Latest KFF Health News Stories
Baucus: New CBO Score ‘Good News’
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Wednesday that a preliminary Congressional Budget Office score of his panel’s draft health care overhaul package would cost under $900 billion over the next decade and provide health coverage to 95 percent of uninsured Americans.
Prevention Efforts May Not Reduce Health Care Costs
There are ways to reduce expensive diseases, but they must be deployed strategically. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
Big Employers Could End Up Paying “Cadillac” Tax
To raise money to help pay for a health overhaul, Sen. John Kerry is proposing taxing insurance companies on expensive “Cadillac” policies. A new group of opponents is emerging: employers who “self-insure.” They say they shouldn’t have to pay taxes on the benefits they give their workers.
Health On The Hill – July 28, 2009
Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin of Kaiser Health News provide an update on health overhaul negotiations on Capitol Hill.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – July 28, 2009
Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin of Kaiser Health News provide an update on health overhaul negotiations on Capitol Hill.
Transitional Care Cuts Hospital Re-Entry Rates, Costs
A study published earlier this year finds 1 out of 5 older patients who are discharged from a hospital will return within a month, costing Medicare about $17 billion a year. A program in Philadelphia assigns nurses to follow up with discharged patients in order to prevent readmission. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
Just Rewards? Healthy Workers Might Get Bigger Insurance Breaks
Consumer and patients’ groups criticize proposal that would let employers bestow bigger premium discounts on employees who embrace wellness programs.
Transcript: Health On The Hill, July 27, 2009
Mary Agnes Carey discusses the possibility of a House floor vote, the ‘gang of six’ on the Senate Finance Committee and other health overhaul activity on Capitol Hill this week.
Health on the Hill – July 27, 2009
In today’s Health On The Hill, Jackie Judd talks to Kaiser Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey about what will be a crucial week for health care legislation.
Health Commission Plan Wins Some, Angers Others
The problem with putting together a big proposal – like overhauling the nation’s entire health care system – with lots of moving parts and many different interests to please, is that every time you satisfy one important constituency, you upset another.
What Counts as a Sacrifice in Health Reform?
Do the Democratic plans in Congress ask for changes that qualify as a “sacrifice”?
Cost Squeeze Raises Concerns About Health Benefits Package
As efforts continue to trim the cost of health reform, some lawmakers and patient groups are worried that the resulting insurance benefits will be less generous and affordable than they had hoped. Fiscal conservatives counter that Congress needs to be realistic about what the country can afford.
Bipartisan Health Bill Still Gets No Respect
Two senators – Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Bob Bennett say they have a health care solution, but are they too junior to get attention?
Lawmakers To Insurers: ‘Pony Up’ For Health Reform
As Senate Democrats scramble to finance an ambitious health care overhaul, they’re exploring ways to get extract money from the insurance industry, including taxing very costly policies. They’re also considering tacking a fee onto every new policy sold as a result of health reform or a flat tax on insurer profits.
Rahm Emanuel: Changes To Health System Take Time
Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, says “We will have a bill by the end of the year for the president to sign on health care that controls costs, expands coverage and provides choice.”
Hospitals Divided Over Proposal For Medicare Payment Czar
Powerful hospital trade associations are opposing President Obama’s plan for an independent commission to determine how much Medicare pays doctors and hospitals. But certain “model” hospital systems – such as CHRISTUS Health – are breaking ranks and supporting the idea.
Transcript: President Obama’s Ohio Health Care Town Hall Meeting
President Obama held a town hall-style meeting in Shaker Heights, Ohio to discuss health reform this afternoon.
President Obama’s News Conference On Health Reform
Excerpts from President Obama’s news conference, held on July 22, 2009.
Poll Shows Growing Anxiety About Health Overhaul
Public support for an overhaul the U.S. health care system has slipped somewhat, according to a new poll. But a majority of Americans still believe that “it is more important than ever to take on health care reform now.”
The House Bill Costs Far More Than $1 Trillion
House Democratic leaders have been selling the health care bill — now reported out by two of the three House committees to which it had been referred — as costing “only” $1 trillion over a decade. But that’s not really the whole story.