Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s Headlines – February 6, 2012
Good morning! Hope you don’t have the post-Super Bowl blues. If you do, these headlines are sure to get you super-hyped for the day: The Wall Street Journal: Check Hospital Tab Some Medicare beneficiaries who visit the hospital are getting surprised by big bills because their stays weren’t considered inpatient services. The issue arises when […]
Hospitals Mine Their Patients’ Records In Search Of Customers
Hospitals say they are promoting needed services, such as cancer screenings and cholesterol tests, but they often use the data to target patients with private health insurance, which typically pay higher rates than government coverage.
Enhanced Scrutiny Of IVF Clinics; School-Based Health Care
Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reads from around the Web. Time: Gingrich Wants Scrutiny Of IVF Clinics: Why That’s Not The Worst Idea Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich hit upon a reproductive minefield on Sunday when he called for deeper scrutiny of in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics, where women go for high-tech help […]
Health Law Challenge Gets A Dry Run At Georgetown Law
If a healthy, wealthy young man lives in a hut out in the American wilderness, should he have to buy health insurance? That was one of many questions brought up Wednesday, when the Georgetown University law school held a mock version of the upcoming oral arguments for the Supreme Court’s consideration of the 2010 health […]
Today’s Headlines – February 3, 2012
Good morning, and happy Friday! Here are your health headlines: Los Angeles Times: Health Law Delivers $2.1 Billion In Savings On Drugs For Seniors In the first full year of the new healthcare law, 3.6 million people in the government Medicare program saved $2.1 billion on prescription drugs in 2011, the Obama administration announced Thursday […]
Using War Savings For ‘Doc Fix’ Complicated By Congressional Rules
While hospitals, physicians and some members of Congress want to use war savings as a way to get rid of Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula, congressional rules could complicate things. Even if there’s enough support for the idea among Republicans — and it’s unclear there is, especially in the House — there’s the issue of “scope,” or what’s […]
As Komen Defends Itself, Planned Parenthood Rakes In Substitute Funds
Leaders of the breast-cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure tried in vain Thursday to contain the controversy stemming from its decision to end its grants to Planned Parenthood.
Taking Another Shot At The Flu Vaccine
Despite nearly 20 years of recommendations that health workers get flu shots, the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that less than 64 percent of them do. Consumer and business groups met in Washington Thursday to show their support for a recommendation from the National Business Group on Health […]
Today’s Headlines – February 2, 2012
Good Thursday morning to you! Here are your headlines to help you get your day started; up and at ’em: The Associated Press/Washington Post: Payroll Tax, Jobless Benefits Negotiations On Capitol Hill Off To Slow Start As Deadline Nears Negotiators on Capitol Hill agreed Wednesday to try to extend a payroll tax cut worth about […]
A Computer Beats A Pen For Getting Prescriptions Right
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog. Drug errors inside hospitals remain a big problem. By one estimate, 1 in 7 hospitalized patients suffers some form of error in care. Nearly a third of those mistakes are related to drugs. And those mix-ups can lead to longer hospital stays, unnecessary suffering, permanent damage […]
States Under Pressure As Health Law Deadlines Approach
Critics say Washington is moving too slowly on regulations and guidance.
Planned Parenthood Vs. Komen: Women’s Health Giants Face Off
The breast-cancer charity is pulling about $700,000 in breast cancer screening and service grants from Planned Parenthood.
Is HHS Medicare Advantage Celebration Premature?
Updated at 2:00 p.m. Enrollment is up and prices are down in Medicare Advantage, which offers Medicare beneficiaries private health plan alternatives – mostly managed care – to the traditional fee-for-service program. The Department of Health and Human Services is hailing the numbers as proof that predictions that the 2010 health law would damage Medicare […]
War Savings May Be Key To Long-Term ‘Doc Fix’ Deal
Health On The Hill: KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey tells Jackie Judd that both Democrats and Republicans have floated using savings from the drawdown of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to hammer out a bargain on the Medicare “doc fix.” But Wednesday’s meeting of House and Senate conferees focused on policy; more discussions about funding will come Thursday.
Study: Health Law’s Tax On Insurers Will Take Bite Out Of Medicaid
Under the health care overhaul, the federal government will begin taxing itself and the states beginning in 2014. And that’s giving state Medicaid directors heartburn. The law calls for a new tax on health insurers’ premium revenue — intended to help pay for expansion of coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans. But the tax will be paid by all […]
Today’s Headlines – February 1, 2012
Can you believe it’s February already? Here are your morning headlines: The New York Times: Budget Deficit Tops $1 Trillion, But Is Falling, Report Says Lawmakers of both parties say Congress must block impending cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, who face a 27 percent reduction in fees in March. Just to maintain Medicare payment […]
Q&A: Can You Be Denied Insurance Due To Pregnancy?
Losing employment and group coverage during a pregnancy narrows consumers’ health insurance options.
Video: Florida Primary Night Speeches Feature Health Issues
After the bruising Florida primary, Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich made similar promises to roll back the 2010 health law and regulations affecting religious institutions.
Many In High Risk Pools Aren’t Protected From Lifetime Coverage Limits
Thanks to the health care overhaul, most people no longer have to worry about getting sick and running out of health insurance coverage. The law eliminated lifetime limits, which ran in many plans from $1 million to $2 million. Unfortunately, though, the change doesn’t apply to plans that enroll some of the sickest people: those […]
Nursing Homes Offer Plan To Help Cut Medicare Spending
Much attention has been focused on a House-Senate conference committee’s efforts to find ways to finance an extension of the current payroll tax break and to prevent a 27 percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians. But the nursing home industry is also facing some stiff funding reductions, and an industry trade group has come up with a proposal to […]