Latest KFF Health News Stories
Mortgages For Expensive Health Care? Some Experts Think It Can Work.
An MIT economist and Harvard oncologist propose offering loans to patients to cover the cost of expensive, curative drugs, financed by private sector investment in loan securities.
Study: Primary Care Doctors Often Don’t Help Patients Manage Depression
Physicians were less likely to use “care management processes” with patients who have depression than with those who had other chronic conditions, the researchers found.
Debate Arises Over HHS Plans For Privacy Rules On Addiction Treatment
The current guidelines, last updated in 1987, require patients to specify exactly who gets information about their care. But advocates of change say the new rule will fit in better in the era of sharing patient data through electronic medical records.
Coinsurance Trend Means Seniors Likely To Face Higher Out-Of-Pocket Drug Costs, Report Says
More Medicare Part D drug plans are requiring coinsurance rather than copayments for more types of medications, making beneficiaries’ costs less predictable.
Should Federal Retirees Opt For Medicare?
When people retire from federal government jobs, they can keep their federal plan as primary coverage but may face penalties for late Medicare sign-ups later on.
Prevention Experts, Eye Doctors Disagree On Vision Tests For Seniors
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says there is not enough evidence to know whether vision screening given by primary care doctors benefits patients.
FAQ: What Are The Penalties For Not Getting Insurance?
A consumer’s guide to the tax penalties for not having insurance.
Report Details Senior Health Care That Misses The Mark
New research from the Dartmouth Atlas Project identifies areas where older patients get care that doesn’t meet guidelines or their own goals.
Consumer Choices Have Limited Impact On U.S. Health Care Spending: Study
An analysis from the Health Care Cost Institute finds that less than half of health care costs are for services considered “shoppable,” and consumers’ out-of-pocket spending on that is just 7 percent of all spending.
Majority Of Young Men Don’t Know About Emergency Contraception, Study Finds
The survey of 93 men, most of whom were sexually active, finds that 42 percent had heard of emergency contraception, or the morning-after pill.
As Rural Hospitals Struggle, Some Opt To Close Labor And Delivery Units
Facilities for delivering babies are costly to run and hard to staff, so some small, rural hospitals are closing them, forcing pregnant women to travel for care.
Urban Medicare Beneficiaries May See More Drug Savings This Year
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says access to special, lower-cost pharmacies has improved for Medicare beneficiaries in urban areas.
Delay Of New Health Law Forms May Confuse Some Taxpayers
Employers, insurers and government health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are required to send taxpayers a form showing whether they provided health care but the government has pushed back the deadline for the forms.
Top Hospitals Likely Are Available On A Marketplace Plan, Study Finds
Many of the hospitals can be found in network on at least one plan, but fewer are participating in more than that, according to the analysis.
A 401(k) Withdrawal Can Lead To Trouble For Health Plan Subsidies
The retirement savings are considered income, so an unexpected withdrawal may change the level of premium subsidies for which an individual qualifies.
Study: 29 Percent Of Colonoscopy Patients May Have Unneeded Pre-Screening Visits
Primary care doctors can do the initial screening and recommendations for a colonoscopy, the researchers write in JAMA.
N.Y., Minn. Opt For Low-Cost Plans To Help Some Residents Afford Coverage
Both states are offering “basic health programs” that provide policies to consumers with low monthly premiums and copayments, and low or no deductibles.
Federal Officials Clarify Rules On Getting New Health Coverage After A Move
The new rules should help make sure people understand when they are eligible for a special sign-up period if they move.
Consumers Cut Costs By Combining Limited Coverage Health Plans, Despite Penalty Risks
People sometimes put together a variety of policies, such as short-term and critical illness plans, instead of buying more expensive comprehensive health coverage. But they likely will face federal health law penalties.
New Federal Standards For Marketplace Plans May Reduce Out-Of-Pocket Spending
Officials have proposed establishing six options for the exchange plans that would set standard deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket spending limits, among other things.
