Latest KFF Health News Stories
Why State Exchange Sites Worked While The Federal Site Faltered
What accounts for the different experiences of the state and federally managed exchanges? Why are the exchanges that the federal government runs so bug-ridden, subjecting users to long delays and possibly even more serious problems?
Florida Insurer Says It Didn’t Drop Customers, Just Insurance Plans
After 300,000 Floridians receive notices that their plans will expire, Florida Blue, the state’s largest insurance company, assures customers they will be eligible for new, ACA compliant plans.
Key Senate, House Committee Chairmen Offer Plan To Fix Medicare Doctor Payments
The proposal would keep physician pay at current levels but offer them incentives for quality improvements.
Help Flies In For Troubled Hospital In Estes Park, Colo.
Fires, floods, and a government shutdown have plagued the town at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. With roads still closed, medical staff commutes via helicopter to Estes Park Medical Center.
Sebelius Says Healthcare.gov Problems Are Her Responsibility
The Health and Human Services secretary also said she couldn’t give firm numbers on how many people have enrolled for health insurance using the website because the data are not yet trustworthy. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and CQ Roll Call’s Emily Ethridge discuss.
Rep. Ryan And CMS Chief Tavenner’s Exchange Muddles Subsidies For Young Adults
In a contentious House Ways and Means Committee hearing Tuesday about the problem-plagued launch of the federal health insurance exchange, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Marilyn Tavenner, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, managed to agree about one thing: Young adults who have access to their parents’ health insurance can’t get subsidies if […]
Health Law Requirements Squeeze Some Part Time Workers
This story was produced in partnership with Some school districts and state and local governments are limiting part-time workers’ hours or letting them go to comply with the Affordable Care Act. And it’s not all political. This month in Delaware, which has embraced the health law, officials decided to limit all casual and seasonal employees, […]
Why Insurers Cancel Policies, And What You Can Do When It Happens
Many people are receiving cancellation notices as the health law transforms the individual insurance market.
After Sexual Trauma, Soldiers Search For Better Care, Peace
Only about 13 percent of “military sexual trauma” victims report their assault, and once they do, they face a system some believe has fallen well behind in caring for — or even talking about — the problems they face.
Wellness Apps And Websites Go For New Clients: Insurance Companies
Cigna’s partnership with MyFitnessPal is part of a trend, as insurers pair up with online weight-loss and wellness platforms to try to encourage healthy behavior.
Letters To The Editor: Nurse Practitioners In Primary Care; The Future Of Bare-Bones Health Plans
Letters to the Editor is a periodic KHN feature in which readers can comment on our recent stories.
Medicare Head Tavenner Apologizes For Healthcare.gov Problems
But while Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said in her Capitol Hill testimony Tuesday that some website subcontractors hadn’t met expectations, she offered few other details on the problems. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Politico Pro’s Jennifer Haberkorn discuss.
Minnesota Marketplace’s Latino Outreach Events Get Off To A Slow Start
An information session at a beauty salon in the heart of St. Paul’s Latino community helps clear up confusion but yields no enrollments so far.
Short-Term Plans Can Skirt Health Law Requirements
Some consumers may be attracted to these policies, which can run several months or as long as 364 days, because the premiums are lower.
My Other Pre-Existing Condition: Unstable Insurance
After bouncing through seven insurers in 13 years, a freelance writer hopes the system will keep him covered for good.
Updating The Latest Efforts On Fixing Healthcare.gov
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey was on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal Monday talking about efforts the federal government is making to fix the troubled healthcare.gov website for purchasing health insurance. Watch the video below. This is part of a regular Monday morning segment on Washington Journal. Tune in each week to stay informed about the latest developments […]
Choral Director May Be First Healthcare.gov Enrollee In Philadelphia Area
“You are definitely enrolled,” the director was told after a lengthy signup process. But she is still awaiting confirmation from Independence Blue Cross.
Prevention For Profit: Questions Raised About Some Health Screenings
Tests offered by for-profit companies are mostly non-invasive and fairly affordable. But some of them are not recommended by national organizations because they can lead to further testing that does more harm than good.
Medicare Budget Woes Coming Sooner Than Experts Thought
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Americans are living and working longer than ever. And Medicare, the health plan that’s supposed to help senior citizens, is facing budget problems sooner rather than later. By 2023, about 70 million people will get health care paid for by Medicare, and their tab is expected to hit […]
Pennsylvania Governor Talks Up Plan To Expand Medicaid His Way
Only about half the states so far are planning to expand Medicaid coverage to thousands of low-income adults. Pennsylvania’s Republican governor has a plan to do that, with caveats.