Latest KFF Health News Stories
Alaska Gov. Hints At Veto Of Medicaid Reform Bill That Fails To Expand The Program
Gov. Bill Walker says expansion and reform of Medicaid should be done at the same time, while legislators appear to be sidestepping bills to expand the health care program for low-income residents. Also, a bipartisan group of South Carolina state senators is expected to introduce an expansion plan. The issue is also making news in North Carolina, Nebraska and Tennessee.
Rubio’s 2016 Platform Would Give States More Control Over Health Programs
Meanwhile, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, is looking more and more like a White House candidate from his public appearances.
Medicare ‘Doc Fix’ Gaining Senate Momentum
Senators are working on a deal to curb the number of amendments each party would be allowed to offer to the Sustainable Growth Rate repeal measure. This bill is one of the big-ticket items on the post-recess congressional agenda.
As Congress Sets To Work On Budget Plans, Report Shows Deficit Widens Slightly
News outlets report that, based on a report from the Treasury Department, the budget deficit has grown slightly, ending a run of sustained declines. Meanwhile, GOP negotiators from the House and Senate are set to wrangle over differences in the budget blueprints.
Prescription Spending Jumps 13 Percent Due To Costly Drugs, Newly Insured
Millions of additional Medicaid enrollees and the introduction of innovative but pricey drugs for hepatitis C helped drive prescription drug spending to a record $374 billion in 2014, according to a report by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: FDA Conflicts Of Interest; Sugar Lobby Sweetens Or Sours Its Case; Women’s Heart Disease
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets offer articles on health care issues from Texas, California, D.C., Indiana, Washington, North Carolina, Minnesota, Maryland and Wyoming.
Army Overhauls Mental Health Services
And a year after the VA scandal became public, veterans report some improvements but say the agency continues to struggle with a corrupt bureaucracy. Meanwhile, a supervisor at an Indiana facility resigns after sending an email that appeared to mock veteran suicides.
Mammogram Follow-Up Leads To More Tests, Costs
In related news, as more patients ask for genetic testing to determine their hereditary risk of breast and ovarian cancer — sometimes called the “Angelina Effect” — some insurers are declining to pay.
Low Wages Cost Taxpayers As Assistance Programs Make Up Difference, Study Shows
Nearly three-quarters of the people helped by programs geared to the poor, like food stamps or Medicaid, are members of a family headed by a worker, according to a new study. Meanwhile, another report demonstrates the link between health and income, all the way up the economic pyramid.
Many Best-Performing Stock Funds Can Credit Success To Health Care Industry
The latest news coverage of the marketplace includes the continuing strength of health-care stocks, Inova Health System’s investment in financial analysts, the growing number of hospitals relocating to wealthier ZIP codes and KPMG’s acquisition of Beacon Partners.
Medicare Advantage Enrollment Continues To Climb Despite Insurers’ Complaints
Consumers flock to the programs because of the broad benefit packages and affordable premiums, reports Modern Healthcare. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania officials threaten action to protect Medicare Advantage enrollees caught in a spat between UPMC and Highmark and a draft rule would give Medicare providers greater flexibility to show they are using digital records.
Appeals Court Blocks Missouri Law Limiting Health Insurance Navigators
A federal appeals court struck down parts of the state law that restricted the ways in which navigators can help consumers obtain insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Health law supporters hope the decision has a ripple effect on other states with similar laws.
Montana Bucks GOP Opposition As House Gives Final OK To Medicaid Expansion Bill
The bill faces one more vote in the state Senate and is then expected to go to the governor. But a measure in Florida appears headed for a tough couple of weeks before the legislature. Also in the news, The Wall Street Journal examines the issue of how states recover assets from the estates of people who have been on Medicaid.
Uninsured Rate Drops To 11.9%, Poll Finds
The Gallup-Healthways survey found this to be the lowest number since it began tracking the rate in 2008. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on health law issues including how small businesses are just beginning to absorb the impact of some of the health law’s changes; how Olympic athletes’ coverage may not meet the health law’s standards; and how one congressman, based on fact-checking, may be way off on his estimate of the law’s bottom line.
Last-Minute Senate Skirmishes Could Cause Setbacks For Easy Passage Of The ‘Doc Fix’
One of the main objections is from conservatives who are concerned that the measure’s $214 billion cost is not fully paid for.
Congress Returns To Take Up Medicare Reimbursements, Lynch Confirmation
The Associated Press notes that efforts to repeal the health law also play into the current congressional landscape.
As Tax Day Nears, States Point To Special Sign-Up Period To Avoid Future Insurance Penalities
Though Wednesday is the day of reckoning for 2014 federal taxes, various states have been holding special enrollment periods for people who realize the cost of not having insurance in 2014 and want to take steps to avert an even more costly repeat in 2015.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
