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Federal officials delayed the release of the ratings after the hospital industry and members of Congress objected to the formula, saying it worked against hospitals that take the patients that are the toughest to treat.
Five states have already eliminated sales tax on feminine products, and New York City is also trying to make the products available for free in schools.
UnitedHealth’s OptumRx is the lowest bidder and wins a key endorsement ahead of final vote by California’s public retirement system.
The federal agency says the wellness programs can get health details about workers and their spouses as long as the financial rewards or penalties do not exceed 30 percent of the cost for an individual in the company’s group health plan.
KHN’s consumer columnist answers readers’ questions including whether recent announcements about plans pulling out of the health law’s exchanges could affect the access to coverage for consumers who don’t use those exchanges.
Justices give lower courts more instructions for trying to get all parties to reach an accommodation.
A program that was supposed to help veterans see doctors closer to home more quickly is not fulfilling its promise.
The U.S. faces a variety of serious concerns beyond just the future of the federal health law.
Although Medicaid and CHIP were already helping many children get insurance, the implementation of the health law has improved coverage.
But reaching Spanish speakers might take some extra effort.
New research finds that the impact of these mandates varies because of differences in states’ coverage requirements and the availability of treatment options.
The projected increase in premiums is expected to draw national attention in an election year — especially from foes of the Affordable Care Act.
Republicans have long touted a proposal to allow insurers to sell across state lines as a way to help keep coverage costs down. But there are some significant obstacles to making such a system work, as this video points out.
Women scientists get first author credit on medical studies much less often than their male coauthors. That has career implications and could even be skewing the study of women’s health.
Zoom, a medical group and insurer, is targeting millennials in Oregon and Washington with quick, accessible care as well as fitness, yoga and cooking classes.
With “shared appointments,” patients can get more time with less-harried providers, enjoy mutual support and see better outcomes. But the approach has its skeptics.
States are being asked to collect data on the deaths of pregnant women and new mothers to determine how to reduce maternal mortality rates.
After a wave of sometimes-deadly superbug infections, the agency last year ordered a recall of Custom Ultrasonics machines used to disinfect medical scopes. Now, with little explanation, it is backing off.
In 2013 and 2014, people ages 45 to 64 accounted for about half of all deaths from drug overdose, according to the CDC.
A May Health Affairs study examines how Medicare’s eligibility age affects spending and prices, as well as the volume of services used by patients.
