Latest KFF Health News Stories
Kasich’s Public Medicaid Expansion Fracas Moves Into Its Second Day
The Ohio governor is engaged in a spat with The Associated Press after the news outlet published comments in which he said he didn’t think the health law would be repealed. He has since offered further explanation, saying that he doesn’t think the Medicaid expansion — which he views as separate from the overhaul — should be undone.
Viewpoints: Fund CHIP; Media Overdrive On Ebola; Slowdown In Medicare Costs
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Obamacare In The Midterm Campaign; Watching Ebola Mutate; Lessons On Dying
Each week, KHN finds interesting reads from around the web.
First Edition: October 22, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a new poll finding that that most likely voters expect GOP victories in November and that health care continues to be an important issue.
Kasich Retreats From Politically Charged Health Law Comments
After telling the Associated Press that he didn’t think a repeal of the health law was going to happen, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, took aggressive steps to attempt to correct the record. His statement, he said, was meant only about attempts to repeal the Medicaid expansion, which Ohio has implemented.
ACA Knowledge Gap Greatest Among Uninsured
Most of the uninsured know little about the online insurance marketplaces, or that financial help is available for those with low incomes, finds a poll. Meanwhile, a West Virginia Medicaid official says new enrollees “come in with baggage,” such as a history of using free drug samples that aren’t covered by the program and The Washington Post looks at continuing legal challenges to the law.
Few California Inmates With Hepatitis C Get Costly Sovaldi
The drug is being given to fewer than 1 percent of the 17,000 inmates with the virus in California prisons, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Meanwhile, a Senate Democrat plans a hearing on how VA hospitals are coping with its high cost.
Just In Time For Open Enrollment, A New Physician Rating Site
USA Today reports that the website uses about 500 million federal and private claims and patient reviews to rank doctors. Meanwhile, the failure of the $30 billion federal program to create interoperable electronic health record systems is examined by Politico.
Medicare, Health Care Getting Attention In Senate, Congressional Races
In Louisiana’s Senate race, Medicare is grabbing the spotlight. The powerful issue is also popping up in North Carolina and Iowa. Meanwhile, Michigan’s Senate race references to Medicare and the health law are checked for accuracy. And Obamacare is the subject of ads in an increasingly high-profile California House contest.
Medicaid Expansion, Health Exchanges Dominate Gubernatorial Debates
In Georgia, where a runoff is considered likely, Gov. Nathan Deal went on the offensive and criticized a third-party candidate’s support for expanding Medicaid. In Maryland, Republican candidate Larry Hogan slammed Democratic Lt. Governor Anthony Brown for his role in the state’s troubled health exchange launch.
State Highlights: Calif. Ballot Measure Updates; Va. Prison Health Care Budget Shortfall
A selection of health policy stories from California, Arizona, Maine, South Dakota, Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Washington state and Missouri.
Viewpoints: Health Care Opponent’s Legal Strategy; The Challenge For This Open Enrollment
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Views On Ebola: America Needs To ‘Calm Down’; Political Criticism Is Off Base
News outlets offer a variety of perspectives on the response to Ebola.
Hill Republicans Refine Their Strategy On Foreign Travelers As CDC Tightens Ebola Guidelines
The GOP is now pressing to suspend visas for some travelers since the administration has so far rejected calls for a flight ban. Also Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention beefed-up its guidelines to protect health care workers.
First Edition: October 21, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about health law positions taken by Republican governors — including Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
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Pentagon Plans 30-Person Team To Tackle Ebola In U.S.
The Department of Defense announced Sunday that it would create a medical team to assist U.S. doctors responding to new Ebola cases, while the government issued more stringent guidelines for protective garb for health care workers treating Ebola patients. In addition, The Wall Street Journal profiles a biologist who has been working since 1997 on an Ebola vaccine that has been proven to block the disease in monkeys.
Obama’s ‘Ebola Czar’ Pick Has Washington Know-How, Knows Less About Medicine
The White House announced Friday that Ron Klain, a veteran Washington adviser and Democratic strategist, will coordinate multi-agency strategy.
State Highlights: Mental Health Issues Put 34K On N.Y. No-Guns List
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Ohio, California, Tennessee, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Maryland.
Ebola Worries Renew Push For Surgeon General Pick
More than two dozen House Democrats have called on the Senate to confirm Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Obama administration’s pick for U.S. Surgeon General, so he could help lead the nation’s Ebola response. But Senate support remains shaky because of Murthy’s outspoken views on gun violence, which have drawn the wrath of the National Rifle Association.
