Latest KFF Health News Stories
Plan-Switching, Sign-Up Impersonations: Obamacare Enrollment Fraud Persists
Investigators from the Government Accountability Office were able to register nearly 20 fake ACA enrollments in a probe of healthcare.gov. The federal government paid subsidies to insurers for some of the fake customers.
Private Equity Ownership of Nursing Homes Triggers Capitol Hill Questions — And a GAO Probe
In his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden decried these financial arrangements, which two members of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee had already asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate.
Mental Health Services Wane as Insurers Appear to Skirt Parity Rules During Pandemic
A report from the Government Accountability Office paints a picture of an already strained behavioral health system struggling after the pandemic struck to meet the treatment needs of millions of Americans with conditions like alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In Combating Surprise Bills, Lawmakers Miss Sky-High Air Ambulance Costs
The median cost of an air ambulance bill is more than $36,000 and seldom covered by insurance, sparking many consumer complaints. Yet none of the proposals introduced or circulating in Congress to fix surprise medical bills address these services.
Government Investigation Finds Flaws In the FDA’s Orphan Drug Program
A probe by the Government Accountability Office cites breakdowns in the Food and Drug Administration program that approves drugs for rare diseases.
Paper Jam: California’s Medicaid Program Hits ‘Print’ When The Feds Need Info
Amid the buzz over apps and electronic medical records rescuing modern medicine, California’s Medicaid program still clings to 1970s-era technology. A reboot may cost half a billion dollars.
Evaluations Of Medicaid Experiments By States, CMS Are Weak, GAO Says
States often get federal approval to test new approaches to improve Medicaid services or expand coverage. But the GAO study found that too often these efforts are not adequately evaluated or the results are not available in a timely manner.
Years After Silently Combating Sexual Trauma, Female Veterans Seek Help
Many women who served in the military decades ago were victims of sexual assaults but often felt compelled to keep quiet.
GAO To Launch Investigation Of FDA’s Orphan Drug Program
The Government Accountability Office said it will investigate potential abuses of the orphan drug program, which offers incentives to drugmakers to develop medicines for rare diseases.
Three Key Senators Ask GAO To Investigate Possible Abuses Of The Orphan Drug Act
Amid an uproar over high drug prices, three GOP senators are asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Orphan Drug Act is being abused.
VA Shifts To Clinical Pharmacists To Help Ease Patients’ Long Waits
Some Veterans Affairs’ hospitals are cutting vets’ long waits for outpatient care appointments by authorizing specially-trained pharmacists to treat certain patients with chronic care needs.
HHS Proposes To Streamline Medicare Appeals Process
The changes announced Tuesday seek to eliminate the backlog by 2021.
Hospital Care Unaffected By Quality Payments, GAO Finds
The Government Accountability Office found bonuses and penalties have been small, and hospital performance has been steady.
GAO: More Oversight Needed Over Medicare Advantage Provider Networks
Congressional watchdog says the government checks few health plans to ensure accurate provider listings and adequate access for seniors on Medicare Advantage.
