Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: GOP Pressure Point; Cut Coverage Costs For Young Adults; Insurance Merger Talks
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health care developments in South Dakota, Georgia, California, Mississippi, Minnesota, Washington, Louisiana, Indiana, Florida and Massachusetts.
Advocates Worry That Funding Boost For Kids’ Health May Be Used For Other Things
States are free to use the $5.6 billion increase for the Children’s Health Insurance Program over the next 11 years as they see fit, reports CQ Healthbeat. Meanwhile, a CDC advisory committee is expected to decide later this week whether to recommend a new vaccine for teenagers to prevent meningitis strain B.
IG: Fraud Continues To Be Big Issue For Medicare Drug Program
The Health and Human Services Department Inspector General issues critical reports following the recent arrests of 44 pharmacy owners, doctors and others for bilking the program. Meanwhile, traditional Medicare limits telemedicine coverage to certain rural areas despite the growing use of such services by commercial insurers.
Faced With Escalating Drug Prices, Oncologists Develop Formula For Weighing Value Of Cancer Care
A rush of new cancer medications are available, but some carry high costs while not offering much more time. The formula published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology aims to help doctors and patients assess factors such as benefits, side effects and cost when deciding between treatment options.
Anthem Presses Ahead In Pursuit Of Cigna Merger
Some news outlets report that Cigna is playing hard to get, while Anthem renewed its commitment to closing the deal. CEO Joseph Swedish went on the offensive Monday to rally support among Cigna shareholders and to rebut concerns about the industry’s growing trend toward consolidation, but some experts noted the combination would likely raise regulatory red flags.
Republicans Still Not Unified Over Repeal Strategies For Health Law
As they wait for a crucial Supreme Court ruling that could gut the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies, Republican lawmakers are hearing mixed messages from constituents on the next steps Congress should take. And internal debate within the party goes on over what parts of the law to target for repeal. Obamacare is not the only health legislation under consideration: Republican legislators are pushing measures to strip the FTC of some of its powers to block mergers — a change backed by the American Hospital Association — and limit the FDA’s ability to regulate e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Number Of Uninsured Dropped By 8.8M In Health Law’s First Year, Official Survey Finds
That decline was reported by the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, which is considered to be the gold standard by researchers. Black Americans under the age of 65 made the biggest gains, with uninsured rates falling by nearly a third from 18.9 percent to 13.5 percent.
