Latest KFF Health News Stories
Slowly Dying Patients, An Audit And A Hospice’s Undoing
For one San Diego Hospice, the trouble began with a federal audit.
Study: Seniors Look For Star Ratings On Medicare Advantage Plans
America’s seniors are benefiting from a star rating system that ranks the quality of Medicare Advantage plans, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Authors affiliated with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conducted a study of almost 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries. They found a positive relationship — […]
Utah, HHS Quibble Over Best Way To Run State Insurance Market
The Obama administration says it is bending over backwards to help states carry out the federal health law. Utah’s top health insurance exchange official says the federal government could do more. “There’s hasn’t been much dialogue,” said Patty Conner, director of the Utah Health Exchange, which recently rebranded itself Avenue H. She hopes federal health officials […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 15, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest on how Medicare and other entitlement programs fit into the looming battle over raising the federal debt limit. The Wall Street Journal: Obama Escalates Debt Fight Mr. Obama said he was willing to work with the GOP on an agreement to cut spending—including […]
Emergency Departments Are On The Frontline Of The Flu
More patients with the flu are seeking care at the emergency room this year, and despite the 112 million Americans who have gotten a flu shot, it remains to be seen if this year’s version will be just bad or historically bad.
Not Too Early To Plan For Health Taxes, H&R Block Says
Even if you owe Affordable Care Act taxes, you probably won’t have to start paying them until next year. But H&R Block wants you to come in and talk about them now. “The Affordable Care Act means big changes this year when you file your taxes,” a chipper Block employee says in a new television ad. She says the company offers a free […]
Health Law Offers Dental Coverage Guarantee For Some Children
The requirement is only for individual and small-group health plans, and some advocates worry that the new benefits may not be sufficiently comprehensive or affordable.
Obama: ‘Our Commitment To Medicare
At a White House news conference Monday, President Obama discusses how he sees Medicare, Medicaid and other health care spending factoring into the looming conflict over raising the federal debt ceiling.
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 14, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the health care marketplace and about the issues being raised by this year’s intense flu epidemic. The Wall Street Journal: Public-Private Fund Aims At Health Care, Housing Gap Hoping to bridge the gap between low-income residents and health-care services, a $100 million fund […]
Who Knew? Patients’ Share Of Health Spending Is Shrinking
Despite rapid growth in high-deductible health plans and rising employee contributions for insurance premiums, consumers’ share of national health spending continued to fall in 2011 — slipping to its lowest level in decades.
As ‘Bodega Clinicas’ Fill Void, Officials Are Torn on Embracing Them
The storefront doctor’s offices serve a vast number of uninsured Latino residents, in a kind of parallel, cash-only health system. But officials have little information on the quality of health care the clinicas provide, and whether they might be able to help fill persistent and profound gaps in Los Angeles’ strained safety net.
Voice For Medicare, Medicaid Retiring
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who helped create the Children’s Health Insurance Program and fought to protect the social safety net, says he will not seek reelection in 2014.
Is California Headed For State Vs. Counties Health Budget Battle?
SAN FRANCISCO – After four years of massive budget cuts to California’s public health insurance programs – and the voters’ approval of a tax increase – Gov. Jerry Brown is laying down his scalpel. Brown presented his proposed budget for the coming year on Thursday, including an additional $350 million in funding for the state’s […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 11, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on developments in the health care marketplace as well as state health policy and budget news Politico: Insurers’ 2014 Hikes Already Taking Toll If you work for a small business, your next health insurance premium may give you sticker shock. Many of the small-business […]
A Guide To Health Insurance Exchanges
The new online marketplaces, to be set up by October, are designed to make it easier to buy insurance. But they’re in the middle of a political fight over the health care law.
Commonwealth Fund Panel Proposes Options To Slow Health Care Spending
A group of health policy professionals Thursday called on federal, state and local governments to help slow the relentless growth of health care spending by setting firm limits on those expenditures. The group, assembled by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research group, urged each level of government to agree to hold the increases in health […]
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 10, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Jack Lew, who is President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Treasury Department and has a record of protecting Medicaid and the safety net. The Wall Street Journal: Obama Aide Is Treasury Pick In 2011, as political leaders were designing the spending reductions […]
Governors’ Group Highlights Health Care In 2013 Outlook
As governors gear up to deliver their state-of-the-state addresses later this month, the Democratic and Republican leaders of the National Governors Association spoke Wednesday about the broader policy challenges facing all states in 2013 — and sure enough, health care was among the major issues both mentioned. The “State of the States” addresses by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, […]
‘The Matrix’ Meets Medicine: Surveillance Swoops Into Health Care
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is testing how using technology to monitor seniors’ health can save money on medical costs and help seniors feel secure enough to “age in place.”
Fla. Gov. Scott to Look at Other Medicaid Cost Estimates
In several public statements, Gov. Rick Scott has cited $26 billion as the 10-year cost of Medicaid expansion in Florida, saying he got it from the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration.