Consumers May Draw Wrong Conclusions From Medical Prices
By Shefali S. Kulkarni
January 3, 2013
KFF Health News Original
Some health policy experts and consumer advocates are pushing for greater transparency in the pricing of medical good and services. If consumers know the price of an item, so the thinking goes, they’ll make smarter decisions about whether they need it. But a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that consumers’ perceptions […]
Avoiding The ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Likely Means Changes In Medicare
By Mary Agnes Carey
November 13, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Congress would probably look for cuts in the health care program for seniors and the disabled as it seeks to find ways to curb federal spending.
Obama Administration Plans Appeal Of ‘Plan B’ Ruling
May 2, 2013
Morning Briefing
The Obama administration signals that it will challenge a federal judge’s order that would make an emergency contraception drug available over-the-counter to women of all ages. The move comes a day after the FDA said the contraception should be available in that way to anyone older than 15.
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 2, 2013
By Lexie Verdon
January 2, 2013
KFF Health News Original
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a number of reports about congressional efforts to avert the “fiscal cliff.” The New York Times: Amid Pressure, House Passes Fiscal Deal Ending a climactic fiscal showdown in the final hours of the 112th Congress, the House late Tuesday passed and sent to President Obama […]
Medicare Changes Loom As ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Negotiations Pick Up
December 5, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Health on the Hill: KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about Republican and Democratic proposals and possible cuts in federal health care spending.
Hospitals Get New Grades On Safety
By Jordan Rau
November 28, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Updated at 9:35 a.m. The Leapfrog Group is out with its second round of hospital safety ratings, and what a difference a few months has made. In the results released Wednesday, 103 hospitals that Leapfrog had given a “C” or lower in its first round of ratings in June got an “A” in the updated Hospital […]
Federal Judge Criticizes FDA Regarding Plan B Contraception Decision
May 8, 2013
Morning Briefing
Judge Edward R. Korman said the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to delay his ruling regarding the so-called morning-after pill was “nonsense” and would hurt poor and minority women.
Emergency Departments Are On The Frontline Of The Flu
By Jenny Gold
January 15, 2013
KFF Health News Original
More patients with the flu are seeking care at the emergency room this year, and despite the 112 million Americans who have gotten a flu shot, it remains to be seen if this year’s version will be just bad or historically bad.
Today’s Headlines – Dec. 19, 2012
By Lexie Verdon
December 19, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the “fiscal cliff” negotiations. The New York Times: Hospitals Fear They’ll Bear Brunt Of Medicare Cuts As President Obama and Congress try to thrash out a budget deal, the question is not whether they will squeeze money out of Medicare, but how much […]
Hospital Ratings Are In The Eye Of The Beholder
By Jordan Rau
March 18, 2013
KFF Health News Original
With an expanding number of groups offering a stamp of approval, consumers find a confusing array of quality awards to consider when choosing a hospital.
States: Calif. Counties Stand To Lose $2.5B In Medicaid Shift; Push For Hospital Payment Equity In Mass.
May 30, 2013
Morning Briefing
A selection of health policy stories from California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Idaho, Oregon and Florida.
Viewpoints: Capitol Hill Antics On Budget; A Mom’s Concern About Plan B Decision
May 8, 2013
Morning Briefing
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
Federal Retiree Weighs Whether To Keep FEHB Or Switch To Medigap
By Michelle Andrews
October 8, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about federal workers’ best deal on supplementing Medicare and signing up for Medicare if you’re living abroad.
Obama’s $3.7T Spending Plan Would Cut $370B From Medicare
April 10, 2013
Morning Briefing
Despite the White House’s effort to find middle ground, news outlets report that its proposal to raise $580B by limiting tax benefits for top earners is angering some Republicans, while cuts to entitlement programs are angering some Democrats.
FDA OKs Over-The-Counter ‘Plan B’ For Women And Girls Older Than Age 15
May 1, 2013
Morning Briefing
The move, regulators said, was made independent of a recent federal district judge ruling that called for the emergency contraceptive to be made available over-the-counter to women of all ages without restriction.
‘The Matrix’ Meets Medicine: Surveillance Swoops Into Health Care
By Michael L. Millenson
January 9, 2013
KFF Health News Original
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is testing how using technology to monitor seniors’ health can save money on medical costs and help seniors feel secure enough to “age in place.”
Plan B Ruling Raises Political, Practical Questions About Next Move
April 8, 2013
Morning Briefing
A federal judge’s ruling on Friday that the Food and Drug Administration has to lift age restrictions on emergency contraception has set up choices for pharmacists, consumers and the Obama administration about whether this is the end of the controversy.
How To File A Medicare Appeal
By Susan Jaffe
December 17, 2012
KFF Health News Original
A basic guide and resources if you want to get Medicare to reverse a coverage decision.
Obama ‘Comfortable’ With Morning-After Pill Sales At 15
May 3, 2013
Morning Briefing
President Barack Obama said he is “very comfortable” with the Food and Drug Administration rule announced this week to make the so-called morning-after pill available without a prescription to women and girls who are at least 15 — younger than the current policy of 17. He also defended the Justice Department’s decision to appeal a judge’s ruling to make the Plan B pill available to all ages.