Latest KFF Health News Stories
Research Roundup: Making Sense (Or Not) Of Health Insurance
This week’s studies come from The Journal of Health Economics, The Kaiser Family Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and news outlets.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about today’s health law repeal vote in the House. It comes just as lawmakers prepare to leave for the August break.
Health Costs Are Still Tame, Insurer Results Show
Some give all the credit to Obamacare. Others cite the poor economy or employers forcing workers to bear more of the cost of their medical expenses. Whatever the reason, health-cost increases stayed tame through the first half of the year, insurers say.
Obama Seeks To Calm ‘Jittery Democrats’ On Health Law Rollout
Meanwhile, senior GOP leaders plan more votes to chip away at Obamacare, in part to dissuade their rank and file from demanding a government shutdown this fall unless the health law is defunded.
Targeting The Health Law’s Enrollment Message
Though some view it as a difficult sell, new advertising from the 17 states that are setting up health insurance marketplaces tends to be upbeat and positive. First Lady Michelle Obama is also pitching in on efforts to reach very specific populations.
With The Weight Of The Employer Mandate Temporarily Gone, Small Businesses Are Eyeing Expansion
The Wall Street Journal reports on how the employer mandate delay is impacting small business hiring patterns.
For States, ‘Churn’ Is A Matter Of Concern
California Healthline reports on how life events can cause individuals’ incomes to change enough that it will also impact whether they qualify for subsidies to shop for insurance on the state’s health exchange, or whether they should apply for Medicaid. It’s an issue on which states are beginning to focus.
Lawsuit Alleges Hospital Operators Paid Kickbacks, Defrauded Medicaid
A whistleblower says two hospital operators paid clinics to direct to their hospitals pregnant mothers living in the U.S. illegally.
State Highlights: Brooklyn Hospital Files For Bankruptcy, Plans To Close
A selection of health policy stories from New York, North Dakota, Texas, Minnesota and California.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
SGR Repeal Measure Moves To Full House Consideration
Some medical societies, which support repealing Medicare’s Sustainable Growth Rate formula, are expressing concern that a bill won’t be signed into law before a scheduled 25 percent reduction in Medicare physician payment takes effect. Meanwhile, members of the Senate Finance Committee are working on their own plan.
ACA Provision Regarding Hill Staffers’ Health Insurance Triggers Debate, Action
Under the law, members of Congress and some of their aides may have to pay more for their health coverage and buy it from new online health insurance marketplaces — a reality that is triggering strong reactions on Capitol Hill.
Longer Looks: Mayo’s Demands; Posting Hospital Prices
This week’s articles come from The New Republic, The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a number of reports about the political positioning surrounding the health law.
CBO: Employer Mandate Delay Estimated To Cost The Feds $12 Billion
The amount represents lost tax revenue and additional costs. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office noted that about one million fewer people will get insurance from their employers in 2014 as a result. Many of them will turn to the new online insurance marketplace or Medicaid for coverage.
Push To Defund Health Law Triggering Fault Lines Among Republicans
The effort is gaining momentum among tea-party supporters and their Capitol Hill advocates, but some moderate GOP senators are taking a very different view.
Data Hub Will Be Key To Health Law But Also Raises Privacy Concerns
Bloomberg examines the complications involved in building the hub that will connect the databases of seven federal agencies.
Parsing Public Opinion About Obamacare — And GOP Repeal Efforts
The Washington Post’s Fact Checker finds a recent Obamacare poll by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented data “in a highly misleading way,” while a memo by President Barack Obama’s pollster asserts that GOP efforts to repeal the health law have the support of only about half of GOP voters.
Ga. Seeks Delay For Approving Health Exchanges’ Proposed Rates
The state insurance commissioner cited “massive rate increases” in the prosals from seven insurers seeking do business on these online insurance marketplaces.
Ohio Lawmaker Introduces Medicaid Expansion Bill
A Democratic state senator in Ohio introduces a Medicaid expansion bill. In Michigan, a committee vote on the expansion there could come Wednesday. Elsewhere, New Hampshire and Wisconsin also consider the expansion.
