Latest KFF Health News Stories
Wis. Says It Needs $760M For Medicaid Over Next Two Years
The state was already projected to have a budget gap of $1.8 billion. Elsewhere, North Carolina plans a Medicaid reorganization.
Viewpoints: Election Victory Could Bring Difficult Decisions For GOP; Burwell ‘Presses Reset’
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Coordination Pays Off For About A Quarter Of ACOs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported that 64 of 243 accountable care organizations — a new health care delivery model created by the health law — earned bonuses by saving the Medicare program money. Four ACOs overspent and now owe the government money.
First Edition: September 17, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the Government Accountability Office has raised questions about the possible security risks associated with Healthcare.gov.
Missing Paperwork Puts At Risk Coverage For Tens Of Thousands
According to the Obama administration, as many as 115,000 people could lose the new insurance they obtained under the health law because they did not prove they were legal immigrants or U.S. citizens who were eligible for that coverage. Another 363,000 people must submit documentation to verify their incomes by Sept. 30 or lose their subsidies. These two numbers combined represent about 10 percent of the people who signed up through the online insurance marketplaces.
Survey: Number Of Uninsured Dropped 3.8 Million During 2014’s First Quarter
The survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may not reflect the late surge in enrollment before the health law’s March deadline and will likely draw criticism from health law supporters and critics alike. It also tracked physical health.
Humana Announces New Buyback Program
The Wall Street Journal reports on this market development.
GOP Accuses VA Of Interfering With Report On Deaths
Meanwhile, the health-tracking device company Fitbit hires a D.C. lobbying firm to deal with privacy questions from lawmakers.
More Doctors Optimistic About Future Of Medicine
Family doctors are also pushing to change how the nation pays for medical education and are proposing shifting training funds away from hospitals for residencies.
Viewpoints: New Uninsured Numbers Are Outdated; Chiropractors’ Unusual Move Into Nutrition
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Covered California Unveils Ad Campaign, Awards $14.6M For Outreach
And new enrollment numbers for that state show a growing individual insurance market, officials said. Meanwhile, a Nebraska woman recounts her experience as a navigator, and Oregon officials say a tax credit error will affect fewer people than expected.
GAO: Many Insurers Flout Health Law’s Abortion Rule
A report by the Government Accountability Office found many examples of insurance plans not complying with the health law’s requirement that they separately itemize a charge for coverage of elective abortion on enrollees’ bills. The agreement that no federal funds go to pay for elective abortions was the basis of a political compromise that allowed the health law to pass in 2010.
State Highlights: N.Y. Sues Drugmaker Over Alzheimer’s Drug Switch
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Arizona, Texas, California, Florida, Maine, Georgia and Oregon.
First Edition: September 16, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the number of people who will lose their new Obamacare insurance because they failed to prove they were U.S. citizens or legal immigrants who were eligible for coverage.
Advocates To Refine Health Enrollment Message
When sign-ups begin in November, advocates and those giving enrollment assistance will use lessons from last fall to help attract new customers and help those re-enrolling. Also, several news outlets look at the challenges for consumers.
Obamacare Boosts Bottom Lines Of Washington Hospitals
Hospitals attribute the 30 percent reduction in uncompensated care to the expansion of Medicaid and private coverage under the federal health law. Meanwhile, insurers are pushing back against a wave of hospital mergers nationwide.
Study: Subsidy Quirk Means Young People Pay More For Bronze Plans
How the government calculates insurance subsidies makes the cheapest bronze plans more costly for young people relative to those aged 54 to 64, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. Meanwhile, Oregon budgets $2 million for a lawsuit fight with Oracle over its health insurance marketplace.
Can Cancer Early Detection Be A ‘Double-Edged Sword’?
The Wall Street Journal reports on an emerging discussion about cancer early detection and overdiagnosis.
Gilead To Boost Price Of New Hepatitis C Drug
Gilead Sciences says its next generation drug to combat hepatitis C, slated to launch next month, will be more expensive than $1,000-a-pill Sovaldi, in part because the new treatment will be shorter and simpler. Gilead also struck a deal with Indian generic drugmakers to sell lower-cost versions of Sovaldi in poor countries.
GOP Senate May Not Be Able To Repeal Health Law, But It Could Cripple Key Provisions
News outlets examine what the future could hold for the health law especially as the Senate increasingly appears to be within GOP reach.
