Latest KFF Health News Stories
Report: Best Practices Saving Lives, Hospitals Money
In the meantime, patients sharing their appointments with other patients — group doctor visits — gains popularity.
Investor Group To Buy Claims Manager For $4.4B
MultiPlan processes 40 million health insurance claims annually.
Ahead Of Nov. Elections, Hill GOP Shelves ‘Big-Ticket’ Legislation
Party leaders are focusing on calming their divided ranks, The Washington Post reports.
Moving Deadlines Is ‘Wrong Way’ To Fix Health Law; Expand Medicaid To Close ‘Racial’ Health Gap
Commentators assess the health law and its implementation.
Have Questions About New Health Coverage? Here Are Some Answers
News outlets offer tips and answers for consumers who are trying to understand the health insurance they now have as a result of the health law.
State Highlights: Ohio Gov.’s Evolving Stances; Conn. Social Services Woes
A selection of health policy stories from Ohio, Connecticut, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, California, New York, Oklahoma, Washington, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Georgia.
Viewpoints: Refusing A Mammogram; Video Monitoring In Hospitals; Peril Of Low-T Marketing
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Democratic Party Strategists Formulate Health Law Plan For Campaign Season
The party is seeking to neutralize GOP candidates’ ability to use the health overhaul to their advantage.
First Edition: February 18, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports designed to answer specific questions about insurance coverage and access to care.
The Obese, People With AIDS Encounter Coverage Gaps
Many plans sold through the health law’s marketplaces don’t cover weight loss surgery, and none in Louisiana are accepting payments from a federal program intended to help people with HIV/AIDS. The New York Times explores who benefits from the latest employer mandate extension, and Kaiser Health News answers a question about the health law’s impact on a person covered by COBRA.
Research Roundup: Examining Readmissions; Easing Doctor Burnout
This week’s briefs and studies come from Avalere Health, Health Affairs, JAMA, JAMA Surgery, JAMA Pediatrics, The Employee Benefit Research Institute, JAMA Internal Medicine, The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Urban Institute.
More Doctors Move To Salaried Jobs
Both primary care physicians and specialist doctors are increasingly taking salaried jobs instead of maintaining their own practice.
GOP Lawmakers Seek Probes Of State Health Insurance Exchanges
In separate requests, Republican congressmen have sought federal investigations into the tens of millions of dollars that Maryland and Oregon spent to build online insurance exchanges that are still riddled with problems.
Some States Beating Others To Health Law Enrollment Punch
News outlets take closer looks at the Obama administration’s health law enrollment figures and find that some states are outpacing others. Marketplace problems that persist in some states are also examined.
N.Y., Federal Officials Reach Tentative Accord On More Medicaid Funding
The agreement would add $8 billion to help the state reconfigure its health insurance program for low-income residents and aid some struggling hospitals.
Finding The Meaning Behind New Obamacare Enrollment Numbers
As the president renews his call for people — especially African Americans and Latinos — to enroll for insurance coverage, news outlets detail what is actually known about who has already signed up.
Highlights: N.D. Hospital And Abortion Docs; Calif. Sugary Beverage Bill
A selection of health policy stories from North Dakota, California, Texas, Oregon, Wisconsin, Washington state, Florida, Virginia and Georgia.
Some Having Luck With Healthcare.gov, But Others Remain Stuck
Quiet fixes to healthcare.gov are helping some shoppers on the troubled website, but some still remain without insurance coverage. In the meantime, insurers are skeptical the latest marketplace enrollment numbers are cause for health law optimism.
House GOP Attacks Obama On Medicare Advantage Cuts
The letter from the Republican leadership team is a sign the GOP will seize on the cuts and blame the administration, betting the issue will help the party in the midterm elections.
‘Copper’ Plans? A Push For New, Lower-Premium Coverage
Some health law proponents are urging officials to create “copper” plans that offer lower deductibles, but higher out-of-pocket costs than the health law’s gold, silver and bronze plans. In the meantime, the Office of Management and Budget is reviewing a rule that would allow states to create alternatives to the law’s insurance marketplace for low-income people.
