Consumer Group: Many Lawmakers Opposing Medicare Change Got Drugmakers’ Contributions
July 11, 2016
Morning Briefing
Public Citizen reports that 310 lawmakers who were critical of a proposal to change how doctors were paid for Medicare Part B drugs received a total of more than $7.2 million from pharmaceutical and health products companies for their 2016 campaigns.
Selling The Health Benefits Of Tap Water, In An Age Of Flint
By John Daley, Colorado Public Radio
February 18, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Public health officials in Colorado are battling a stigma against drinking tap water, especially in some Latino communities.
New Guidelines Boost Diabetes Screening For Overweight Adults
By Michelle Andrews
December 4, 2015
KFF Health News Original
The prevention task force also recommends that patients with high blood sugar levels be referred to nutrition and exercise counseling. Under the health law, the services would be covered by insurance without cost sharing.
Premiums For Key Marketplace Silver Plans Rising An Average Of 7.5 Percent, HHS Says
By Mary Agnes Carey and Jordan Rau
October 27, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Federal officials say tax credits will blunt the impact of price increases in 2016 for most consumers buying the second-lowest silver health plan in 37 states.
Candidates’ Drug-Price Plans May Miss The Mark
By Julie Rovner
February 25, 2016
KFF Health News Original
There is more than one reason prices are rising, and no single solution.
Good News, Bad News In Medicare Trustees Report
By Phil Galewitz
July 23, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Trust fund solvent until 2030, but some seniors may see a big spike in Part B premiums.
Envision Healthcare, AmSurg Merger Would Create $10B Company
June 16, 2016
Morning Briefing
The all-stock deal would blend the physician-staffing business with more than 250 ambulatory surgery centers.
House Passes $1.1B Zika Bill That’s Likely To Fail In Senate
June 23, 2016
Morning Briefing
Democrats strongly oppose parts of the package, which include provisions regarding the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood and pesticides — and they have promised to filibuster it to death in the Senate. The House immediately adjourned for recess following the vote, leaving behind any chance to resolve the funding dispute before the holiday.
Will Healthcare.gov Get A California Makeover?
By Pauline Bartolone
February 29, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Feds propose taking a page out of Covered California’s book and moving to a simplified health insurance marketplace.
At Clinic, Poverty Magnifies Health Problems
By Lauren Burns, Capital News Service
February 16, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Staff see high rates of chronic illness and mental health issues related to trauma.
Doctors, Hospitals Received $6.49B From Pharmaceutical Industry, Device Makers Last Year
July 1, 2016
Morning Briefing
Physicians and teaching hospitals in the U.S. took in fees, educational services, meals and other services worth billions, according to required annual disclosures available through a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ database. Nearly 2.3 percent of the transactions between doctors and drugmakers were related to opioids.
Medicaid To Fund More Addiction Treatment
By Ben Allen, WITF
January 7, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Some Medicaid plans will now get federal funding for 15 days of inpatient treatment. But Pennsylvania fears the new rule will close a loophole the state has been using to pay for longer stints.
Buying Supplemental Insurance Can Be Hard For Younger Medicare Beneficiaries
By Susan Jaffe
February 3, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Congress left it to states to determine whether private Medigap plans are sold to the more than 9 million disabled people younger than 65 who qualify for Medicare. The result: rules vary across the country.
Want Into A Clinical Trial? Read This First.
By Emily Bazar
January 20, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Experimental drugs might help desperate patients, but don’t count on an easy cure.
Study Raises Autism Concerns For Pregnant Women Regarding Prenatal Vitamins
May 13, 2016
Morning Briefing
Evidence linking excess folate and vitamin B12 on the one hand and autism on the other “is extremely premature,” researchers say. Meanwhile, The Orlando Sentinel reports on a bilingual autism therapy center started by a grandmother.
Medicare Plans Score Higher Ratings And Millions In Bonuses
By Phil Galewitz
March 7, 2016
KFF Health News Original
The share of Medicare Advantage members enrolled in plans with high star ratings has almost doubled since 2013, earning bonuses for private insurers who offer them.
Cleaning Up Hydrogen Bomb Accident May Have Sickened These Airmen, But Proof Is Elusive
June 20, 2016
Morning Briefing
In 1966, the Air Force sent men in to clean up an accident site that may have been contaminated. Decades later, many of those men believe contamination led to a multitude of illnesses, but the Air Force continues to deny it. “They told us it was safe, and we were dumb enough, I guess, to believe them,” says Frank B. Thompson.
Answering Your Questions On The ‘Cadillac Tax’
September 2, 2015
KFF Health News Original
The excise tax will be levied on health insurance plans costing more than $10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for a family. Any value over those thresholds will be taxed at 40 percent, and that’s likely to affect consumers’ benefits, share of health care costs or their coverage entirely.