Under Health Law, Colonoscopies Are Free – But It Doesn’t Always Work That Way
The billing can get complicated if doctors find a polyp during a screening: Some insurers
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At Least 600,000 Young Adults Join Parents’ Health Plans Under New Law
One of the most popular provisions of the overhaul shows early success, but employers note that it also will usher in higher costs.
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Opinion Column
Ryan Budget: A Huge Opportunity To Improve Health Care
This week, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will release a budget blueprint that tackles the three big health care challenges facing the budget
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Medical Wonder: Meet the CEO Who Rebuilt a Crumbling California Hospital
Wright Lassiter is doing the seemingly impossible as CEO of the Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland, Calif.: He's turned a mismanaged urban safety-net hospital system in one of America's most violent cities into a model for other public hospitals by trimming costs -- and did it while expanding services.
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Care At Stake As Congress Nears ‘Doc Fix’ Deal
Lawmakers are close again to delaying a 25 percent cut in reimbursement to doctors who serve Medicare patients. It's the fifth time this year Congress has faced down the cuts, which could have dire consequences for the program if enacted.
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More Patients Making Appointments Online As Doctors Embrace Web
A web-based company called ZocDoc is piggybacking on doctors' increasing willingness to let patients make appointments online.
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How KHN Obtained Data For The California Hospital Prices Story
Kaiser Health News' story on California's Costliest Hospitals, months in the making, relied on data from a number of sources.
By Jordan Rau -
As Hospital System Expands, Patient Advocates Worry
Sutter Health, the most expensive health system in California, is expanding at a rapid pace and transforming itself into an "accountable care organization." Some worry about the nonprofit hospital's growing leverage.
By Jordan Rau -
Fear + Worry = Fewer Kids Getting Vaccinated
After years of steady progress, the percentage of 2 year olds in private health plans being immunized dropped last year, while it went up for Medicaid patients.
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For-Profit Hospitals Performing More C-Sections
Private medical centers in California are more likely to perform C-sections compared with nonprofit hospitals.
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Health Law Expands Medicare Coverage Of Preventive Care
In addition, beneficiaries will get free annual wellness visits that include a health risk assessment and a review of functional and cognitive abilities.
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Tired Of Waiting For the Doctor? Try One That Gives Same-Day Appointments
Patients typically wait 20 minutes or more to see the doctor, the AMA says. But a new scheduling system that allows patients to see the doctor on the day they call for an appointment has surprising success in cutting that delay.
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Heart Disease: Why Costs Rise as Prevention Improves
The number of people hospitalized or killed by serious heart attacks each year is down sharply, new studies show. The overall rate of hospitalization for heart disease is down, too. Experts attribute improving heart health to the decline in smoking, more people getting treated for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and the greater attention many people now give to eating healthier foods and getting exercise. Prevention clearly pays off for those who pay attention.
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Rating System For Medicare Advantage Plans Slated For Upgrade
A few years ago, federal officials began rating Medicare Advantage plans - using a scale of one to five stars - but seniors' advocates, policy analysts, insurers and some top Medicare officials agree the ratings are flawed. Even so, the star system is about to become more significant.
By Susan Jaffe -
The Health Care Economy: New Questions About Costs, Quality And Care
The health care industry is bulletproof when it comes to increasing spending or creating jobs as growth rates often double the rest of the economy.
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Studies: When Doctors Take More Responsibility, Care Becomes Cheaper And Better
Medical homes - where primary care doctors are held responsible for coordinating care for individual patients
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Federal Employee Health Program Unlikely To Extend Young Adult Coverage On Parents’ Plan This Year
The federal government says current law will likely keep it from following the lead of some private insurance companies that will begin offering coverage this year to young adults.
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Catholic Directive May Thwart End-Of-Life Wishes
A directive passed last November in Tulsa, Okla., raises fresh questions about the ability of patients to have their end-of-life treatment wishes honored - and whether and how a health care provider should comply with lawful requests not consistent with the provider's religious views.
By Harris Meyer -
Health Care Bills Would Expand Medicaid Eligibility
Both the House and Senate health care proposals would expand Medicaid eligibility to about 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Although the measures would help the states cover the costs, governors are worried that the additional federal money simply won't be enough. KHN's Mary Agnes Carey offers her insight.
By alley -
Some Insurers Trade In Jargon For Plain English
A number of insurers are replacing jargon with plain English. Aetna has published a book called "Navigating Your Health Benefits for Dummies." CIGNA employees are taught, for example, that they should use "doctor" instead of "provider" in communicating with the public.
By Harris Meyer