Latest KFF Health News Stories
Battle Continues Over Abortion In High-Risk Insurance Pools
The battle over whether the new federally-funded program to help people with pre-existing health conditions will pay for abortions just won’t go away.
When Bad News About Health Reform Isn’t Bad
This column is a collaboration between KHN and The New Republic. The weekend’s newspapers included a pair of headlines about health care reform. And they were probably not the kind that reform advocates like to see. One was in the Boston Globe: “Firms Cancel Health Coverage.” According to the article, a number of small businesses […]
This week, news outlets covered the Obama administration as it began implementing parts of the new health law and also unveiled a national HIV/AIDS strategy. And, Capitol Hill is still reacting to the president’s recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to head the agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid.
Abortion Supporters Now Blast Administration Over Health Law
The administration is getting an earful from abortion rights groups for making sure that states getting federal funds to run insurance programs for people with pre-exisitng conditions don’t cover elective abortions.
The Crippling Costs Of Obesity In The Workplace
Obese employees cost U.S. private employers an estimated $45 billion a year in medical expenditures and work loss, according to figures from the Conference Board. And employers are taking note, now more than ever.
Some Medicaid Doctors Rely Heavily On Potent Drugs
Over the last five years, Texas physicians wrote Medicaid patients nearly 3.4 million prescriptions for antipsychotics.
Behind The Scenes of Health Reform: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners
The health overhaul does establish new national requirements that insurers must meet. To help coordinate state regulatory efforts, health reform looks to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Federal Task Force On Preventive Care Faces New Challenge Under Health Law
Panel’s recommendations on preventive care will determine which services are covered fully by insurance. That could make it a political lightning rod for lobbyists and disease advocates and conflict with its tradition of scholarly dedication to the science of randomized medical trials.
Health Law Sparks Abortion Fight In Pennsylvania
Abortion opponents say the administration is already breaking the promise it made as part of the new health law not to fund elective abortions.
Tired Of Waiting For the Doctor? Try One That Gives Same-Day Appointments
Patients typically wait 20 minutes or more to see the doctor, the AMA says. But a new scheduling system that allows patients to see the doctor on the day they call for an appointment has surprising success in cutting that delay.
The End Of The Doctor’s Waiting Room
Dr. Dennis M. Dimitri, a family physician, runs an unusual office. Few appointments are accepted in advance – patients call in the morning and are assigned a time slot later that day and they don’t have to spend hours in a waiting room.
HHS Relaxes Some Rules For Doctors, Hospitals To Get Aid For Electronic Health Records
The federal government is providing $27 billion over the next decade to reward doctors and hospitals for installing electronic health systems. But some hospital officials say the regulations are still too onerous.
Jacob Lew Nominated To Head OMB
The search for Peter Orszag’s successor at the Office of Management and Budget is over, as the White House announced Tuesday morning that President Obama has picked Jacob Lew, who held the same job during the Clinton administration.
Text: National HIV/AIDS Strategy For The United States
The Obama administration released its National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States Tuesday.
Administration To Release New HIV/AIDS Strategy
As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama promised greater focus on HIV/AIDS but the effort was postponed as the administration wrestled with other issues.
How House Calls May Help Frail Elderly
A new Medicare demonstration program sends doctors to see chronically ill patients at home
Hospitals Hope To Improve Outlook By Turning For-Profit
Deals in Detroit and Boston may be the leading edge of a trend, hospital analysts say.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – July 12, 2010
President Obama’s decision to use his recess appointment powers to nominate Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services continues to anger Republicans who wanted a public examination of Berwick’s record.
Health On The Hill – July 12, 2010
President Obama’s decision to use his recess appointment powers to nominate Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services continues to anger Republicans who wanted a public examination of Berwick’s record.
Week In Review: Berwick As CMS Chief Sets Washington Abuzz
President Obama used a recess appointment to bypass the usual congressional confirmation process, advancing his administration’s health reform implementation efforts but triggering GOP cries of political foul.