Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 10, 2011
Politico: Health Care Reform’s Fate To Be Determined By 2012 The supporters aren’t panicking — but they’re paying attention. “The prospects of the Affordable Care Act hinge totally on the 2012 elections,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of the health care consumer group Families USA. “If President Obama is reelected — and I’m fairly confident […]
Influential Panel Giving Thumbs Down To Routine PSA Test
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. The same group that caused a ruckus by recommending against mammograms for women in their 40s is about to tell men that a routine blood test for prostate cancer does most of them more harm than good. The problem is that the test doesn’t do enough […]
Bart Stupak’s New Life; Moving Primary Care Out Of The ER
Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web. The Daily Beast: Bart Stupak On Life After Health Care [F]ormer Democratic congressman Bart Stupak is relishing the good life. After nine terms in the House of Representatives, the once obscure, pro-life, conservative legislator who became the flash point in last year’s historic […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 7, 2011
In today’s headlines, reports about what the Institute of Medicine recommends in terms of the criteria and methods the Department of Health and Human Services should follow in developing the health law’s essential benefits package. The New York Times: Panel Says U.S. Should Weigh Cost In Deciding ‘Essential Health Benefits’ The National Academy of Sciences […]
Researchers Press For More Action On Health Disparities
As Susan Dentzer, the editor in chief of the journal Health Affairs, was opening a public briefing today on a special issue dedicated to the state of health care disparities in the country, she warned the audience members they “might need a strong dose of Valium” to handle some of the bleak assessments of the racial […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 6, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the latest from Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail, as well as findings from new research related to health care quality issues. Politico: If The Mandate Goes, Will The Health Law Stay? While the impending Supreme Court debate over President Barack Obama’s […]
Things May Get Worse For ‘Worst’ Hospitals, Study Warns
Rating the best hospitals has become commonplace, with U.S. News, research firms and various Internet sites routinely issuing detailed rankings. Now some health researchers have come up with a way to evaluate which hospitals are the worst. In a new paper for Health Affairs, Ashish Jha, John Orav and Arnold Epstein classified 3,229 hospitals by quality, using […]
When the potato lobby speaks, it always puts its best spuds forward. Today, at a National Press Club lunchtime briefing to promote the nutritional value of the vegetable, that meant a full bar of baked potatoes, french fries (baked, not fried) and all the requiste trimmings — sour cream, cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, spinach and broccoli. Yes, according […]
Poll: Americans Receptive To New Options For Affordable Dental Care
Many of us dread visiting the dentist, but a new survey suggests that Americans are concerned about access to affordable dental care and that a majority support the use of alternative dental providers. More than 52 million people live in 4,675 federally qualified dental shortage areas where many face obstacles to receiving care because of […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 5, 2011
Today’s headlines include reports about Congress’ continuing struggle with budget and spending issues. Politico: Tax, Entitlement Deal Still In Play If Republicans believe that tax reform will lead to higher revenues, now is the time to lay away a down payment for that future. If Democrats are committed to a long-term fix for Medicare physician […]
Palliative Care More Common At Some Hospitals, Study Finds
What do Vermont and the District of Columbia have in common? The two are the only jurisdictions in the country with palliative care teams in all their major hospitals, according to a new survey. Palliative care teams are devoted to easing the symptoms, stress and pain from serious illnesses, both chronic and terminal. The new […]
Living Wills Help Curb Costs Only In High-Spending Areas, Study Finds
Patient’s advance directives, such as living wills, could be a powerful tool for controlling costs in end-of-life care, researchers reported Tuesday, but only in parts of the U.S. where those costs already run relatively high. In those areas, a patient’s treatment for the last six months of life ran more than $39,500, on average, without […]
Forget HMOs And ACOs, Oregon Is Pushing CCOs To Save Medicaid
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat, wants to prove his state can contain soaring Medicaid costs without reducing services to recipients or slashing fees to doctors and hospitals. And when he’s done, he wants to apply this same strategy to saving Medicare. Kitzhaber is in Washington this week meeting with top federal health officials about his state’s […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 4, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the Supreme Court kicked off its new term by hearing a key Medicaid case that tests whether providers and patients can go to court to challenge decisions by cash-strapped states to reduce Medicaid payments. Los Angeles Times: High Court Hears Key Medicaid Case […]
Shortages Lead Doctors To Ration Critical Drugs
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Drug shortages mean a growing number of Americans aren’t getting the medications they need. That’s causing drug companies and doctors to ration available medications in some cases. “We’re now at 213 shortages for this year,” says Erin Fox of the University of Utah, who tracks national drug […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 3, 2011
Good Monday morning! Today’s headlines include stories previewing how health policy issues will fit into the Supreme Court’s new term. Politico: Larger Deal May Elude Deficit Panel A month into the supercommittee’s term, Senate Republicans are telling K Street that they don’t believe the powerful deficit-cutting panel can reach a “grand bargain” agreement, sources familiar with […]
Report: Americans Give Online Thumbs Down To #healthinsurers
Americans’ dislike for health insurers is a trending topic. Seventy percent of social media comments about major health insurers were negative during the past year, according to a new report released by Amplicate, a social media analytics service. The company analyzed public tweets, Facebook posts and comments on its own website between September 2010 and August 2011. […]
A Surgeon Examines His Professional Development
Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web. The New Yorker: Personal Best I’ve been a surgeon for eight years. For the past couple of them, my performance in the operating room has reached a plateau. I’d like to think it’s a good thing—I’ve arrived at my professional peak. But mainly […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 30, 2011
Happy Friday! Today’s headlines include reports about how new and old health policy positions are playing on the campaign trail. The New York Times: Some Common Ground For Legal Adversaries On Health Care The 2010 health care overhaul law has provoked an unprecedented clash between the federal government and 26 states, dividing them on fundamental questions about […]
Focus Of Health Law Challenges Shifts To The Supreme Court
The Justice Department Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to hear their appeal of the 11th Circuit’s August ruling that found the individual mandate unconstitutional. The moves increase the likelihood that the Supreme Court will take the case up in its next term, potentially ruling on the constitutionality of health law before the 2012 elections. Kaiser Health […]
