Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 9, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a number of health policy developments on the state level. Politico: Berwick Eyeing Run For Massachusetts Governor Former Obama administration Medicare chief Don Berwick — vilified by Senate Republicans who made his confirmation impossible — is considering a run for Massachusetts governor in 2014, he […]
A Regional Analysis Of Which Hospitals Got Rewards, Penalties Based On Quality
In Medicare’s new program that ties about $1 billion in payments to quality of care, hospitals in Fort Wayne, Ind., are faring the best on average while hospitals in Washington, D.C., are doing the worst, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of the country’s 212 major health care markets. All seven hospitals in the nation’s […]
Doctors And Dentists Lure Patients With Money-Saving Deals Online
Dollar-conscious consumers are turning to websites like Groupon for price breaks on medical, dental and vision care.
Today’s Headlines – Jan. 8, 2013
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of a government report concluding that U.S. health-care spending grew at a record low pace for a third consecutive year. The New York Times: Growth Of Health Spending Stays Low National health spending climbed to $2.7 trillion in 2011, or an average of $8,700 […]
Connecticut, The Insurance Capital, Moves Ahead With Exchange Plans
Five health plans — including all the major insurers in the state’s individual and small group markets — have told Connecticut’s health insurance exchange that they plan to offer policies in the state’s new online marketplace this fall. Exchange officials said Monday that Aetna, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare and a new nonprofit co-op owned by the Connecticut […]
Under Tight Budgets, Public Health Spending Falls For First Time
Policymakers took heart from another year of relatively slow health-spending growth in 2011, documented by government statisticians and disclosed in a report Monday. But one aspect of moderating health expenditures — and the only category showing outright decline — could cost more than it saves. Hit by recession and tight budgets, spending on public health by federal, state and local governments […]
Study: Doctors Give In To Patient Demands For Brand-Name Drugs
Doctors are more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs over lower-cost generics when patients request them and when physicians have contacts with drugmakers, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine Monday shows. The researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston analyzed data from a survey of 1,891 doctors in 2009 and found that 37 percent of […]
Florida’s Gov. Scott, Chief Opponent Of Health Law, Meets With HHS Chief Sebelius
Gov. Rick Scott visited Washington to press HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for approval on the Florida’s Medicaid managed care plans. Afterward, he offered few details about their discussion on another major issue — how, or if, the state will carry out key parts of the Affordable Care Act.