Latest KFF Health News Stories
Incentive Worth $550 Fails To Motivate Obese Workers To Lose Weight
Obese employees at the University of Pennsylvania were promised an insurance premium discount valued at $550 if they lost 5 percent of their weight, but the incentive failed.
Hands Off That Frozen Pizza! Docs Advise Customers As They Shop
An Orange County, California hospital system is posting doctors at supermarkets to help customers make healthier choices. It’s part of a larger national effort among hospitals to improve community health outcomes.
Baby Boomers Set Another Trend: More Golden Years In Poorer Health
Medicare faces sharp cost increases as more baby boomers reach 65, and their life expectancies grow, as well as their chronic conditions, say researchers at the University of Southern California.
Rising Obesity Puts Strain On Nursing Homes
Residences for older adults are increasingly overwhelmed, and unprepared, for huge patients, and facilities rarely accept more than a few.
New Guidelines Boost Diabetes Screening For Overweight Adults
The prevention task force also recommends that patients with high blood sugar levels be referred to nutrition and exercise counseling. Under the health law, the services would be covered by insurance without cost sharing.
Sweet Name Of Kids’ Clinic Gives Some People Heartburn
The Krispy Kreme Challenge Children’s Specialty Clinic gets its name from a student-run charity race in Raleigh, N.C., that has already raised $1 million for kids. Still, some find the name unhealthy.
Using A Weight-Loss App? Study Says It Doesn’t Help Much
Duke University researchers wanted to see if a smartphone weight-loss app would help tech-savvy young adults lose more weight. It didn’t.
Cost Of Diabetes Drugs Often Overlooked, But It Shouldn’t Be
Much of the recent debate about drug costs has centered on high-priced specialty drugs, such as those to cure hepatitis C. But millions more people have diabetes and their drugs are also expensive.
Obesity Trends Still On The Rise, But Intervention Is Possible, Study Finds
Strategies have been identified to address this trend, but they need to be considered a public health priority.
The Extra Cost Of Extra Weight For Older Adults
Obese people are far more likely to become disabled as they age, and researchers say this burgeoning demographic will strain hospitals and nursing homes.
Few Seniors Benefiting From Medicare Obesity Counseling
A little known part of Obamacare pays primary care doctors to help overweight seniors drop pounds and improve their health. So why aren’t more seniors taking advantage of the free benefit?
Surprise! The Taco Truck Is On Your Diet
The lunch truck menu is known more for grease and starch than leafy greens. But researchers in Los Angeles County say adding more nutritious options to the menu is one step toward reducing obesity.
Many Insurers Do Not Cover Drugs Approved To Help People Lose Weight
Despite the increasing efforts to fight the obesity epidemic and the approval of four new weight-loss medications, Medicare and many private plans are reluctant to pay for the medicines because of serious safety problems with other drugs in the past.
Researchers Campaign Against Americans’ Sweet Tooth With Public Health Initiative
The Sugar Science webpage spells out dangers from average consumption of sugar, including increased risks of diabetes, heart disease and liver problems.
Seniors’ Obesity-Counseling Benefit Goes Largely Unused
Experts say low reimbursements and restrictions on providers have hampered the Medicare program.
Soda Tax Succeeds In Berkeley, Fizzles In San Francisco
The nation’s first tax on sugary drinks aims to combat obesity and diabetes, with a penny-per-ounce levy.
Soda Makers Battle Proposed Taxes In Berkeley, San Francisco
Voters could impose a penny per ounce tax on sugary drinks in Berkeley and a two-cent per ounce tax in San Francisco. Research shows that when soda prices go up, people drink less.
For Formerly Obese, Stigma Remains Even After Weight Is Lost
People who have lost significant weight are uneasy about how much to reveal in online dating profiles, and research shows they have good reason to be.
Michigan To Reward Medicaid Enrollees Who Take ‘Personal Responsibility’
The state is among the first to use financial incentives to encourage enrollees to boost their health.
Obesity Rate Flat For First Time In Decades, Health Rankings Find
An annual state-by-state survey says the country is making good progress in improving its overall health — including a flat obesity rate and a lower rate of smoking. But individual states, especially in the South, continue to lag. The 2013 edition of “America’s Health Rankings” by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and […]
