As Overdose Deaths Soar, DEA-Wary Pharmacies Shy From Dispensing Addiction Medication
By Aneri Pattani
November 9, 2021
KFF Health News Original
A West Virginia pharmacy cleared a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation. But it shut down anyway, highlighting how the agency’s policies reduce the availability of buprenorphine, an important tool for recovery from opioid addiction.
New California Law Makes It Easier to Get Care for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
By Bernard J. Wolfson
February 26, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The measure, which took effect Jan. 1, removes loopholes that made it easy for insurers to use arcane company guidelines to avoid paying for care. Patients now have an easier way to challenge those denials.
With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
By Laura Ungar
September 14, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Studies show that at least half of ground ambulance rides across the nation leave patients with “surprise” medical bills. And a $300-a-mile ride is not unusual. Yet federal legislation to stem what’s known as balance billing has largely ignored ambulance costs.
Medicare Enrollees Can Switch Coverage Now. Here’s What’s New and What to Consider.
By Julie Appleby
October 16, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Fall is the time when enrollees in the federal program for older people and people with certain disabilities can make changes to their health and drug plans. The decision can be complicated, but here are some key points to keep in mind.
Federal Judge Blocks Part Of HHS Surprise Billing Rule
February 24, 2022
Morning Briefing
In a win for doctors, a federal judge in Texas on Wednesday struck down part of the Biden administration’s regulations, taking issue with its mediation process for hospitals and doctors and insurers to settle disputes over out-of-network medical bills.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Abortion Pill Goes Back to Court
May 18, 2023
Podcast
A three-judge appeals court panel heard testimony this week about revoking the FDA’s 22-year-old approval of a key pill used in medication abortion and miscarriage management. The judges all have track records of siding with abortion foes. Meanwhile, as the standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling continues in Washington, a major sticking point is whether to impose work requirements on recipients of Medicaid coverage. Victoria Knight of Axios, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Biden’s Got a New Set of Orders for Obamacare. Is It His Last?
By Julie Appleby
December 1, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The Biden administration has issued its latest official wish list for Obamacare insurance plans, potentially one of the last major Affordable Care Act health policy efforts in the president’s first term. Changes on tap for 2025? For one, the administration wants states that run their own ACA marketplaces to crack down on what’s called “network […]
Start Shopping: Enrollment Begins Nov. 1 for Most Obamacare Insurance Plans
By Julie Appleby
October 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
More than 16 million Americans who buy their own health insurance through state and federal marketplaces have until Jan. 15 to compare prices, change their coverage, or enroll for the first time.
Surprising Swings In Momentum For Legislation On Surprise Medical Bills
By Rachel Bluth
December 17, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A legislative compromise on how to curb unexpected out-of-network medical bills has made recent progress. But many insiders expect work to continue into 2020.
Medical Providers Still Grappling With UnitedHealth Cyberattack: ‘More Devastating Than Covid’
By Samantha Liss
April 19, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Medical providers say they’re still coping with the Change Healthcare cyberattack disclosed in February even though parent company UnitedHealth Group reported that much is back to normal and its revenue is up over last year.
Biden Wants States to Ensure Obamacare Plans Cover Enough Doctors and Hospitals
By Julie Appleby
December 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The regulatory proposal was announced Nov. 15 and is likely one of the last major ACA policy efforts of the president’s first term.
New Medicare Advantage Plans Tailor Offerings to Asian Americans, Latinos, and LGBTQ+
By Stephanie Stephens
September 28, 2023
KFF Health News Original
As more seniors opt for Medicare Advantage, a few small insurers have begun offering plans that provide culturally targeted benefits for cohorts including Asian Americans, Latinos, and LGBTQ+ people. The approach, policy researchers say, has potential and perils.
Millions of Dollars Flow From Pharma to Patient Advocacy Groups
By Rachana Pradhan
December 15, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Pharma money is all over the place — in universities, companies doing continuing medical education for doctors and in prominent patient advocacy organizations that are household names across America. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy nonprofit, reports today that between 2010 and 2022, the drug industry’s main lobbying group and member companies provided at least $6 […]
Out for Blood? For Routine Lab Work, the Hospital Billed Her $2,400
By Rachana Pradhan
November 21, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Convenient as it may be, beware of getting your blood drawn at a hospital. The cost could be much higher than at an independent lab, and your insurance might not cover it all.
Defense Department Health Plan Cuts Its Pharmacy Network by Nearly 15,000 Outlets
By Patricia Kime
November 8, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Many of the pharmacies were small, independent operations that had decided not to participate next year because of the lowered reimbursement being offered. But they were surprised by an early dismissal, and some patients with specialized drug needs could face difficulties in the transition.
In California, Faceoff Between Major Insurer and Health System Shows Hazards of Consolidation
By Annie Sciacca
February 19, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Even as Anthem Blue Cross and University of California Health announced a contract agreement this month, analysts say patients are increasingly at risk of being affected by such disputes.
Hacking at UnitedHealth Unit Cripples a Swath of the US Health System: What to Know
By Darius Tahir
Updated March 1, 2024
Originally Published February 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Change Healthcare, a firm recently bought by insurance giant UnitedHealth Group, reportedly suffered a cyberattack. The company processes 14 billion transactions annually, including payments and requests for insurance authorizations.
Ever Heard of a Surgical Assistant? Meet a New Boost to Your Medical Bills
By Markian Hawryluk
July 22, 2020
KFF Health News Original
A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.
Haiku Winner Unmasked! Read If You Dare
October 30, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Entries for our second annual Halloween Haiku Contest were downright spooky. And, based on a review by our panel of judges, here’s the winner and a sampling of finalists.
100 Million People in America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt
By Noam N. Levey
June 16, 2022
KFF Health News Original
The U.S. health system now produces debt on a mass scale, a new investigation shows. Patients face gut-wrenching sacrifices.