Latest KFF Health News Stories
HHS Floats New Ideas For Contraception Coverage Compromise
Again wading into the conflict between religious liberty and reproductive rights, the Obama administration on Friday suggested a number of ways it might arrange for insurers to pay for the contraception of employees of religious organizations without using any premium money from those groups. The ideas are intended to deal with a knotty problem created […]
New Rule Spells Out Streamlined Medicaid Eligibility
Most people who apply for health coverage in the new online marketplaces required by the federal health law will be able to learn almost instantly if they qualify for Medicaid or premium subsidies, Medicaid chief Cindy Mann said Friday. Mann said currently most people who apply for Medicaid must wait days or weeks until states determine their […]
HHS Issues Final Rule For 2014 Medicaid Expansion
The Department of Health and Human Services released Friday a final rule related to the massive expansion of Medicaid set to begin in 2014. Under the health law, individuals between ages 19 and 64 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level — currently $14,856 for an individual and $30,656 for a […]
Delayed Release Of Student Health Plan Rule Scrambles Financial Aid Calculations
This long-awaited regulation — designed to boost benefits offered by student health insurance plans — could affect plan costs and, in some instances, the cost of attending college.
Med Students Spurn Primary Care For Hospital Jobs
Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reads from around the Web. Time: Peter Goodwin: The Dying Doctor’s Last Interview (Video) Dr. Peter Goodwin, a family physician and right-to-die activist, took his own life on March 11, 2012, at age 83. He did it legally, with the blessing of his family and doctors, under the […]
Groups Push For Tough Health Spending Targets In Massachusetts
The state’s largest employer group and a coalition of congregations are putting pressure on state legislators to curb spending dramatically.
What You Can Expect This Year From The Health Law
Even as the Supreme Court prepares to hear the historic lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, consumers are already seeing some changes. Jackie Judd talks with KHN’s “Insuring Your Health” columnist Michelle Andrews about insurance rebates, flexible spending accounts, preventive care (including contraceptives) and easy-to-read insurance labels.
Today’s Headlines – March 16, 2012
Here are your headlines for this fine Friday morning: The Wall Street Journal: Washington Elites Queue Up To See Nine Justices On Hot Seat The hottest ticket of the season isn’t for the White House Easter Egg Roll or Opening Day for the Washington Nationals baseball team. It’s for a spot inside the Supreme Court […]
Feds Drop Texas Women’s Health Program
The federal government told Texas today that it would be dropping the state from the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. Until now, federal Medicaid dollars had paid for 90 percent of the costs to help poor Texas women get gynecological exams, cancer screenings and contraception. Federal Medicaid director Cindy Mann says Texas will be dropped because […]
Advocacy Group Targets Democratic Senators With Ad Featuring Pat Boone
The 60 Plus Association, a conservative-leaning advocacy group focused on issues for seniors, began running new television spots this week targeting five incumbent Democratic senators for their support of the Medicare provisions in the 2010 health law. 60 Plus, which backs the premium support proposal for Medicare authored by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is spending […]
New Report Identifies Barriers To HIV Care In U.S.
In July 2010 the White House created the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) that set out to decrease HIV-related health disparities, to increase access to care for the disease and to improve health outcomes for HIV patients. But in order to effectively measure the success of this plan, the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) commissioned […]
Today’s Headlines – March 15, 2012
Good morning and good Thursday to you. Here are your morning headlines: The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire: Fight Breaks Out Over 2013 Budget Cuts A battle has erupted over House Republicans’ plans to offer a budget next week that will likely cut 2013 spending below the level the two parties agreed on last August. […]
Mississippi Builds Insurance Exchange, Even As It Fights Health Law
Mississippi, a deeply red Southern state that is part of the Supreme Court case against the health law, is moving full speed ahead with one of the key provisions of that law: an online health insurance exchange.
Personal Views Color Public Opinion Of Health Law Court Case
Half the country hopes the Supreme Court will throw out the health law’s mandate that Americans carry health insurance, according to a new poll released Wednesday. In what may be a sign of political wish fulfillment, half of Americans expect that the court will take that course when it takes up the case later this […]
Today’s Headlines – March 14, 2012
Good morning! Middle of the week and the health headlines don’t stop, here you are: The Wall Street Journal: Health-Law War Heats Up As Court Review Nears Democrats and Republicans are reviving their competing campaigns over the health-overhaul law in advance of the Supreme Court’s review of the measure this month. After largely avoiding the […]
Study Finds High-Spending Canadian Hospitals Do Better
Canada has long been a favored talking point for debates over the quality of America’s health system, alternatively cast as either Eden or Gomorrah. A new paper adds a shade of gray into the understanding of Canadian hospitals — and the ongoing debate here about whether when it comes to medical spending, less is more. […]
Timing Of Birth Control Coverage May Differ For Students, Profs
Could Georgetown University students like Sandra Fluke have to wait an extra year for free birth control? There’s a reason to ask the question. Fluke, in case you missed it somehow, is the law student who testified before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee last month about the importance of providing free contraceptive services […]
Connecticut Weighs Its ‘Nurses Only’ Medication Policy For Homebound Seniors
Gov. Malloy has proposed letting supervised home health aides give medication to Medicaid patients.
Today’s Headlines – March 13, 2012
Good morning! Here are your A.M. headlines to get you going: The Associated Press/Washington Post: Ambitious Health Care Blueprint Stresses State Flexibility, Sets Up Huge Logistical Challenge Democratic state officials are praising the flexibility in federal rules issued Monday, a long-awaited blueprint for state health insurance markets where millions of consumers will shop starting in […]
Winners And Losers In Medicare Advantage Extras: Avalere Report
State Weighted Average Rebate 2010 AK $0 AL $60 AR $52 AZ $59 CA $94 CO $50 CT $35 DC $77 DE $25 FL $154 GA $31 HI $51 IA $32 ID $44 IL $48 IN $40 KS $44 KY $34 LA $143 MA $33 MD $49 ME $41 MI $27 MN $25 MO $79 […]