Latest KFF Health News Stories
Like Clockwork: How Daylight Saving Time Stumps Hospital Record-Keeping
One of the most popular electronic health records software systems used by hospitals, Epic Systems, can delete records or require cumbersome workarounds when clocks are set back for an hour, prompting many hospitals to opt for paper records for part of the night shift.
In California, Novel Initiatives Test Cities’ Power — And Will — To Tame Health Costs
Union-backed initiatives in Palo Alto and Livermore, Calif., aim to cap charges by hospitals and doctors, seeking to build on national furor over rising medical bills. The measures arise in health care markets that are among the most expensive in the nation.
Hospitales infantiles claman de nuevo por la ayuda de los votantes, pero ¿la necesitan?
A pesar de la naturaleza positiva de estos pedidos, algunos expertos en salud y analistas electorales cuestionan que los hospitales le pidan dinero tantas veces a los contribuyentes.
Children’s Hospitals Again Cry For Help From Voters. But Are They Really Hurting?
California’s 13 children’s hospitals are asking voters in November to approve $1.5 billion in bonds to help them pay for construction and equipment, the third such measure in 14 years. Some health care experts and election analysts believe the repeated financial requests aren’t justified.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
VA Adding Opioid Antidote To Defibrillator Cabinets For Quicker Overdose Response
A project that started in a Boston Veterans Affairs facility will soon go nationwide. It puts naloxone, also known as Narcan, into emergency supplies cabinets throughout the VA system.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Medicare alivia sanciones por readmisiones en centros con pacientes de bajos ingresos
Siguiendo órdenes del Congreso, Medicare está aliviando sus multas anuales por readmisión en cientos de hospitales que brindan servicios a residentes de bajos ingresos.
Medicare Eases Readmission Penalties Against Safety-Net Hospitals
Penalties will total $566 million for all hospitals. But many that serve a large share of low-income patients will lose less money than they did in previous years.
Putting Oversized Health Care Costs Upfront — On T-Shirts
The Maryland Health Care Commission has created a consumer education campaign that puts the costs of common health care procedures on a place where people might see them – T-shirts.
Senators Unveil Legislation To Protect Patients Against Surprise Medical Bills
The measure is designed to help people getting emergency care from hospitals or doctors that are not part of their insurance network.
Unwitting Patients, Copycat Comments Play Hidden Role In Federal Rule-Making
As HHS decided to cut $1.6 billion in drug payments to hospitals, it weighed thousands of comments generated by a pharmaceutical-funded advocacy group.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
As California Hospitals Sweep Up Physician Practices, Patients See Higher Bills
A Health Affairs study quantifies the financial effects of such mergers on consumers and their insurers. The hospital industry and doctor practices say the consolidation leads to better coordination of care.
Legisladores presionan para proteger a los pacientes y llevarle la contra a Trump
Los legisladores de California jugaron ataque y defensa este año en el tema de salud, promulgando proyectos para ampliar el acceso a la vez que desafiando a las normas de Trump.
Lawmakers Push To Protect Patients And Counter Trump
California legislators approved some significant health care proposals in their rush to meet the Friday end-of-session deadline. They tackled controversial topics, such as making abortion pills available on college campuses, and adopted measures countering Trump administration attacks on the Affordable Care Act.
Hospital baja cuenta de $109,000 a $332… ¿qué pasa con las facturas sorpresa?
El hospital St. David’s Medical Center, en Austin, Texas, bajó una cuenta médica drásticamente. ¿Por qué fue tan alta en principio? ¿Qué pasa con las cuentas sorpresa?
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
The $109K Heart Attack Bill Is Down To $332. What About Other Surprise Bills?
“I don’t feel any consumer should have to go through this,” says Drew Calver, who faced a life-changing surprise bill from an Austin hospital after a heart attack last year. After attention as a “Bill of the Month” patient, he paid the hospital $332. But he worries about other patients with surprise bills.
Watch: What Happened To That $109,000 Heart Attack
The story of a Texas teacher who faced a surprise “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary gets a surprise happy ending.
