Latest KFF Health News Stories
Do You Speak Repeal And Replace? Click Thought Bubbles For Translations
Want to understand the complicated lingo surrounding the ongoing battle over the Affordable Care Act? We’ve got the guide for you.
Change In Texas Medicaid Payments Helps Cut Number Of Premature Births
Texas has reduced unnecessary early deliveries by 14 percent since refusing to pay doctors who performed C-sections that weren’t medically necessary.
A Health Reporter Walks Into Reagan National Airport …
Half-believing he could be free for just one night from covering Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, writer Phil Galewitz instead experiences eerie close encounters of the senatorial kind.
$89,000 Orphan Drug Gets A New Owner — And Likely A New Price
Marathon, maker of an expensive treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sells the drug for $140 million in cash and stock to PTC Therapeutics.
Many Californians Could Be Priced Out Of Exchange Coverage, Analysis Finds
California’s health insurance exchange released an analysis showing that Republicans’ plan to trim subsidies, on average, by 40% would fall hard on elderly and very low-income people, especially in expensive areas like San Francisco.
Obamacare Pushed Nonprofit Hospitals To Do Good Beyond Their Walls. Now What?
A provision in the 2010 health law required these hospitals to justify their tax exemption by demonstrating involvement in community health. Repeal, replace or repair could stall that momentum.
Once Nearly Buried By Medical Bills, Farmer Braces For Insurance Drought
Barton County, Mo., is Trump country. And this rural area has big problems when it comes to health care. One farmer says he has a lot to lose under the Republican replacement plan.
Experimental Stem Cell Treatment Leaves Three Women Blind
Researchers, who detail the women’s experiences in the New England Journal of Medicine, say it exposes the need for better regulation of clinical trials.
Health Exchange Enrollment Misses Obama Administration’s Goal, But Stays Steady
Federal officials said 12.2 million people signed up for plans this year on the health law’s marketplaces, down slightly from 2016.
Where You Live May Determine How You Die. Oregon Leads The Way.
A state with integrated systems for end-of-life care offers better treatment for the seriously ill, according to a new study.
Sticker Shock Forces Thousands Of Cancer Patients To Skip Drugs, Skimp On Treatment
A growing number of patients fail to fill prescriptions because the cost of cancer drugs is too high.
By The Numbers: Trump’s Choice For FDA Chief Is Versatile, Entrenched In Pharma
The numbers show that President Trump’s choice for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, has long-standing ties to pharmaceutical companies as a board member or consultant and that he had to recuse himself multiple times while working at the FDA.
Americans Not Sold On Cost And Coverage Claims In GOP’s Health Bill
Nearly half of the people in this month’s Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll believe the Republican legislation will increase the number of uninsured Americans and increase coverage costs.
Two Words Can Soothe Patients Who Have Been Harmed: We’re Sorry
For patients killed or maimed by medical errors, doctors and hospitals still often deny wrongdoing. But newer programs offering prompt disclosure of medical errors, an apology and compensation for them or their families are growing.
Proposed Law Would Require All California Children To Be Screened For Lead
Under the current statute, kids are tested for lead only if they’re on certain government programs or live in older buildings. That leaves many other California children at risk, lawmaker says.
Companies Behind Health Savings Accounts Could Bank On Big Profits Under GOP Plan
With Republicans in control of Congress and the White House, HSAs — a longtime favorite of conservatives — are likely to get a boost.
Families To Pay Price If Maternity Care Coverage Is Cut By GOP
Before the health law, buying an individual policy that included coverage for pregnancy and labor was extremely difficult.
Deciphering CBO’s Estimates On The GOP Health Bill
The federal government’s budget experts estimate that the Republican plan would reduce the deficit but dramatically drive up the number of uninsured.
Impacto del proyecto republicano en las primas, el Medicaid y Planned Parenthood
El Comité de Presupuesto del Congreso presentó su estimado sobre el impacto económico que el proyecto de salud republicano, “The American Health Care Act”, tendría en el sistema de atención de salud del país, y cuánto le costaría al gobierno federal.
Say What? Fact-Checking The Chatter Around The GOP Health Bill
In the heated political arguments as Republicans rush to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, some facts can get buried.