Latest KFF Health News Stories
Consumer Advocate Cautions That State Rules Will Impact Scope Of Health Law
Timothy Stoltzfus Jost talks to Michelle Andrews about a report he co-authored for state insurance commissioners about setting up the federal law.
For Med Students, How To Define ‘Best’ Residencies
Attention medical students: When selecting your residency program, there’s more than just geography and the hospital’s reputation to consider. The nation’s 23 top academic medical centers also vary drastically in what researchers are calling “the intensity” of care they provide patients at the end of life, according to a new report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project. And more intense […]
Vermont Pushes State Employees To Use CHIP Program For Their Kids
The administration of Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is encouraging state employees with children to consider dropping their kids from their parents’ health care plan and instead enrolling them in Dr. Dinosaur, Vermont’s version of the state-federal health insurance program for low-income children. The administration says the change could save state employees a lot of money — and […]
Pricey New Prostate Cancer Therapy Raises Questions About Safety, Cost
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Bill Sneddon had a feeling he was in trouble when his doctor called with his latest test results. “I just had a premonition that something’s not right,” said Sneddon, 68, of Ocean Township, N.J. And, sure enough, Sneddon’s instincts were right. He had prostate cancer. “Well, it’s […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 29, 2012
Good morning! Despite the foul weather in our neck of the woods, Kaiser Health News is online and publishing today. If you’re in Sandy’s path, please be safe! The Washington Post: WaPo-ABC Track: 49 Romney, 48 Obama, Three Days Running For the third consecutive day of the Washington Post-ABC News national tracking poll, a single […]
Health Law’s Promise Of Coverage Not Resonating With Miami’s Uninsured
Miami-Dade has one of the country’s highest rates of uninsured residents, but the issue is not rising to the top of the bitter campaign in Florida.
How The Individual Mandate Penalty Will Be Calculated
Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about the requirement to carry health insurance in 2014 and the options for subsidized coverage.
As Fiscal Cliff Looms, Medicare And Medicaid Face Uncertain Futures
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. No matter who wins the election on Nov. 6, official Washington will have to deal with something called the “fiscal cliff” before the end of the year. What’s coming is a perfect storm of expiring tax cuts, scheduled budget cuts, and various other spending changes scheduled to […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 26, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how health policy issues are playing across the election landscape and how business leaders are urging a deficit deal with more taxes and with efforts to address entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The Associated Press/Los Angeles Times: CEOs Urge Congress To Reduce […]
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 25, 2012
Good morning, here are your headlines: The Washington Post: Obama Says He’ll Renew Pursuit Of ‘Grand Bargain,’ Offering Specifics On Agenda President Obama, criticized as failing to offer a vision for a potential second term, has begun sketching out his agenda with greater specificity in recent days, including a pledge to solve the nation’s intractable […]
Medicaid Spending Growth Drops As Enrollment Slows
Enrollment growth in Medicaid slowed this year as the economy improved, easing pressure on government spending.
Three Major Themes In U.S. Health Care Spending
Kaiser Health News senior correspondent Julie Appleby examines the factors driving the $2.6 trillion in annual health care spending in the U.S.
Fixing Health Care Isn’t About Party, ‘It’s About Building A Sustainable System’ – The KHN Interview
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the co-founder of Doctors for America, talked about his organization’s recent bus tour and what concerns physicians about the way the nation’s health system operates.
Seven Factors Driving Up Your Health Care Costs
The United States spends more on health care services than any other country, exceeding $2.6 trillion, or about 18 percent of gross domestic product. Here are seven ways you or your medical providers play a role.
Today’s Headlines – Oct. 24, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, incluidng reports about a variety of Medicaid-related issues, such as how a scheduled pay raise for physicians who participate in the program will not be easy to implement. Los Angeles Times: Voters In Ohio Village Skeptical Of Both Obama And Romney The hardworking people in struggling […]
Industry Likes Medicare Home Care Expansion, But Cost Is Unknown
Patient advocacy and industry groups are cheering Medicare’s move to start paying nursing home, home care and physical therapy bills for some patients who were previously denied coverage. But how much extra it will cost the government is far from clear. The change “is expected to affect the lives of tens of thousands of Americans, perhaps hundreds of thousands” […]
Next Generation Of Doctors Will Face Training Challenges
Things are looking good for medical schools this year, with a record number of students in the 2012 class and the most diverse cohort yet. But a government freeze on residency training positions may stop that momentum in its tracks. With the nation facing a projected shortage of as many as 90,000 doctors in the […]
Oklahoma Looks for Ways to Keep Mentally Ill Ex-offenders Out of Prison
Oklahoma prisoners with mental illnesses face a myriad of obstacles in rejoining society, but a state program seeks to reintroduce them to society, keep them on medication and save them from returning to prison.
Questions Linger About Implementing Doctors’ Medicaid Pay Raise
The health law seeks to lure more doctors to treat the poor by increasing the pay rates but states and physicians have concerns about how this will work.