an impact in the past on national abortion rates, according to an article […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 19, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a report that health policy issues triggered “withering attacks” during last night’s Las Vegas GOP presidential debate. Los Angeles Times: Vegas Debate: Romney Faces Withering Attacks Over Healthcare After the candidates sliced and diced Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” plan, they turned their attention to the […]
2 Percent Medicare Cut Nothing To Sneeze At
Medicare might fare better than other health care programs if the congressional super committee fails to agree on a deficit-reduction package and automatic cuts kick in, but even 2 percent is a big problem when it comes on top of other recent hits, warn Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, and […]
Medical Imaging Advocates Fight Proposals Requiring Advance Authorization
As the congressional super committee considers ways to cut Medicare spending, one issue that has been raised is to cut back on imaging services that some experts say are overused by physicians. But an industry study released Tuesday maintains that one tactic that has been suggested — the use of prior authorization for imaging services – doesn’t save money. The […]
CMS Issues Regs To Reduce Red Tape
The Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday released three regulations designed to make it easier for hospitals and doctors to work efficiently as part of the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to cut red-tape across the federal government. Taken together the regulations could save hospitals and health care providers close to $1.1 billion annually and […]
