Latest KFF Health News Stories
Five Things Young Adults Should Know About Buying Health Insurance
Open enrollment under Obamacare started Nov. 1 – if you’re uninsured, now’s the time to consider options.
‘Do The Math’ When Shopping For A Health Plan This Open Enrollment Season
Because of the complexity of insurance available through healthcare.gov and state exchanges, and the broad variation in how prescription drugs are covered, experts encourage consumers to compare options to figure out which one best fits their needs.
Consumer Confusion Continues In Obamacare’s Third Year
Officials are reaching out to people who sat on the sidelines for the first two years of the health law, and they are finding the law is still not well understood – and, for some, insurance is still too expensive.
Using A Weight-Loss App? Study Says It Doesn’t Help Much
Duke University researchers wanted to see if a smartphone weight-loss app would help tech-savvy young adults lose more weight. It didn’t.
Calif. Medicaid Patients With Cancer Fare Worse Than Those With Other Coverage
Researchers found Medi-Cal patients were diagnosed later, were less likely to receive recommended treatment and had lower survival rates.
The Last Decade’s Culture Wars Drove Some States To Fund Stem Cell Research
When the Bush administration choked federal funding for research involving cells taken from human embryos, some states opted to start their own programs.
Marketplace Plans Covering Out-Of-Network Care Harder To Find
Two studies analyze the decline in PPO plans that provide some coverage when patients seek care from doctors, hospitals and other providers that are not on the plan’s network.
Kentucky’s Exchange Success Doesn’t Translate To Small Business Participation
Despite strong enrollment in Kentucky’s online health insurance marketplace, participation in its exchange for small employers also created by the Affordable Care Act has mostly been a dud.
Small Businesses Snub Obamacare’s SHOP Exchange
Software problems, better health insurance options elsewhere are said to hold enrollment well under projections after almost two years.
Researchers Say Their Path To Better Health Starts With Patients’ Input
A federal institute created by the health law is seeding research projects around the U.S. that connect medical professionals with patients to find better treatments.
Even In High-Deductible Plans, Some Service May Be Covered Without Cost To You
KHN’s consumer columnist answers readers’ questions about high deductible plans, out of network benefits and increases in premium costs.
Texas’ Changing Relationship To Obamacare
For the moment, Texas Republicans still consider the Affordable Care Act to be political kryptonite, but the story on the local level is different: many moderates want the money that would come with expanding Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor.
Why Nearly Half Of The Obamacare Co-Ops Have Folded
As open enrollment begins for the health exchanges, one development that’s turning into a concern is the collapse of a number of alternative insurance plans known as co-ops. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey joins PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff to answer real Americans’ questions about shopping for coverage.
California And Federal Officials Reach Deal On Medicaid Reforms
A “conceptual agreement” worth $6.2 billion comes as a relief to California public hospitals, just as an earlier Medicaid agreement was set to expire.
A Med School Teaches Science And Data Mining
At NYU medical school, students learn to access huge troves of data to become doctors who understand the health care system, and individual ailments, better.
Alaskans Face Tough Choices Because Of High Insurance Costs
The highest Obamacare insurance rates in the country are in Alaska. Though most people get a subsidy to help defray the cost, those who don’t are increasingly wondering if they should cancel their health insurance.
It’s Open Enrollment Time: What To Know About Obamacare Costs
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey appeared on PBS NewsHour to talk about open enrollment season to buy health insurance coverage on healthcare.gov and online state marketplaces.
California Targets African Americans And Latinos In New Round Of Obamacare
Only about half of blacks considered eligible for subsidies have enrolled.
Exchanges Face Sign-Up Challenges As Health Law’s 3rd Open Enrollment Begins
After millions of people signed up for Obamacare over the past two years, the ones still lacking insurance may be harder to both find and persuade to enroll.
Costs May Keep Low-Income Patients From Clinical Trials, Study Finds
Insurance generally covers routine costs patients encounter in a clinical trial, but the patients can still be responsible for co-payments and other expenses, such as lost wages and travel.