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Latest KFF Health News Stories

California Fines Anthem $5 Million For Failing to Address Consumer Grievances

KFF Health News Original

The Department of Managed Health Care cited one example in which consumers and advocates had to call the insurer 22 times to contest a decision. Still, the complaint still was not resolved until the department became involved.

California Firm Running Physician Practices Is Closing Down as Scrutiny Ramps Up

KFF Health News Original

State regulators and insurers are looking into SynerMed, which medical groups depend upon to handle their finances and business operations. The groups, serving 1 million patients, fear a messy fallout.

Can Apps Slay The Medical Bill Dragon?

KFF Health News Original

A handful of Silicon Valley start-ups are trying to usher medical billing into the 21st century by creating smartphone apps to help consumers navigate their health insurance paperwork.

Trump Administration Plan to Add Medicaid Work Requirement Stirs Fears

KFF Health News Original

The recent announcement by a top administration official that the federal government will entertain requests to implement work requirements for many adult Medicaid enrollees has raised concerns among advocates for the program.

Some States Roll Back ‘Retroactive Medicaid,’ A Buffer For The Poor — And For Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

The retroactive payments provide protection for poor patients who can be enrolled in Medicaid after becoming seriously ill. That enrollment process takes time, and the look-back provision helps guarantee coverage they would have been entitled to if they had enrolled earlier.

Taking A Page From Pharma’s Playbook To Fight The Opioid Crisis

KFF Health News Original

Doctors and pharmacists in Northern California are emulating drug company sales reps with a fresh purpose in mind: They visit medical offices in the hardest-hit counties to change their peers’ prescribing habits and curtail the use of painkillers.

Vaccine Shortage Complicates Efforts To Quell Hepatitis A Outbreaks

KFF Health News Original

The two FDA-approved manufacturers of the vaccine, hit by an unexpected spike in demand, have had difficulty keeping pace. In San Diego County, home to the deadliest outbreak in the nation, officials are postponing a campaign to give at-risk residents the second of two doses.

Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ We Have Numbers!

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo discuss the first days of open enrollment for 2018 individual health insurance plans and whether the Democratic gains in Tuesday’s off-off-year elections will have any impact on health care policy in Washington, D.C.