Latest KFF Health News Stories
Humana Fills Blank Spots In Mississippi Obamacare Map
Filling a potential coverage void, Humana Inc. said Friday it will sell health insurance in 36 Mississippi counties that might have otherwise been left out of a marketplace for subsidized policies sold under the Affordable Care Act. “I’m elated,” said Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, who had been working to make the deal happen. “I’m […]
Analysis: N.Y. Insurance Market Is ‘Poster Child’ For Individual Mandate
Insurers offer less expensive premiums, betting the mandate will attract young and healthy consumers into a market long dominated by the sick.
New York is one of five states that required insurers to sell to everyone prior to passage of the health law but did not require consumers to buy coverage, leading to some of the nation’s highest premiums.
Nurse Practitioners Slowly Gain Autonomy
States hope they will be better able to care for the federal health law’s 30 million newly insured patients by relaxing decades-old “scope of practice” laws that determine what care nurse practitioners can deliver.
Texas Groups Promote Health Insurance Exchange With No Help From State
State officials have no plans to help educate consumers about new insurance options. Other groups are stepping in, but some worry it won’t be enough.
Survey: Latino Groups Worry About Money For ACA Enrollment
The Obama administration is counting on Latinos to help make the Affordable Care Act a success, but there may be troubles ahead: Hispanic health centers and community organizations say they don’t have the funding or resources to carry out the complicated sign up process for the 10 million Latinos who will be eligible for new […]
Obama On Health Law: ‘Working The Way It’s Supposed To’
Video: In remarks at the White House Thursday the president touted lower-than-projected premiums that have been announced for health insurance marketplaces in several states.
Obama Says Health Law Is Saving Consumers Money
President uses speech to push back against critics, highlight law’s benefits to middle-class and working Americans.
Hospitals May Soon Be Reaching For The Stars
Medicare is considering assigning stars or other symbols to hospitals so that patients can compare quality more easily. Hospital groups are wary.
Tavenner Wasn’t Consulted On Delaying Health Law’s Employer Mandate
Marilyn Tavenner said at a House subcommittee meeting Wednesday that she was not consulted on the Obama administration’s decision to postpone a key part of the health law requiring employers offer health insurance plans to their workers. Tavenner, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said she was “made aware” that the Obama administration […]
House GOP Unconvinced Health Insurance Exchange Information Will Be Secure
Updated July 18, 10:40 a.m. With the NSA’s phone call monitoring and Edward Snowden on many minds, it’s not exactly a comfortable time for the government to roll out a massive computer project dealing with personal data like income, Social Security numbers and ethnicity. But Henry Chao, a lead technology information officer from the Centers for […]
At Hospitals You May Not Get What You Are Charged For
It’s well known that the listed charges hospitals set for surgeries and other procedures — recently spotlighted by Medicare — bear little resemblance to the actual prices most patients end up paying. An analysis by Castlight, a San Francisco company that helps employers and workers compare provider prices, also finds that the hospital charges bear little relationship to […]
New Missouri law Imposes Hurdle For Insurance Exchange
The law requires insurance counselors
Large Insurers Opt Out Of Missouri’s Health Exchange
UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Assurant Health say they won’t participate, at least initially.
Head Of Rx Drug Makers Group Says Obama Budget Plans Cause Concern
John Castellani, the head of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, notes support for health overhaul but says efforts to change Medicare Part D program and companies’ control of biologic drugs “would do serious harm to our industry.”
9 Pioneer ACOs Jump Ship After First Year
Nearly a third of the health systems chosen for the ambitious Pioneer accountable care organization program with Medicare are leaving after the first year of the three-year program. The goal of accountable care is for hospitals and doctors to save money while lowering costs. The 32 organizations selected to be Pioneers a year and a half […]
Cerner Builds Recession-Proof ‘Bunker’ For Health Data
As more doctors turn to digitizing patient health records, large companies like Cerner are building bigger and more sophisticated ways to house — and secure — the nation’s health data, and it’s turning into a big business.
Health Law Fosters A New Kind Of Business Partnership In Georgia
Medical equipment manufacturers operate largely on a “supply and demand” model: Hospitals buy their multi-million dollar machines, use them for a few years, and then the process starts again. But Philips Healthcare and a hospital system in Georgia are betting on a new business model, one that has risks and rewards for both the hospital […]
Few Medicaid Docs Have Seen 2013 Pay Raise
Most primary care doctors are still waiting for that Medicaid pay raise that was scheduled to begin in January under the Affordable Care Act, but a federal official says the government has now approved applications from 48 states to begin paying the higher rates. A spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says with those approvals in […]
A Handful Of State Marketplaces Opt Not To Charge Smokers More For Premiums
The health law allows insurers to charge smokers 50 percent higher premiums than nonsmokers but some states have decided not to allow that distinction in plans sold on the new online exchanges.