Latest KFF Health News Stories
Jindal Officially Joins The List Of 2016 GOP Presidential Hopefuls
News outlets report on the announcement of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s candidacy while also noting that three other Republican governors — New Jersey’s Chris Christie, Ohio’s John Kasich and Wisconsin’s Scott Walker — remain undeclared.
High Court Decision Could Be Wild Card For GOP Presidential Field In 2016 Primary Campaign
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, one likely GOP presidential candidate, is on record saying that if the Supreme Court overturns the use of subsidies in those states that use healthcare.gov, a fix would be the responsibility of the White House and Congress. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he would not extend the subsidies.
Republicans Criticize CBO Numbers On Repealing Obamacare
The analysis by the Congressional Budget Office says repealing the health law would increase budget deficits by $137 billion over 10 years. Elsewhere, a House committee advances, for the first time in six years, a bill to fund the Department of Health and Human Services.
Gauging Whether The Health Law’s Subsidies Have Succeeded
The New York Times assesses the track record. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal profiles Americans who prefer to go without health insurance and explores their rationales.
Public Opinion Of Obamacare Remains Sharply Divided In Latest Poll
In a new NBC-Wall Street Journal survey, 48 percent said the health law is either working well or only needs minor improvements, while 50 percent said it needs a major overhaul or should be eliminated. Ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision on the law’s health insurance subsidies, those polled were also divided on the political leanings of the justices, with 39 percent believing the court is too liberal, 38 percent saying it’s too conservative and 6 percent saying it’s “about right.”
A Decision Upending Subsidies Could Undermine The Health Industry’s Agenda
Media coverage in advance of the Supreme Court’s decision in King v. Burwell examines a variety of ways in which the ruling will make an impact.
Best For Last: Supreme Court Will Rule On Six Highly Anticipated Cases By Monday
It’s not just King v. Burwell that court watchers are awaiting: Big issues remaining on the docket are gay marriage, execution methods, power-plant emissions, housing discrimination and congressional redistricting. The justices will hand down decisions Thursday, Friday and Monday before the end of the term.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Public’s Ambivalence On Health Law; Texas Gov. Abbott Urges ‘Just Say No’
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health care developments in North Carolina, California, Alabama, Iowa, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and New York.
Appeals Court Rejects Challenge To Birth Control Coverage Mandate
The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employers cover contraceptives or allow them to be provided through a third party does not violate the religious freedom of church-based organizations in Texas, a U.S. appeals court panel has ruled. Meanwhile, abortion providers ask the court to issue a stay on Texas’ new abortion law while they appeal.
Marrying Health Care Cost Control Measures With Quality Improvements Raises Challenges
Modern Healthcare reports on the upsides, and potential downsides, of increased price transparency for consumers trying to make medical decisions. And Marketplace looks at efforts in Oregon to pair sicker and more expensive patients with social services to provide personalized medicine.
Fitness Trackers, Wellness Programs Get New Scrutiny
Evidence that people get healthier when using fitness trackers is limited because studies have mostly been small or focused on specific groups. Meanwhile, the government agency charged with protecting workers from discrimination writes a proposed regulation for wellness programs that attempts to strike a balance between employers who want to use financial incentives to drive participation and consumer advocates who see penalties as coercive.
Medicare Part B Still A Target For Fraud, Federal Watchdog Says
Two reports from the HHS Office of the Inspector General highlight the program’s questionable billing patterns and urge the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to do more to protect Medicare Part B.
Bobby Jindal Set To Reveal 2016 Plans Against Backdrop Of King V. Burwell Dilemma
The Louisiana governor will announce Wednesday whether he will jump into the crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls. He is one of four GOP governors with White House aspirations who face a tough choice if the Supreme Court invalidates health law subsidies in their states — allow millions of residents to lose coverage or face the political fallout from reversing course and setting up a state exchange.
Defying Veto Threat, House Votes To Repeal Medicare Cost-Cutting Board
Taking its latest swipe at the Affordable Care Act, the Republican-controlled House voted to repeal a cost-cutting panel authorized to recommend Medicare cuts if spending rises above a certain threshold. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, proposed bills that would cut funding for community health centers, among other things, while boosting the budget of the National Institutes of Health.
As GOP Struggles To Settle On Subsidy Plan, Dems Say They Will Be Ready To Act Quickly
If the Supreme Court rules to invalidate the use of health law’s subsidies on the federal exchange, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have ideas about what action should follow.
First Full Year Of Health Law Brought Sharpest Drop In Uninsured Rate
The uninsured rate among adults under 65 dropped from 20.4 percent in 2013 to 16.3 percent in 2014 — the biggest drop recorded in the CDC’s annual National Health Interview Survey since it began publishing the report in 1997. The survey reported that Texas remains the state with the highest rate of uninsured adults — with a decline of 2.7 percentage points to 25.7 percent in 2014.
Florida, Obama Administration Reach Agreement On Funding For Hospitals
The “agreement in principle” will give $1 billion in funding for Florida hospitals that provide care to large numbers of uninsured patients. The federal government has cut its contributions to the funding for hospitals prompting a lawsuit by Gov. Rick Scott and a divisive argument in the state legislature over expanding Medicaid.
Hospitals Could Face Financial Strain If The Supreme Court Upends Key Part Of Health Law
A decision by the justices to throw out subsidies in the three dozen states that chose to use healthcare.gov instead of establishing their own marketplace could shift more uncompensated care costs to hospitals. Meanwhile, news outlets also estimate how many people within certain states might lose their subsidies.
