Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Ankle Phone Call’ Could Save Time And Money In The ER
Got a bum leg? Well if you do, maybe you should call ahead to the emergency room instead of immediately driving over. A new study by doctors from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston suggests that hospitals could save time and money if patients with ankle sprains and other lower extremity injuries talk to a health […]
Today’s Headlines – August 15, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Friday’s ruling on the health overhaul as well as other action related to the law and highlights from the weekend’s health policy developments. The Wall Street Journal: Health Overhaul Is Dealt Setback A U.S. appeals court in Atlanta handed the Obama administration […]
New Money And New Rules For The Exchanges
The Obama administration on Friday allotted $185 million to 13 states and the District of Columbia to help build new insurance exchanges and issued rules on how the new marketplaces will enroll individuals, provide subsidies to low- and middle-class Americans and interact with state Medicaid programs. These grants, which will cover a variety of expenses […]
Today’s Headlines – August 12, 2011
Happy Friday! Today’s headlines include reports about the full roster of the ‘super committee’ and how the GOP field of presidential hopefuls is faring in Iowa. And, since it’s August… Check out the Bay Bridge traffic report, too… just in case you are reading First Edition on the way to the beach! The New York Times: Pelosi Appoints […]
A Break For Sleep-Deprived Docs; Gruber Profile
Every week, Kaiser Health News reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web. New York Times: The Phantom Menace Of Sleep-Deprived Doctors Last month something extraordinary happened at teaching hospitals around the country: Young interns worked for 16 hours straight — and then they went home to sleep. After decades of debate and […]
Today’s Headlines – August 11, 2011
Good Thursday Morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about the GOP selections for the deficit deal’s ‘super committee’ and speculation about what the panel’s chances might be for success. The New York Times: 6 Republicans Named To Deficit Panel The top Republicans in the House and the Senate appointed six […]
ER Use Of CT Scans Rises Sharply, Raising Questions About Costs And Benefits
Emergency department patients are getting CT scans at rates five times higher than in the mid-1990s, a new study finds, raising questions about whether the test is being overused and driving up health costs or helping to lower costs by reducing hospitalizations. About 14 percent of ER patients received a scan in 2007, compared to […]
Today’s Headlines – August 10, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s picks for the debt panel and what Americans — according to two new polls — expect the ‘super committee’ to accomplish. The New York Times: Murray Is Chosen As A Leader Of Deficit Panel Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of […]
High Medical Spending Found In Unexpected Places, Says Study
Quick: Where do insured Americans spend the most on health care? Miami? Los Angeles? Nope. It’s Anderson, Ind., where people with employer-provided insurance spent an average of $7,231 on medical treatments. That’s according to an analysis of 382 metropolitan areas examined by Thomson Reuters, a consulting firm that has one of the biggest databases of insurance claims from employers. Anderson’s […]
Health Insurance Premiums Vary Widely, Report Says
How much does health insurance cost? It’s a deceptively simple question to ask, but a notoriously difficult one to answer, especially for people who buy their own coverage because they don’t get it through their jobs. A report released today adds to what has so far been a limited data pool attempting to answer the […]
Today’s Headlines – August 9, 2011
Good morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more speculation about the ‘super committee’ and how difficult it will be for the panel to reach it’s savings target without cutting into Medicare and Medicaid. Los Angeles Times: Obama Says U.S. Remains ‘AAA Country’ He said that rising deficits can’t be ignored. In […]
Newly Insured In Mass. Continue To Use Community Health Centers
Community health centers in Massachusetts saw a surge in patients after the state expanded health insurance coverage, indicating that the safety-net clinics remain a vital source of care even when people gain insurance, according to a study released today. The report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the number of patients treated […]
Double Chest CT Scans Persist, New Data Show
Hospital use of double chest scans in 2009 barely changed from the previous year, despite clinical guidelines that say these CT tests should be used sparingly, according to newly released Medicare data. In a double CT scan, patients get two imaging tests consecutively: one without dye and the other with dye injected into their veins. […]
Pollster: Medicare ‘Not Just A Seniors’ Issue’
Even though the health insurance program for senior citizens and the disabled survived the initial phase of the debt-ceiling deal without suffering cuts, Medicare is likely to be a target in the next round. But efforts to change Medicare have traditionally drawn strong opposition, especially from sought-after senior citizen voters. So, as the 2012 election draws closer, will […]
Today’s Headlines – August 8, 2011
Happy Monday Morning! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the impact of Standard & Poor’s downgrade on the challenge ahead for ‘super committee’ when it tries to take on entitlement spending. The New York Times: S & P Downgrade Seen As Adding Urgency To Debt-Cutting Panel The downgrade of the […]
States Face Challenges In Controlling Health Insurance Premiums
The federal health care law gives officials new tools to help hold down rates, but states’ authority and political will still vary widely.
Hospitalists & Health Costs; Treating Substance Abuse
Every week, Kaiser Health News reporter Shefali S. Kulkarni compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs for Kaiser Health News’ Daily Report. This week in Research Roundup: The Annals of Internal Medicine weighs the costs and benefits of hospitalist care. The Journal of Cancer Survivorship looks at the out-of-pocket costs of cancer medications […]
Kids Health Coverage At Risk, Advocates Worry
Lawmakers largely spared Medicaid and Medicare in the debt deal signed by President Barack Obama Tuesday. But activists say health programs aren’t yet out of the woods, and low-income children may be at risk. An initial cap on discretionary spending, expected to save $917 billion over 10 years, does not include cuts to the government’s […]
Today’s Headlines – August 5, 2011
Happy Friday! Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the cost of premiums for Medicare’s prescription drug program won’t rise in 2012. The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire: House Democrats Attack GOP Members Over Medicare The debt-ceiling deal preserved one line of attack for Democrats: They can still claim House Republicans […]
HHS: Millions Of Seniors Taking Advantage Of The Health Law
The number of Medicare beneficiaries being helped by the 2010 health care overhaul continues to pile up, Obama administration boasted today. Polls have shown seniors, who are an important voting bloc, to be more skeptical of the law than other age groups. Administration officials have sought to allay those concerns and to draw attention to new […]
