Latest KFF Health News Stories
Former HHS Secretary Leavitt Says Most States Aren’t On Track To Meet Exchange Deadline
“The clock is running out,” says the health care consultant who has been working with states on the issue.
McKinsey Stands By Contested Health Insurance Survey
Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Monday stood behind the findings of its controversial survey that found as much as 30 percent of employers could drop their health coverage. It also released the methodology for the survey.
Health on the Hill: GOP Presidential Candidates Debate Health Law, Medicare: Transcript
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey is joined by Politico Pro’s David Nather to discuss Monday’s GOP presidential debate that featured the candidates talking Medicare reforms proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan and repeal of Obama’s health law.
Video: GOP Presidential Hopefuls Debate Medicare
At the New Hampshire debate, candidates Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, discussed the controversial Ryan budget plan that would revamp Medicare and put forth some solutions of their own.
Video: Bachmann, Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich On Health Law
The Republican presidential nomination debate featured a question about the new health law. The candidates pledged to repeal it and Mitt Romney defended the health reform law he signed while governor of Massachusetts. Former Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty made news when he backed away from confronting Romney on the Massachusetts plan.
Obama Plan To Cut Pediatric Training Draws Protests
Administration’s budget proposal would end a 12-year program that funds residencies at children’s hospitals.
‘Cautious,’ ‘Even-Handed’ Hearing For Health Law In Atlanta Appeals Court
Alyson M. Palmer, a legal reporter in Atlanta, talks with KHN’s Bara Vaida about today’s arguments.
Abortion Foes’ New Target: Redefining What A Person Is
Activists want to rewrite laws to recognize someone as a person from the moment a sperm fertilizes an egg. But a redefinition could threaten the use of a long list of commonly used contraceptives.
Memo To GOP: Cutting Medicaid Is Unpopular, Too
Changing Medicare is looking politically risky, so budget-cutters may focus on Medicaid instead. That, too, could prove unpopular because a recent poll shows the public does not favor large cuts to the program.
Document: Proposals To Reduce Health Care Spending And The Deficit
Before the May 25 2011 Fiscal Summit, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation sought ideas on solutions for “America’s unsustainable long-term fiscal challenges” from six groups that spanned the political spectrum: the American Enterprise Institute, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Center for American Progress, the Economic Policy Institute, The Heritage Foundation, and the Roosevelt Institute. Ideas included […]
Health on the Hill Transcript – Democrats Push Senate Budget Vote On GOP Medicare Plan
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about Democratic efforts to get Senate Republicans on the record on an increasingly unpopular GOP budget that includes big changes to Medicare by scheduling a vote this week. The move is seen by some as a strictly political move that won’t bring lawmakers closer to agreement on a budget.
Excluded Groups Want In On Health Information Technology Funding
Providers who were frozen out of a pool of $27 billion in federal funds to convert to electronic medical records are trying to fight back to qualify for the money and increase the size of the money available.
Newt Gingrich On GOP Medicare Plan (Video Clip)
Sunday on NBC’s Meet The Press, Newt Gingrich likened Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to change Medicare into a voucher system “social engineering,” and said imposing radical change from either side of the political spectrum isn’t a “very good way for a free society to operate.”
Coburn Exit Has Some Questioning Role Of Gang Of Six (Video)
In today’s Health On The Hill, KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with The Fiscal Times’ Eric Pianin about the Gang of Six, negotiators seeking consensus on deficit reduction plans. The group lost a member this week after Sen. Tom Coburn left talks Tuesday over proposed cuts to Medicare, potentially leaving them overshadowed by other similar efforts, like one headed by Vice President Joe Biden. (Audio and text versions also available.)
Newt And The Health Wonks: A Tale of Lust And Power (Guest Opinion)
Newt Gingrich’s relationship with the health policy community, which has been a critical component of his climb back to political prominence, appears to have been more rebranding than reinvention.
Study Details How GOP Budget Plan Would Cut States’ Medicaid Funding
A new analysis of the effect of the House-passed budget finds that states would lose anywhere from 26 to 44 percent of federal Medicaid funds compared to current law.
4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Hears Arguments In Health Law Case
Two cases challenging the constitutionality of health care reform were heard today by a three-judge appeals panel. In both cases, the key issue is whether Americans can be required to obtain health insurance, as the 14-month old law mandates. Ariane de Vogue, a reporter for ABC News, talks with Jackie Judd about today’s arguments in Richmond.
Racial Labels Have Limited Use In Personalizing Medicine
Conventional race labels people use to identify themselves may not be all that useful for doctors looking for genetic risk patterns in diverse communities.
Medicare ‘Doc Fix’ Put on Life Support by AMA Lobby
The annual scramble to prevent next year’s scheduled pay cut for doctors who treat Medicare patients kicked off Thursday with physician leaders calling for a five-year program of guaranteed annual raises and a high-ranking House Republican calling for another short-term fix.
Documents: Proposed Health Insurance Coverage Labels
The new health law requires that health insurance providers make “coverage facts labels” available so that, beginning in March of 2012, consumers have pricing information to compare health insurance policies. A working group of state insurance regulators, industry representatives and consumer advocates drafted four proposal for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which is now seeking public comment. Two of the proposed labels are displayed below.
