Even Without Congress, Trump Can Still Cut Medicaid Enrollment
By Phil Galewitz
July 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The Trump administration is poised to grant states waivers that some critics say could change the shape of the program.
Medicaid Covers All That? It’s The Backstop Of America’s Ailing Health System
By Phil Galewitz
September 25, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Those relying on the federal government’s safety net are grandmothers, the kid next door, your supermarket cashier — maybe even you.
Trump Touts ‘Promise Kept’ As HHS Moves Forward With Plan To Restrict Funding For Abortion Providers
May 23, 2018
Morning Briefing
At the Susan B. Anthony List annual gala, President Donald Trump spoke about the new restrictions and encouraged supporters to rally ahead of midterms. “We are nine votes away from passing the 20-week abortion bill in the Senate,” said Trump, adding that Democratic senators are up for re-election in 10 states that he said he won “by a lot.”
Putting A Lid On Waste: Needless Medical Tests Not Only Cost $200B — They Can Do Harm
By Chad Terhune
May 24, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The health care industry thrives on ordering up tests and treatments, but some hospitals are urging restraint.
Why Glaring Quality Gaps Among Nursing Homes Are Likely To Grow If Medicaid Is Cut
By Jordan Rau
September 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Medicaid covers about two-thirds of nursing home residents, but it pays less than other types of insurance.
4 Takeaways As HHS Relaxes Rules On Contraception Coverage At Work
By Mary Agnes Carey Lexie Verdon
October 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The new rules, announced Friday, will significantly expand the number of employers eligible for exemptions from the requirement that they provide women, at no cost, coverage of any contraception method approved by the FDA.
In Preparation Of Its Acquisition Of Aetna, CVS Sells $40B Of Bonds
March 7, 2018
Morning Briefing
Regulators aren’t expected to pass judgment on the $69 billion Aetna purchase until late this year, but CVS issued the debt this week to avoid the risk that interest rates continue to rise.
Por miedo a la deportación, niños sin papeles pueden abandonar el Medicaid
By Ana B. Ibarra
May 18, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Desde que California permitió por ley que niños indocumentados recibieran servicios completos del Medi-Cal, se inscribieron cerca de 190,000. Con el clima político actual, defensores temen que los padres no los reinscriban por miedo a las deportaciones.
Fearing Deportation, Parents Worry About Undocumented Kids In Medicaid Program
By Ana B. Ibarra
May 18, 2017
KFF Health News Original
A 2016 California law allowed children without papers to sign up for full Medicaid benefits. More than 189,000 children have been covered, but some families now fear renewing coverage or signing up their kids for the first time.
Grassley Wades Into Hotly Contested 340B Drug Debate With Transparency Legislation
March 2, 2018
Morning Briefing
The 340B program requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients. Through Medicare, the federal government then reimburses the facilities for the drugs at a higher rate. A bill from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) would require hospitals to disclose how much they pay for drugs under the program.
Under Trump, Hospitals Face Same Penalties Embraced By Obama
By Jordan Rau
August 3, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Federal records show that 2,573 hospitals around the country will have their Medicare payments reduced because they have too many patients readmitted.
Doing More Harm Than Good? Epidemic of Screening Burdens Nation’s Older Patients
By Liz Szabo
December 20, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Patients are often aggressively screened for cancer, even if they won’t live long enough to benefit.
Half The Time, Nursing Homes Scrutinized On Safety By Medicare Are Still Treacherous
By Jordan Rau
July 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Of the 528 nursing homes that graduated from special focus status before 2014 and are still operating, more than half — 52 percent — have harmed patients or operated in a way that put patients in serious jeopardy within the past three years, a KHN analysis finds.
Federal Money For State-Level Zika Tracking, Prevention May End This Summer
By Ana B. Ibarra
May 2, 2017
KFF Health News Original
California has reported more than 500 travel-related Zika infections, and five babies have been born in the state with birth defects related to the mosquito-borne disease.
Years Before Heading Offshore, Herpes Researcher Experimented On People In U.S.
By Marisa Taylor
November 21, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Southern Illinois University’s William Halford conducted unregulated human herpes experiments in hotels near university campus, emails show.
Bill Would Prohibit ‘Gag Clauses’ That Prevent Pharmacists From Telling Patients Of Best Payment Method
March 16, 2018
Morning Briefing
Middlemen are negotiating contracts deals where pharmacists can’t tell the patients that paying cash might actually be less expensive than the insurance co-payment. The middlemen then pocket the difference. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Republicans are signaling support for changes to the 340B drug discount program.
Quiz: Help Us Take The Pulse Of Our Readers
May 16, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Even the most exalted among us realize health care policy is complicated. Here’s a pop quiz to see what you have learned as a regular reader of Kaiser Health News.
Right After Trump Blamed High Drug Prices On Campaign Cash, Drugmakers Gave More
By Sydney Lupkin Elizabeth Lucas
September 27, 2017
KFF Health News Original
At a political rally in March, President Donald Trump said drug prices are “outrageous” and blamed campaign contributions. Drugmakers funneled nearly $280,000 to Congress the very next day.
Trump’s Order Advances GOP Go-To Ideas To Broaden Insurance Choices, Curb Costs
By Julie Appleby
October 12, 2017
KFF Health News Original
But the approaches are not new and critics worry that these changes will leave some consumers with skimpier plans that expose them to high medical bills.
