Worries Mount About Enrolling Consumers In Federally Run Insurance Exchanges
By Jenny Gold
April 7, 2013
KFF Health News Original
Few consumers know what they’ll need to do to sign up for the new health insurance marketplaces. Advocates worry about the outreach strategy and funding in states that defaulted to the federal government to run the exchanges.
Complications Emerge To Administration’s Plan B Proposal
June 14, 2013
Morning Briefing
NPR reports on Judge Edward Korman’s response to the Obama administration’s Plan B proposal while CNN Money explores how the “conscience clause” creates challenges for drugstores as they sell the morning-after pill over the counter.
Eye Lift Surgery Increasingly Billed To Medicare
By Joe Eaton and David Donald, Center for Public Integrity
May 28, 2013
KFF Health News Original
Despite rules against Medicare coverage for cosmetic surgery, eyelid lifts billed to Medicare have more than tripled over a decade.
State Highlights: Minn. Health Plans Stockpile Nearly $2B In Cash
July 16, 2013
Morning Briefing
A selection of health policy stories from Minnesota, California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
Obama Administration Changes Course On Plan B
June 11, 2013
Morning Briefing
Monday afternoon, the Justice Department announced it would accept recent court rulings and begin putting into effect a judge’s order to have the Food and Drug Administration certify the Plan B pill for use without prescription and without age restrictions on sales.
3 Hill Panels Examining Changes To Medicare
By Mary Agnes Carey
February 25, 2013
KFF Health News Original
Updated at 12:10 p.m. With $85 billion in automatic federal spending cuts set to take effect on Friday and predictions of economic disruption, much of official Washington is focused on the “blame game.” Publicly, there has been no sign that Congress or administration officials has made any progress on averting these cuts or finding common […]
‘Morning After’ Pill Advocates Seek Another Look At Age Rules
By Julie Rovner, NPR News
December 7, 2012
KFF Health News Original
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Friday marks a not-so-happy anniversary for some of President Obama’s biggest supporters: It’s exactly one year since Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius decided not to lift the age restrictions on availability of the so-called morning-after pill, Plan B. But now, with the election safely behind them, backers of […]
First Edition: June 11, 2013
June 11, 2013
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of the Obama administration’s decision to drop the fight to keep age restrictions in place for Plan B emergency contraceptive pill sales.
A Wish List For Medicare
By Mary Agnes Carey
January 30, 2013
KFF Health News Original
If you could make one change to Medicare, what would it be? Ask three former directors of the program and you’ll get plenty of ideas. Bruce Vladeck, who was head of what was then known as the Health Care Financing Administration, or HCFA, for former President Bill Clinton, wants more market-based competition and less pricing […]
Questions Emerge As Dust Settles Surrounding Plan B Policy Change
June 12, 2013
Morning Briefing
News outlets offer day-after coverage of the Obama administration’s reversal on the morning-after contraceptive pill.
Judge OKs Administration Plan On ‘Morning After’ Pill
June 13, 2013
Morning Briefing
A federal judge Wednesday accepted the Obama administration’s plan to make the Plan B One-Step “morning after” pill available over the counter to buyers of all ages, winding down a decade-long fight on the pill.
Today’s Headlines – Dec. 20, 2012
By Lexie Verdon
December 20, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about the efforts to reach a deal on curbing the federal deficit. The New York Times: Obama And Boehner Diverge Sharply On Fiscal Plan Hopes for a broad deficit-reduction agreement faded on Wednesday as President Obama insisted he had offered Republicans “a fair deal” […]
Today’s Headlines – Dec. 21, 2012
By Lexie Verdon
December 21, 2012
KFF Health News Original
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the House Republicans’ failure to pass Speaker John Boehner’s tax and federal debt plan. The New York Times: Boehner Cancels Tax Vote In Face Of G.O.P. Revolt Speaker John A. Boehner’s effort to pass fallback legislation to avert a fiscal crisis in less […]
Medicare Silver Bullets: What’s The Best Way To Control Costs?
December 12, 2012
KFF Health News Original
KHN asked a range of health policy experts the following question: If you could make only one change to Medicare to control costs, what would it be and why?
Spending, Taxing Remain Sticking Points As ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Looms
December 18, 2012
KFF Health News Original
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey speaks with Jackie Judd about negotiations on Capitol Hill to avoid the “fiscal cliff” and just how close — or far apart — Democrats, Republicans and the White House seem to be on cutting spending and letting some tax cuts for the rich expire.
CBO: Obama’s Budget Would Reduce Medicare Spending By $364B
May 20, 2013
Morning Briefing
The Congressional Budget Office estimated Friday that President Obama’s budget would reduce Medicare spending by $364 billion over the next decade and would reduce future budget deficits. The White House and Congress will likely soon need to work on a long-term budget solution as the nation again hits its debt limit.
Health Providers With Hepatitis B Are Covered By Disability Law
May 6, 2013
Morning Briefing
The Associated Press reports on this news develoment.
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.
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 […]