Latest KFF Health News Stories
To help balance their budgets, 13 states are cutting Medicaid either by lowering fees paid to medical providers, reducing benefits, or tightening eligibility for the health insurance program for the poor and disabled. Most changes went into effect July 1, though some take effect later this year and some are pending federal approval. Kaiser Health News surveyed the 50 state Medicaid programs:
When Going Back To The Hospital Is Good News
No one wants to be readmitted to a hospital, but it does beat one alternative: death. As Medicare prepares to start punishing hospitals with higher than expected readmission rates, new government data show that some hospitals with high readmissions are actually doing a better job than most in keeping Medicare patients alive. Beth Israel Deaconess […]
Today’s Headlines – July 24, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news from the campaign season as well as reports from the international AIDS conference currently taking place in Washington, D.C. The Wall Street Journal: Deloitte: One In 10 U.S. Employers To Drop Health Coverage Around one in 10 employers in the U.S. plans to drop […]
Lisa Fitzpatrick: Routine Testing For HIV Needed
AIDS In 2012: The medical director of infectious diseases at United Medical Center tells Joanne Silberner that in addition to more frequent testing, more attention needs to be paid to keeping people with HIV under the care of a doctor.
Forget The Company Plan-The Boss Wants You On Dad’s Insurance
Employers can encourage young adults to forego the office’s plan and take advantage of health law provision allowing them to join their parents’ policy.
Medicare IDs Few Hospitals As Outliers In Readmissions
Correction: An earlier version of this report incorrectly listed 10 hospitals as having better than average readmission rates for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia patients. Only two hospitals, Citrus Memorial Hospital of Inverness, Fla. and Sarasota Memorial Hospital of Sarasota, Fla., had better than average readmission rates for those three conditions tracked by Medicare’s Hospital Compare […]
Today’s Headlines – July 23, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the international AIDS conference taking place this week in Washington, D.C. The Associated Press: Working Poor Stand At Center Of Medicaid Debate Jose Gallegos’ company eliminated employee health insurance to save money, so when his gut started hurting and his skin took on […]
Greg Millett: New HIV Infections Are Down, But ‘Much More’ To Be Done
AIDS In 2012: Senior policy advisor in the Office of National AIDS Policy tells Joanne Silberner the president’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy has improved coordination among federal agencies and that the 2010 health law will improve access to care for those living with HIV/AIDS.
Meet A New Breed Of Medical Professional: The Health Coach
Health coaches are becoming more popular as chronic and often preventable diseases like Type 2 diabetes consume more and more health care dollars.
‘Child Life Specialists’ Help Sick Kids Be Kids
Child life specialists help sick children and their families navigate difficult medical situations emotionally and psychologically while in the hospital.
States Efforts To Outsource Prison Health Care Come Under Scrutiny
The cost cutting measures have raised concerns among state unions and prisoners’ rights groups.
Abortion Back On The Front Burner For Congress
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. It’s not just states where abortion is heating up as an issue this election year. Congress is getting back into the fray, too. On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee approved, on a party-line vote of 18-14, a bill that would ban abortions in the District of Columbia after 20 weeks of […]
Texas Advocates Push Insurance Rate Review
The Perry Administration’s Department of Insurance has nine reviews pending on insurers that are raising premiums more than 10 percent.
Physicians And Assisted Suicide; Avoid Getting Sick In July
KHN’s Matthew Fleming selected these interesting articles from around the Web for weekend reading options. ABC News: Assisted Dying: Experts Debate Doctor’s Role Peggy Sutherland was ready to die. The morphine oozing from a pump in her spine was no match for the pain of lung cancer, which had evaded treatment and invaded her ribs. … Sutherland, 68, […]
Today’s Headlines – July 20, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports from the presidential campaign trail and from the health care marketplace. The New York Times: Obama Visits Florida To Win Over Older Voters After weeks of focusing on Mr. Romney’s private-sector business deals, Mr. Obama turned to another front by attacking Republican plans to […]
Hospitals’ Readmissions Rates Not Budging
Medicare data show little improvement in curbing the number of beneficiaries who are readmitted despite threats of financial penalties to hospitals.
Today’s Headlines – July 19, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a variety of stories exploring public opinions about the health law, the upcoming election and the Supreme Court. NPR: A Majority Of Voters In NPR Poll Favor Amending, Not Repealing, Health Care Act A new poll done for NPR by a bipartisan polling team shows […]
Q&A: Upfront Payment For Medical Procedures
Michelle Andrews answers a consumer question about providers requesting advance payment for medical tests and other services.
Bill Frist To GOP Governors: Get Cracking On Exchanges
A former GOP power player is urging Republicans to rethink their rejection of the health law and to implement state insurance exchanges – and to do it now. Bill Frist, a former Republican Senate majority leader and heart transplant surgeon, today argued in a column that state officials should not pass up the opportunity to build […]
Notre Dame On-Campus Retail Clinic Opens, But Without Birth Control
Retail clinics are spreading across the country, offering their services at an increasing number of locations in stores and business offices. But a just-opened clinic at the University of Notre Dame could signal a new direction: setting up shop at academic centers. Walgreens partnered with Notre Dame to open an on-campus wellness center for employees last week. […]