Latest KFF Health News Stories
Most Insurance Exchanges Just Got Bigger. Covered California Is Getting Smaller.
Several experts, however, credited the exchange with one big win: Creating more options for shoppers.
Californians Favor Tougher Rules On Health Insurance Rates, Survey Says
Proposition 45 would give the state insurance commissioner authority to reject rate hikes, but some experts suggest this could complicate the online insurance marketplace.
Health Care Giants Battling For Control Of Pittsburgh’s Market
As the line between insurance companies and health care providers blurs, these onetime allies are venturing into each other’s business and becoming competitors.
‘Pastoral Counselors’ Help Fill Mental Health Gap In Rural States
Six states allow these counselors
Wrestling With A Texas County’s Mental Health System
Strong leadership and common-sense budgeting created a model mental health care system in San Antonio.
Some States Bristle At Lack Of Authority Over Medicare Advantage Plans
When Congress created the option for beneficiaries to join the private Medicare Advantage plans, it gave oversight to federal officials, preempting state insurance laws and procedures.
San Antonio Police Have Radical Approach To Mental Illness: Treat It
With specialized training and a redirection of resources, San Antonio’s police force is taking better care of mentally ill people, keeping them out of jail and saving $10 million a year.
HMO, PPO, EPO: How’s A Consumer To Know What Health Plan Is Best?
The alphabet soup that distinguishes different types of insurance plans is supposed to help guide consumers, but instead the choices are becoming very confusing.
Hospitales Reconsideran La Caridad En Pacientes Sin Cobertura Médica
Algunos temen que ayudando a ciertas personas con sus fracturas podría impedir que consigan planes de seguro subsidiados poer el gobierno.
Has Health Law Helped Young People Get Mental Health Treatment? Maybe
Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance abuse often start in adolescence, then peak in young adulthood. But for young people who don’t have steady jobs or stable paychecks, getting help can be tough. A popular provision of the Affordable Care Act that took effect in 2010 aimed to make it easier for young […]
Missouri Lags Behind In Insurance Pricing Transparency
Consumers in most other states have more information about, and control over, health insurance prices and plans.
Hospitals Reconsider Charity For Patients Who Decline Health Coverage
Some fear helping some people with their bills might keep them from getting government-subsidized insurance plans.
In Study, Questions About Who Should Perform In-Office Surgeries
A study of Medicare billing found that many dermatology procedures were done by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
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With Health Law, ERs Still Packed
Emergency-room visits have increased at many hospitals. A shortage of primary-care doctors is one reason.
Wide Variation In Hospital Charges For Blood Tests Called ‘Irrational’
One California hospital charged $10 for a blood cholesterol test, while another hospital that ran the same test charged $10,169 — over 1,000 times more. For another common blood test called a basic metabolic panel, the average hospital charge was $371, but prices ranged from a low of $35 to a high of $7,303, more […]
Government Streamlining Medicare Coverage For Cancer Test
FDA and Medicare officials conduct a parallel review of a new screening test for colorectal cancer and that could bring the test to beneficiaries six months faster.
Analysis: California’s Enrollment Success Is Its Greatest Challenge
After signing up hundreds of thousands of Medi-Cal enrollees, the state now needs to figure out how to care for them.
Hospitals Seek To Help Consumers With Obamacare Premiums
But insurers oppose many of the premium assistance efforts, saying they would lead to sicker enrollees who will raise costs for everyone.
16% Of Large Employers Plan To Offer Low-Benefit ‘Skinny’ Plans Despite ACA: Survey
The National Business Group on Health also found, based on 136 large employers’ responses, a continued move toward high-deductible, “consumer-directed” plans.