Latest KFF Health News Stories
Transcript: Dr. Donald Berwick’s Speech To The British National Health Service
President Obama’s appointment – during a congressional recess – of Dr. Donald Berwick to head the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services is focusing new attention on Berwick’s record and beliefs, in particular a 2008 speech about Britain’s National Health Service. This is an edited transcript.
High-Risk Pools: A Rare Opportunity For Bipartisanship
President Obama should greet a letter from Congressional Republicans about insufficient funding for the new high-risk pools as an opening bid in constructing a bipartisan bill to fix any deficiencies.
Price Fixing And Kickbacks Sully Medical Supply Business
The new health care law does not address costs for medical supplies
Latest Destination For Medical Tourism: The U.S.
Forget sending workers overseas for lower cost medical care: A growing number of employers are encouraging workers to travel within the states to medical facilities they say have better quality and lower costs.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – July 6, 2010
Congress left town for the July 4th recess without taking action on legislation that would give states additional Medicaid funding through June of next year. A bipartisan group of governors who came to Washington last week said that without the extra funds they would have to make budget cuts beginning July 1.
Health On The Hill – July 6, 2010
Congress left town for the July 4th recess without taking action on legislation that would give states additional Medicaid funding through June of next year. A bipartisan group of governors who came to Washington last week said that without the extra funds they would have to make budget cuts beginning July 1.
Preventing Pregnancy: Should Patients Get Contraceptives From Health Plans At No Cost?
The new overhaul law says health plans should provide certain preventive services at no cost to patients. Women’s advocates say that free contraceptives would reduce unwanted pregnancies, but opponents say birth control doesn’t belong on the list of services, which is being developed by federal officials.
Back To The Future: CBO Budget Predictions and Health Reform
A new CBO report highlights the importance of future lawmakers’ willingness to go through with cuts called for in the new health care law.
Consumer Groups: Force Insurers To Provide More Details Justifying Price Increases
Under the new health law, many insurers will have to publicly report how much they plan to raise premiums and why, but consumer advocates say draft rules on how much information is required to justify “unreasonable” increases fall short.
Week In Review: Details On Health Reform’s High-Risk Insurance Pools And HHS’ Insurance Website
Two of the new health law’s early deliverables – high-risk insurance pools and a federal website for consumers – took center stage as July 1 marked a busy day in the administration’s implementation schedule.
Obama’s Health Plan Getting Tested In Court
The Obama administration’s biggest domestic policy accomplishment — the new health care law — is under steady legal attack. On Thursday, lawyers argued the first case to hit the courts, filed by the attorney general of Virginia. More than a dozen other state challenges are in the pipeline.
COBRA, Medicaid Subsidies Still Loom Over Congressional Agenda
Democrats had hoped to extend health insurance subsidies for newly laid off workers, extend extra Medicaid payments to the states, and pass a long term Medicare ‘doc fix’ before the July 4 recess. But all they could accomplish was a short-term Medicare fix.
What You Need To Know About The Government’s New Health Insurance Website
The new health law mandated that the government set up a website to help consumers understand all of their insurance options. The site, http://www.healthcare.gov, launched July 1.
Online Health Insurance Broker That Once Feared Overhaul Now Sees New Opportunities
eHealthInsurance hopes to get government contract to run the new website that will serve consumers looking for insurance options.
Governors To Congress: Extend Extra Medicaid Funds
Kansas’ Mark Parkinson is one of a number of governors who are urging Congress to extend the additional Medicaid funds that are now scheduled to expire in December. The governors say without the extra help, state budgets could be devastated.
Health and Class: A New Look at Poverty and Illness
A new study looks at why more education and income sometimes means fewer colds and headaches.
Want To Know What A Hospital Charges? Good Luck
More than 30 states and Congress have passed laws requiring hospitals to publish their prices, but the information often is of little use to consumers.
Part-Time Workers To Get Help On Health Insurance
The new health care law promises to make it easier for part-time workers to find and buy affordable coverage, starting in 2014. Until then, they don’t have a lot of options.
Transcript: Health On The Hill
The Department of Health and Human Services is facing July 1 deadlines for creation of high-risk pools to help individuals who have been without health insurance for six months or longer and a new web portal to provide consumers with information about health insurance plans.
Health On The Hill – June 28, 2010
The Department of Health and Human Services is facing July 1 deadlines for the creation of high-risk pools to help individuals who have been without health insurance for six months or longer and a new web portal to provide consumers with information about health insurance plans.