Latest KFF Health News Stories
Court Grants HHS Time To Release Pregnant Girl So She Can Obtain An Abortion Outside Its Custody
The court blocked an earlier ruling to allow the girl to get an abortion immediately. Now the government has 11 days to release the girl into outside custody, or the matter will return to the courts.
Trump’s Promise Of Inexpensive Health Plans Comes With A Dark Underbelly
The plans President Donald Trump is touting have a long history of vulnerabilities to fraud and abuse. The problems are described in dozens of court cases and enforcement actions taken over more than a decade by federal and state officials who regulate those types of plans. Meanwhile, the case against Trump’s move to cut off subsidies goes to court on Monday.
Change In Auto-Enrollment Policy May Trap Millions Of Consumers Into Plans They Don’t Want
Under the Obama administration, consumers were auto-enrolled in their plans, but then sent a notice that they can and should shop around for better or cheaper coverage. This year, the auto-enrollment process won’t happen until it’s too late to make a change. Meanwhile, groups are launching outreach efforts as open enrollment season nears.
IRS Will Enforce Health Coverage Requirement Under ACA
Despite the individual mandate being a primary target for Republicans, the Trump administration says it will reject tax returns that do not have complete information about health care coverage filled in. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers are trying to weaken the mandate through legislation.
McConnell Open To Vote On Health Plan, But Says ‘We Need A Bill The President Will Actually Sign’
Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) introduced legislation last week to stabilize the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces, but despite support from a large number of lawmakers, President Donald Trump has run hot and cold on the measure.
First Edition: October 23, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Doctors Facing Racism In The Exam Room; Medication’s Role In Curbing Addiction
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Opinion writers offer their thoughts on the outlook for the Obamacare fix advanced by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) as well as on President Donald Trump’s recent executive order loosening some restrictions on health insurance and how Medicare prices can help advance efforts at reform.
Research Roundup: Hospital Readmissions; HPV Vaccine; Housing And Asthma
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas, New Hampshire, Kansas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia and Ohio.
Pollution Kills More People Than AIDS, Tuberculosis And Malaria Combined
A recent study has found just how dangerous pollution is to the world’s health. In other public health news: high blood pressure, obesity and cholesterol, tobacco, adult-onset ADHD, broken hearts and concussions.
Prices For Cancer Drugs Creeping Up Much Higher Than Inflation Warrants
“Some [increases] exceeded inflation drastically and some increased at a slower rate,” said Dr. Daniel Goldstein, the author of the study. “But overall, we’re seeing a gradual creep each year.”
As Medicaid Enrollment Stabilizes, States Seeing Modest Rise In Spending
The Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey of 50 states looks at changes expected in Medicaid programs. In other Medicaid news, Pennsylvania’s governor vetoes a bill that would impose work requirements for enrollees, Louisiana lawmakers weigh new contracts for managed care companies and New Hampshire approves coverage of gender reassignment surgeries.
Medicare Agency May Have ‘Overcorrected’ When Canceling Cardiac Pay Models
Also in the news from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the agency will begin evaluating some of the changes put in place by MACRA to reduce Medicare spending.
Court Of Appeals Stays Ruling To Allow Undocumented Girl’s Abortion; Hearing Set For Friday
The court did, however, allow for the girl to see a counselor — which Texas law requires before obtaining an abortion. If the stay is lifted, she could decide to seek the procedure later today or tomorrow.
In Mostly Symbolic Gesture, Democrats Introduce Bill To Stop Rollback Of Contraception Mandate
“President Trump wants to make birth control about ideology, but let’s be clear: for women and their families in the 21st century, birth control is about being healthy and financially secure,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
Forget Political Upheaval: For Insurers ‘Job No. 1’ Is Easing Confusion For Consumers
As uncertainty reigns in Washington, D.C., insurers are more focused on the rest of America and making sure people know what to do when enrollment kicks off. In other marketplace news: middle-class Americans are upset about insurer subsidies being cut off; a look at the way this enrollment season will be different; uninsured numbers are expected to rise; and more.
“They are not ready for this,” a public health advocate said of an emergency declaration after talking to Health and Human Services officials enlisted in the effort. Meanwhile, states have been quietly taking matters into their own hands.
Trump’s Support Contingent On Deal Including ACA Rollbacks, White House Says
Many of the changes President Donald Trump wants to see in the legislation are ones that couldn’t get through Congress this summer.
‘Do The Math, Baby’: Senators Seem To Have Secured 60 Votes For Bipartisan Health Bill
Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have an unusually high number of sponsors on their legislation — 12 lawmakers from each party — and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promises that every Democrat will vote for it, meaning it seems to have the 60 votes necessary to overcome a fillibuster.
