Seniors Aging In Place Turn To Devices And Helpers, But Unmet Needs Are Common
By Judith Graham
February 14, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A new study examines how seniors with deteriorating strength and other physical functions deal with such challenges as taking a shower or getting dressed in the morning.
Readers And Tweeters: Are Millennials Killing The Primary Care Doctor?
October 26, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
For 2020 Dem Hopefuls, ‘Medicare-For-All’ Is A Defining Issue, However They Define It
By Shefali Luthra
February 19, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Support for “Medicare-for-all” is becoming a front-runner topic among Democratic presidential candidates. But the phrase is being used to describe any number of policies.
Maryland’s Reinsurance Plan Pays Off For Residents Who Will See Cheaper Insurance For Second Year In Row
September 20, 2019
Morning Briefing
The $380 million plan is funded through a tax on insurance companies. “By addressing this crisis head-on, we have gone from an individual market on the brink of collapse to two straight years of lower premiums for Marylanders,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. Other insurance and health care industry news focuses on Medicare Advantage plans, dialysis centers, and hospital lawsuits.
As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire
By Rachana Pradhan
June 22, 2020
KFF Health News Original
After the FDA issues a public warning about the test, one of its senior officials says point-of-care coronavirus tests can miss 20% of cases and still be considered useful. Public health experts are split.
No Gaps In Understanding: Here’s Your Primer On Medigap Coverage
By Judith Graham
July 26, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Seniors often don’t realize that private insurers are required to offer Medigap policies, or supplemental insurance, only when people first sign up for Medicare.
Frail Seniors Find Ways To Live Independently
By Judith Graham
January 31, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A pilot program for frail low-income seniors provides much-needed help in dealing with “daily activities” and offers practical solutions.
No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist ‘Gag Orders’ On Drug Prices
By Susan Jaffe
October 10, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Congress approved two bills last month that prohibit provisions keeping pharmacists from telling patients when they can save money by paying the cash price instead of the price negotiated by their insurance plan.
U.S. Medical Panel Thinks Twice About Pushing Cognitive Screening For Dementia
By Judith Graham
February 25, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Because seniors are at higher risk of cognitive impairment, proponents say screening asymptomatic older adults is an important strategy to identify people who may be developing dementia and to improve their care. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force cited insufficient evidence the tests are helpful.
The Startling Inequality Gap That Emerges After Age 65
By Judith Graham
March 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The good news: Life expectancy for people who make it to 65 has increased. Yet, coastal and urban people fare better than those in rural and middle America.
In Theory, Legislation To End Surprise Medical Bills Enjoys Bipartisan Support. Reality Is A Little More Complicated.
September 6, 2019
Morning Briefing
Some Democrats are wary about handing a health care win to President Donald Trump and Republicans this close to elections. That doesn’t even account for the big players in the industry gearing up to block the bills with all the lobbying power they can muster. In other health industry and costs news: hospital mergers, Medicare Advantage, providers’ affiliates, and using Groupon for medical treatments.
Feds Slow Down But Don’t Stop Georgia’s Contentious Effort To Ditch ACA Marketplace
By Steven Findlay
February 7, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The state proposes to jettison the federal insurance exchange and instead send people buying individual coverage to private companies to choose coverage. It would also cap how much money is spent on premium subsidies, which could mean some consumers would be put on a wait list if they needed financial help buying a plan.
HHS Failed To Conduct Required Visits Of Independent Living Programs For People With Disabilities, Inspector General Finds
August 14, 2019
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, hospitals and health systems are pushing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to set national rules for how insurers manage prior authorization and payment for pre-approved Medicare Advantage claims. Also, the administration is slow to implement a five-year-old law to curb unnecessary Medicare CT scans, MRIs and other tests. Agency news comes from the Food and Drug Administration, also.
Democratic-Leaning Group’s Ad Suggests Trump Cut Medicare To Pay For Tax Breaks To Billionaires. That’s Not True.
July 24, 2019
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post Fact Checker blasts the claim. While President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget did propose reductions in anticipated spending on Medicare, it was completely unrelated to the tax cut passed by Congress in 2017. In other news, HHS Secretary Alex Azar suggests that Medicare Advantage plans could see pay boosts.
Medicare Cuts Payments To Nursing Homes Whose Patients Keep Ending Up In Hospital
By Jordan Rau
December 3, 2018
KFF Health News Original
The incentive program to discourage nursing homes from discharging patients too quickly will also give bonuses to facilities with fewer rehospitalizations.
Adultos mayores vulnerables logran volver a ser independientes
By Judith Graham
January 31, 2019
KFF Health News Original
El programa para personas mayores vulnerables de bajos ingresos Community Aging in Place — Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) ayuda a los abuelos a vivir independientemente.
How Fast Can A New Internet Standard For Sharing Patient Data Catch Fire?
By Janet Rae-Dupree
January 22, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The web-based standard FHIR — pronounced “fire” — could hasten the day when we can view our full medical histories on a smartphone screen. Tech giants are hungry for a piece of the pie, but obstacles remain.
In Search of the Shot
February 25, 2021
KFF Health News Original
KHN readers detail their frustrations and successes as they hunt for a scarce covid-19 vaccine.
Analysis: Choosing A Plan From The Impossible Health Care Maze
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
December 6, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In 21st-century US health care, everything is revenue, and so everything is billed.
