By Law, Hospitals Now Must Tell Medicare Patients When Care Is ‘Observation’ Only
By Susan Jaffe
March 13, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Not being officially admitted — a status known as observation care — can have financial consequences for beneficiaries, and patients had often complained they were not informed.
Drugmakers Dramatically Boosted Lobbying Spending In Trump’s First Quarter
By Sydney Lupkin
April 21, 2017
KFF Health News Original
With high drug prices creating widespread controversy, top pharmaceutical companies and their trade group vastly increased their lobbying spending on Capitol Hill.
Senators Ask Leadership To Reverse Trump’s Decision To Slash Funding For Drug Discount Program
December 8, 2017
Morning Briefing
The group of lawmakers looking to save the 340B program is made up of both Democrats and Republicans. In other pharmaceutical news: an analysis shows that many drugmakers are behind on required post-marketing studies; the Supreme Court shows interest in taking up the product liability issue; Sage announces positive results from its depression drug trial; and more.
If CVS’s $69B Deal To Buy Aetna Holds Up To Federal Scrutiny, It Could Transform Health Care Landscape
December 4, 2017
Morning Briefing
Together, the companies touch most of the basic health services that people regularly use, and the merger could keep the transactions under one roof instead of spread out over multiple industry players.
Putting A Dollar Value On An Epidemic: Opioid Crisis Has Cost Economy $95B In 2016 Alone
November 17, 2017
Morning Briefing
The vast majority of the economic burden — $43.2 billion — came from losses in the workforce due to deaths from opioids, the analysis found. Meanwhile, another study found that about 10 percent of Americans have overcome a drug or alcohol problem in their lives, which might mean there’s good news for treating addiction.
Marketplace Enrollment Still Important Despite Plans For Health Law Repeal
By Michelle Andrews
December 13, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Republicans’ plans to overhaul the federal health law are not expected to take effect immediately, so consumers can still sign up for 2017 coverage.
Individual-Mandate Repeal Gains Traction As GOP Scrambles To Close $74B Revenue Hole
November 8, 2017
Morning Briefing
But while the move would give House tax writers an estimated $416 billion in sorely needed offsets for the deep rate cuts they want, it risks alienating GOP senators.
Widespread Hype Gives False Hope To Many Cancer Patients
By Liz Szabo
April 27, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Doctors and drug developers have a stake in making cancer treatments seem better than they really are.
Dentists Work To Ease Patients’ Pain With Fewer Opioids
By Elana Gordon, WHYY
March 8, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Dentistry is at a crossroads and many in the field are reassessing their narcotics prescribing habits.
Leading the Way? Northern California Cities To Embark On Soda Tax Spending
By Ana B. Ibarra
December 13, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Health advocates are expecting millions in new tax money for health education programs aimed at preventing obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Other cities around the country are mulling similar measures.
Texas Braces For Medicaid Cuts Under GOP Health Plan
By Ashley Lopez, KUT
March 23, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Texans on both sides of the political spectrum say the Lone Star State is not going to fare well under GOP plans to replace the Affordable Care Act.
Big, Expensive Battle Brewing Between Pharma, Hospitals Over Drug Discount Program
November 10, 2017
Morning Briefing
The 340B program requires drugmakers to offer discounts of up to 50 percent on medicines sold to safety net hospitals and health centers that serve low-income populations. The Trump administration wants to slash reimbursement payments to providers. Meanwhile, Vermont is investigating if pharmaceutical companies have violated state law by giving gifts or payments to providers.
California Lawmakers Aim To Pay Dentists More To Treat Poor Patients
By Ana B. Ibarra
December 15, 2016
KFF Health News Original
Legislation would raise payments for Denti-Cal providers, using revenue from the state tobacco tax recently passed by California voters.
Storm-Struck Puerto Rico May Get Another $1B In Medicaid Funding
October 4, 2017
Morning Briefing
The House Energy and Commerce Committee tucked the request into the bill to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Pre-Obamacare, Preexisting Conditions Long Vexed States And Insurers
By Elana Gordon, WHYY
April 26, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Before the federal health law guarantee that consumers cannot be turned down because of their medical history, it was difficult to balance insurers’ needs to make a profit and individuals’ needs for coverage.
Alexander-Murray Bill Would Reduce Deficit By Nearly $4B, Have Little Effect On Number Of Insured
October 26, 2017
Morning Briefing
The projections from the Congressional Budget Office bolster the bill’s chances, said authors Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.). But President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages about the legislation, and Republican leaders are waiting to move on the measure until the president says he favors it. Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that health care is something that should be looked at next year, instead of in the remaining months of this one.
Louisiana Proposes Tapping A Federal Law To Slash Hepatitis C Drug Prices
By Sarah Jane Tribble
May 4, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Several public health officials endorse using a federal law to slash hepatitis C drug prices in Louisiana and avoid drug bills that could cripple the state budget.
I Do … Take You To Be My Lawfully Covered Health Care Dependent
By Fred Mogul, WNYC
March 21, 2017
KFF Health News Original
They are in love. They also are worried about the uncertainty of the health law. So, they have a modest wedding during a blizzard so she can get his job-based insurance as soon as possible.
Missouri Rejects Federal Money In Order To Set Up Its Own Abortion Restrictions
By Durrie Bouscaren, St. Louis Public Radio
April 4, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Abortion is already heavily restricted in Missouri, but now the state is cutting more funding to organizations that provide abortions, even though it means rejecting millions of dollars from the federal government.
In Deep-Blue State, Millions in Reddish Heartland Are Counting On Medicaid
By Ana B. Ibarra
Photos by Heidi de Marco
March 23, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The prospect of cutbacks has led to agitation and activism in California’s largely agricultural Central Valley, with relatively high poverty rates and a significant number of Trump voters.
