Latest KFF Health News Stories
Past-Due Premiums, Missing Tax Forms May Hamstring Marketplace Customers
People hoping to get federal subsidized marketplace coverage may need to make sure their 2017 premiums are paid and that they filed all the correct documents with their 2016 taxes.
Millennials Embrace Nursing Profession — Just In Time To Replace Baby Boomers
Nursing generally offers stable earnings and low unemployment, which likely sounds good to young adults who came of age during the Great Recession.
Enrollment News To Bank On: Obamacare Is Still Here So It’s Time For Coverage Checkup
Open enrollment for the federal health law’s marketplace plans begin Nov. 1. In most states, the sign-up period ends Dec. 15, about six weeks sooner than past years.
Want An IUD? Take Note Of Trump’s New Birth Control Policy.
Some employers may opt to claim a religious or moral exemption and women could have to pick up some of the cost of this expensive contraception option.
Social Security Giveth, Medical Costs Taketh Away
Out-of-pocket health costs eat up about 18 percent of retirees’ incomes.
Long-Term Disability Insurance Gets Little Attention But Can Pay Off Big Time
People who become disabled because of accident, injury or illness can turn to long-term disability insurance to pay a portion of their income.
Más pacientes del Medicaid y presos podrán tratarse con una droga contra la hepatitis C
El tratamiento con una droga aprobada por la Administración de Drogas y Alimentos cuesta menos y cura la hepatitis C en alrededor de dos meses. Pacientes vulnerables tendrían más acceso a esta terapia.
Hepatitis C Drug’s Lower Cost Paves Way For Medicaid, Prisons To Expand Treatment
The drug, sold under the name Mavyret, can cure all six genetic types of the liver disease in eight weeks at a cost of $26,400, well below other options.
Pocos se benefician con las nuevas drogas anti colesterol por el gran gasto de bolsillo
Una nueva generación de drogas podría ayudar a millones a bajar los niveles de colesterol malo. Pero el proceso para lograr una receta y el alto costo para el paciente están limitando su uso.
Out-Of-Pocket Costs Often Keep Pricey New Cholesterol Drugs Out Of Reach, Study Finds
Research published this week by JAMA Cardiology analyzed pharmacy claims data related to a new class of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Need An MRI? Anthem Directs Most Outpatients To Independent Centers
The insurer says hospital-based imaging services are too expensive and the independent facilities provide high-quality care.
Hay escasez de especialistas en salud mental en las redes de proveedores médicos
El porcentaje de psicólogos y psiquiatras en las redes de los planes médicos es mínimo comparado con otras especialidades. Expertos dicen que atenta contra la buena atención de las condiciones mentales.
Narrow Networks Get Even Tighter When Shopping For Mental Health Specialists
The average provider network includes only 11 percent of all the mental health care providers in a given market, according to a study this month in the journal Health Affairs.
Ante nuevos recortes, navegadores dicen que los federales no aprecian su trabajo
La administración Trump ha informado a organizaciones que se recortará el presupuesto para los navegadores, personas que ayudan con la inscripción en el mercado de seguros.
Bemoaning Budget Cuts, Navigators Say Feds Don’t Appreciate Scope Of The Job
The Trump administration has dramatically trimmed money for the groups that help people enroll in marketplace plans, but those navigators say federal officials have unrealistic assessments of the tasks involved.
Expertos elaboran nuevas recomendaciones para la detección del cáncer cervical
Un panel de expertos en prevención dice que las mujeres deberían alternar las pruebas de Papanicolau y VPH, en vez de hacerse las dos a la vez.
Prevention Experts Propose Easing Advice On Number Of Cervical Cancer Screenings
A draft recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says women between ages 30 and 65 should get a Pap test every three years or an HPV screening every five years, but they don’t need to do both.
If You’re Blindsided By Health Plan Changes, Learn The Root Causes — And Your Rights
Insurers can reduce benefits or change cost sharing, but they are generally supposed to tell enrollees about the change beforehand. And although plans must tell patients when they are denied coverage, sometimes treatment is affected for other reasons.
En la Clínica Mayo enseñan a controlar el dolor sin opioides
Un programa que ya ha cumplido 40 años ayuda a personas con dolor crónico a mejorar sus vidas sin tomar medicamentos que pueden ser adictivos.
Mayo Pain Expert: Holistic Approach Helps Patients Ditch Opioids
Painkillers were never designed to be used over the long term, says the head of the Mayo Clinic’s pain rehabilitation center. Instead, patients should try other approaches, including relaxation therapies. But getting insurers to cover them might take coaxing.
