Latest KFF Health News Stories
Workers’ Poor Health Costs Employers $344 Billion, Study Finds
Health costs aren’t just about how much employers pay to provide health insurance: Workers’ poor health costs employers $344 billion annually in lost productivity and absenteeism, a research group estimates. “Employers haven’t looked at the impact of health on absence from work or on performance while at work,” says Thomas Parry of the Integrated Benefits Institute, a […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 14, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including stories detailing the politics stirred up by GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s return to Capitol Hill, as well as reports about new poll numbers and the latest about how health issues are playing on the campaign trail. The Wall Street Journal: Spending Package Passes […]
Q&A: What’s The Difference Between A Doctor And A Nurse Practitioner?
Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about the differences in practice and qualifications between doctors and nurse practitioners. She discusses the movement to require nurse practitioners to have a clinical doctoral degree although the 2015 timeframe she describes is a goal, rather than a requirement.
Kansas Wrestles With Whether To Decide Which Health Insurance Benefits Are Essential
Officials say if the state wants to determine what benefits are available on all plans sold on the health exchanges, the governor needs to act by Sept. 30. But he wants to wait until after the presidential election.
Long-Term Care A Big Time Worry in California, Study Finds
It turns out Republicans and Democrats do have something they can agree on this election season – they’re worried about how to pay for long-term care when they or a family member can no longer live at home. A new poll released Wednesday by The SCAN Foundation and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research […]
Family, Community Ties Key To Fighting Chronic Disease Among Latinos, Officials Say
Mayra Alvarez, one of four daughters, said her mother makes ends meet in California by cleaning houses during the week and caring for an elderly person on weekends. And when it comes to deciding between paying for a preventive screening test for herself or spending the money on her youngest daughter’s education, she said her […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 13, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news from the Census Bureau that, although record numbers of poor people persist, the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million. The Washington Post: Number Of Uninsured Americans Drops By 1.3 Million, Census Report Shows One spot of good news in the census data […]
On Capitol Hill, Frustration At Administration’s Regulatory Pace
In separate House and Senate hearings, Obama administration officials got an earful from members of Congress and industry and consumer representatives, who want more clarity about regulations called for in the health law.
The Great Fluoride Debate In Portland
Portland, Ore., is the largest American city that doesn’t add fluoride to its drinking water. Activists have been vocal, for and against a proposal to change that. The science shows that fears of side effects from small amounts of fluoride to protect teeth are unfounded.
Health Care Jobs Report: A Dire Warning To Congress
You knew this was coming: Just four months before a series of automatic spending cuts kick in, Medicare providers warned that, if those cuts become reality, hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost. The report, funded by the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association, predicts that the 2 […]
How Is Your Medicare Drug Plan Like Your Cable Company?
Economists have long chronicled the “lock in” effect — the ability to attract shoppers with low prices and then sock them with increases once they’ve stopped paying attention. Think car insurance or bank fees. Consumers often stay put even when they notice the higher bills, deciding that the hassles of switching represent an even greater cost. Boston University economist Keith M. Marzilli Ericson […]
Census: Uninsured Numbers Decline As More Young Adults Gain Coverage
The number of people without health insurance fell to 48.6 million last year, or 15.7 percent of the population, the first drop since 2007, according to new census numbers reported Wednesday.
A Rare Capitol Hill Sighting: 2 Parties Work Together On Health Care
The rare sound of bipartisanship was heard Tuesday at the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee. Panel members from both parties agreed — yes, you read that right, agreed — on bills dealing with clinical laboratories, recovering payments for the Medicare Trust Fund and pediatric research, among others. ”The bills before us prove that it is indeed […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 12, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about former President Bill Clinton’s role on the presidential campaign trail as well as reports from Capitol Hill and details of a new survey regarding health insurance costs. The New York Times: Embracing Role As Surrogate, Clinton Hits Campaign Trail Speaking to a sellout […]
Medicare Pilot Program Shows Cost Savings For Treating Dual-Eligibles
Researchers Tuesday released a deeper look at the Physician Group Practice Demonstration, one of the federal government’s first pay-for-performance experiments to improve health care and reduce costs for the Medicare population. They found that it created significant savings — especially for dual eligibles, which is the population who receives health coverage through both Medicare and Medicaid […]
Today’s Headlines – Sept. 11, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports exploring how, based on his recent comments, Mitt Romney’s health law replacement goals could become tricky. The New York Times: It Will Be Tricky For Romney To Keep Best Of Health Law While Repealing It Mitt Romney’s pledge to guarantee access to health insurance […]
Health Premiums Rise A Relatively Modest 4 Percent, Study Finds
Analysts attribute slowed growth to people using less health care as a result of higher deductibles, continuing weak economy.
Romney And Ryan Camps Walk Back Candidates’ Statements On Health Law
On Sunday, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he would keep the popular provision in President Barack Obama’s health law that “makes sure those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage.” And on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulus, Paul Ryan appeared to back a lesser-known part of the law called […]
Shingles Vaccinations Not Covered For Some Medicare Beneficiaries
Answers to readers’ questions about how seniors can qualify for coverage for the inoculations, whether parents are required to keep young adults on their plan and getting pregnancy care for dependents.
Pressure From Insurers, Government Cuts Radiology Use And Spending
Here’s another reason health care inflation is down: The slowing growth in MRI scans, CT sessions and other diagnostic imaging that began in the mid-2000s has continued, paired with sharply lower Medicare reimbursements. The end of the MRI boom may not rank with the poor economy, high-deductible health plans and expiring blockbuster drug patents as a factor in slowing cost trends — scans make up about 5 […]