Latest KFF Health News Stories
Officials Warn Some Older Marketplace Customers To Switch To Medicare
The government is sending emails and letters to some seniors to warn them that if they are eligible for Medicare and stay on the health law’s exchange, they will have to repay any subsidies they receive and if they miss their Medicare enrollment opportunity, they will face a life-long penalty.
How Narrow Is It? Gov’t Begins Test Of Comparison Tool For Health Plan Networks
This fall, the tool will be available in four states with hopes of expanding it to other states in the future.
Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration
The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom.
Reformas en California atacan fraude en compensación a trabajadores
California está tomando medidas enérgicas en el sistema estatal de atención médica de trabajadores lesionados, con dos proyectos de ley firmados recientemente por el gobernador Jerry Brown.
Report: States Increase Cost Controls To Manage Medicaid Growth
Medicaid enrollment and total Medicaid spending are projected to rise more slowly for 2017, but states’ tab will grow faster as the federal government begins to taper its funding for Obamacare expansions, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports in its annual 50-state survey.
California Reforms Target Workers’ Compensation Fraud
Two new laws will prohibit felons from billing for workers’ comp and rein in unsanctioned treatment.
Exercise, Even In Small Doses, Offers Tremendous Benefits For Senior Citizens
New research shows that senior citizens who walk or exercise regularly see tremendous benefits in their health and well-being.
How Tiny Are Benefits From Many Tests And Pills? Researchers Paint A Picture
A Maryland physician teams up with an environmental scientist to help patients better understand the risks and benefits of medical tests and treatments.
Everything Californians Wanted To Know About Their Health Plan (But Were Afraid To Ask)
A new online database created by the Department of Managed Health Care can help consumers size up and compare insurance plans.
Hospitals Say They’re Being Slammed By Drug Price Hikes
In a report out Tuesday, hospital groups said drug prices have skyrocketed since 2013, triggering a huge increase in what hospitals spend on pharmaceuticals.
Rising Health Premiums Rankle Individuals Paying Full Price
Insurance customers who don’t get federal subsidies are facing double-digit premium increases in many places this year and forced to make hard choices about coverage.
New Law Will Expand Mental Health Services For Low-Income Californians
Legislation recently signed by Gov. Brown will allow about 1,000 clinics statewide to bill Medi-Cal for treatment by marriage and family counselors, deepening the pool of mental health providers.
California Won’t Extend Parental Leave Rights To Small Businesses
Gov. Jerry Brown vetoes a bill that would have guaranteed employees of small businesses can keep their jobs if they take parental leave to bond with a new child.
Trump’s Debate Claim On Health Care Costs: It Depends What You Mean By ‘Cost’
Although many consumers are feeling the heat from increased health care spending, the overall bill may not be larger.
Cuidado con los tratamientos con células madre no aprobados
Advierten sobre sitios de internet que publicitan tratamientos “curativos” con células madre porque no son terapias aprobadas por la Administración de Drogas y Alimentos de Estados Unidos (FDA).
Beware Of Unapproved Stem Cell Treatments
Pricey and unproven therapies that sound too good to be true probably are.
Many Localities Find Past Ambivalence On Mosquitoes Hinders Zika Response
Efforts to control and track the mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus have been hampered by lack of resources.
Si es elegido, Trump tomaría el cargo en un momento difícil para la ley de salud, con muchos estadounidenses en ambos partidos quejándose sobre el aumento de las primas y los gastos de bolsillo. Lo que podría hacer para afectarla.
President Trump Wouldn’t Have To Wait For Congress To Undo Much Of The Health Law
Since President Barack Obama has used executive authority many times to help stabilize the law, Donald Trump could likely reverse those decisions and undermine the law.
Rehab For Addiction Usually Lasts 28 Days. But Why?
A month’s stay in a rehab facility became the standard of care for alcoholism. But there’s little research to support that length of stay for people addicted to opioids.