Latest KFF Health News Stories
Feds Issue Proposed Rule On Health Information Collected By Workplace Wellness Programs
This proposal allows these workplace wellness programs to set financial incentives for participation as high as 30 percent of the cost of family coverage. A separate draft rule pegs this amount to the cost of employee-only coverage.
UnitedHealthcare Expands Effort To Rein In Rising Costs Of Cancer Treatment
As part of an effort to pinpoint what’s driving up health expenditures, the insurer is broadening a pilot program to include about 500 more oncologists, bringing the total to 650 physicians in seven states.
California and Federal Government Locked In Debate Over Billions In Medicaid Funding
Delays in reaching an agreement on $7.25 billion in Medicaid funding for reforms in California has public hospitals and other providers worried.
Enrollment Guide: A Few Tips To Help You Shop For A New Marketplace Plan
Federal officials are promising that new healthcare.gov features – some of which are still being tested – will make the process of choosing coverage easier.
Poll: Majority Of Americans Agree That The FDA Should Review Drug Ads Before They Air
Nearly eight in 10 say they have seen or heard these ads, and more than a quarter have discussed one of the drugs with a physician as a result.
Survey: Low-Income Elderly Reject Calif. Managed Care Experiment For Fear Of Change
About 47 percent opt out of California’s “dual eligibles” program serving Medicare and Medicaid patients, in part because they fear losing their doctors, a survey finds. But once enrolled in the pilot program, most stay.
Health Law Increases Coverage Rates For Women Not Yet Pregnant
The Urban Institute and March of Dimes estimate 5.5 million women of childbearing age gained health insurance under the federal health law since 2013, but many still have unmet needs.
Marketplace Customers Could See Higher Premiums, No Coverage For Out-Of-Network Care
Enrollment for healthcare.gov plans for 2016 begins Sunday and consumers should carefully check their options to see what their costs will be, how much of a subsidy they qualify for and whether their doctors and hospitals are in the plan’s network.
Premiums For Key Marketplace Silver Plans Rising An Average Of 7.5 Percent, HHS Says
Federal officials say tax credits will blunt the impact of price increases in 2016 for most consumers buying the second-lowest silver health plan in 37 states.
Fewer Black Men Apply To Medical School Than In 1978
Just 1,337 black men applied to medical school in 2014 and 515 enrolled. Why?
In L.A., Community Health Workers Are Part Of The Medical Team
An experimental program in Los Angeles County pairs community health workers with chronically ill patients, aiming to improve patients’ health and access to care.
Updated Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Unlikely To Affect Insurance Coverage
The American Cancer Society now recommends that women begin annual mammogram screenings at age 45 instead of age 40, and that providers reduce the frequency of screening to every two years after age 54.
In Tracking Outbreaks Of Food Poisoning, Can Yelp Help?
During a recent, widespread food poisoning outbreak in San Jose, some of the most detailed accounts surfaced on the popular consumer review site.
Are Medicare ACOs Working? Experts Disagree
Federal officials reported recently that in 2014 the accountable care organizations saved $411 million, but after the program paid bonuses to the successful groups, Medicare recorded a net loss of $2.6 million. So KHN asked a panel of experts to offer their views about the program.
Suing A Nursing Home Could Get Easier Under Proposed Federal Rules
Many families must sign a binding arbitration agreement when a loved one is admitted to a nursing home, pledging not to sue if something goes wrong. Proposed rules would ban that requirement.
The North Carolina Experiment: How One State Is Trying To Reshape Medicaid
With legislation that passed last month, North Carolina is trying to build a hybrid managed care, accountable care model – with doctors, hospitals and insurance companies all sharing some risk. Advocates worry it could eclipse gains made by Medicaid in the state in the past.
For Former Foster Kids, Moving Out Of State Can Mean Losing Medicaid
Youths who have aged out of the foster care system can lose their Medicaid eligibility when they move to another state. Advocates and some members of Congress want to fix that.
Seniors Who Don’t Consider Switching Drug Plans May Face Steep Price Rise
For beneficiaries, staying in their current plans could prove costly so advocates urge them to check out the alternatives.
No Ready-Made Rx For Rising Drug Costs
Lawmakers, insurers and others have floated proposals to combat the spike in prescription drug prices, but will any of them gain traction?
Nursing Homes’ Residents Face Health Risks From Antibiotics’ Misuse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges homes to improve their policies in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.