Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s Headlines – August 21, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports from the campaign trail, where House candidates are turning up the Medicare debate; and from the health care marketkplace, where Aetna acquired Coventry Health, a Medicare and Medicaid insurer. The New York Times: As Romney Enjoys Ryan’s Spark, Rivals Try To Fan It But […]
Survey: Hospitals Name Their Least Favorite Insurers
Updated at 11 a.m. with comments from Cigna. It is a truth universally acknowledged that health insurance companies can be a pain for patients. What may be a surprise is that hospitals often complain, too. For the same reasons: Denied claims. Low reimbursement. Late reimbursement. Thickets of red tape. Each year ReviveHealth, a hospital public relations firm in Santa Barbara, […]
Medicare Fraud Squads Wield New Weapons
The fraud squads who look for scams in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs have some new weapons: tools and funding provided by the health law.
Health Law Prompts Review Of Some Medigap Plans; Defining Who Gets Dependent Status
In responses to readers’ questions, columnist Michelle Andrews looks at efforts to curb spending by Medigap insurance. In addition, she explores how health plans determine who can be on your coverage.
Today’s Headlines – August 20, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how the Medicare story is continuing to unfold on the presidential campaign trail. The Associated Press/Washington Post: Romney And Ryan To Hold Town Hall Meeting With NH Voters To Explain Medicare Plans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are ready to face New Hampshire […]
Maryland Seeks A New Balance In Its Unique Hospital Payment System
Maryland hospitals want insurers to pay more as the state considers cuts in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates.
FAQ: Decoding The $716 Billion In Medicare Reductions
As the political campaigns tussle over how to handle the program, KHN examines the ongoing debate.
Hospitals React To Readmission Penalties
This week, a KHN analysis of Medicare data showed that 2,211 hospitals will face penalties in October for having too many patients readmitted for care within 30 days of discharge. Hospital executives around the country have had something to say about those penalties and the new policy. Here’s a round-up of how the story played as it […]
Today’s Headlines – August 17, 2012
One last batch of health policy headlines before you head to the beach. The Washington Post: Mitt Romney, Obama Camp Spar On Medicare Plans Mitt Romney wants to make the Medicare debate easy to understand. So on Thursday, he pulled out a black marker and stepped toward a trusty white board propped up on a […]
Survey: Few ACOs Ready For Financial Risk
Few hospitals interested in becoming accountable care organizations are ready to take on financial risk, according to a survey released Friday from The Commonwealth Fund. “We’re really still at the very beginning of the adoption curve of the ACO model,” says lead author Anne-Marie Audet, who researches health system quality and efficiency at Commonwealth. “The […]
CDC: All Baby Boomers Should Be Tested For Hepatitis C
When it comes to preventive screenings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants baby boomers to add one more item to the list. The CDC is calling for all Americans born between 1945 and 1965 to be tested for the Hepatitis C virus as part of expanded recommendations to limit related illnesses and deaths that were released today. Hepatitis […]
Don’t Change Medicare, Most Republicans Say In Poll
As Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to overhaul Medicare makes campaign headlines, a majority of Republicans oppose changing the government program for seniors, according to a new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Washington Post. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) That could spell trouble for presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his designated running mate Ryan as […]
Today’s Headlines – August 16, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how Medicare has taken center stage in the presidential campaign. The Associated Press/Washington Post: Reversing Obama Medicare Cuts May Backfire On Romney By Speeding Up Program’s Insolvency GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s new promise to restore the Medicare cuts made by President Barack […]
Denver Health: Low Readmission Rate Not Easy To Emulate
If Denver Health can do it, every hospital ought to be able to do it. That’s the implicit challenge of the new Medicare penalties for high hospital readmission rates that will be hitting 2,211 American hospitals come October. Denver Health, despite being a safety net hospital, won’t be paying a penalty: It has an enviably […]
Q&A: Paying For Ambulance Services
Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about what you can do when insurance only covers a portion of an ambulance bill.
Today’s Headlines – August 15, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that Medicaid is joining Medicare in the presidential campaign’s issue spotlight. The Washington Post: Medicaid Shapes Up As Major Battleground Mitt Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his running mate has reignited a debate over the future of Medicare. But Ryan’s proposed […]
Ohio Medicaid Program Raises Stakes For Nursing Homes
The state sets the largest financial incentive program in the country, tying about 10 percent of reimbursements to facilities’ meeting quality standards.
Medicare Studying Plans To Pay Nursing Homes Based On Quality
The 2010 health law directs the health program for seniors to create an incentive pay program for nursing homes.
FAQ: Ryan’s Plan Would Make Key Changes In Medicaid, Too
Under Ryan’s plan, the federal share of Medicaid spending would drop sharply as the program becomes a block grant to states, indexed for inflation and population growth.
Today’s Headlines – August 14, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more news and analysis related to GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s running-mate pick and how the Romney-Ryan team appears to be playing on the campaign trail. The New York Times: Medicare Rises As Prime Election Issue With Mitt Romney’s selection of Representative Paul D. Ryan […]