Latest KFF Health News Stories
Too Early To Calculate Success Of ACA Marketplaces
Did taxpayers get a bargain or a boondoggle on the Obamacare exchanges? Economists agree it is still too soon to tell for most of the exchanges set up under the health law.
Safety Net Hospitals Already Seeing More Paying Patients – And Revenue
Many inner-city hospitals in Medicaid-expansion states report big drops in the number of uninsured people for whom they provide care.
A Reader Asks: Are Insurers Required To Cover HIV Prevention Medication Recently Recommended By CDC?
Federal health officials urge anyone at substantial risk of HIV to start an expensive prescription drug regimen that can prevent infection. But that doesn’t mean it qualifies for coverage without any cost sharing under the health law.
Temporary Fee On Big Businesses Funds Obamacare
Large companies like Sherwin-Williams, based in Cleveland, aren’t likely to use the individual insurance marketplace created by the health law, but they will help pay for it.
Some Colorado Doctors May Be Overcharging Medicare For Routine Visits
An analysis of newly available data may reveal fraud. But experts caution that the raw data alone could also make physicians who are doing nothing wrong look bad.
ACA And The Children’s Health Insurance Program
The Affordable Care Act offers subsidies for low-income families who currently qualify for the federal-state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), forcing states to make a decision on CHIP’s future.
California Doctors Among Those Charging Medicare The Most For Office Visits
Billing data show that some doctors charge the government much more than their peers in the same specialty by deeming almost all office visits “complex.”
Medicare May Be Overpaying Hospitals For Short-Stay Patients
A congressional panel has held its first hearing on a controversial rule that governs the admission status of Medicare patients.
Employees: No Work At Obamacare Processing Centers, And Bosses Knew
Company and government supervisors knew that employees at the tax-funded ACA processing center in Wentzville were being paid to do little or no work, former employees said.
What Happens To A Consumer Who Gets Exchange Plan Buyer’s Remorse?
KHN’s consumer columnist looks into issues raised by readers about health law coverage.
Old-Fashioned Company With New-Fangled Problem: Obamacare
AmeriMark Direct, based in Cleveland, is seeing a jump in insurance costs and is debating whether to drop coverage for its 700 workers.
Brew Pub Owner Frustrated That Health Plan Prices Still Jumping
The volatility in insurance rates irks a small business owner in Northeast Ohio, despite the introduction of the ACA.
Insurer Working Hard To Keep Up With Call Demand
In Pennsylvania, Independence Blue Cross’ success in enrolling 283,000 new members has presented several challenges.
Defining What ‘Defined Contributions’ Mean For Work-Based Health Insurance
KHN’s consumer columnist examines the pros and cons of this trend, which could give employees more responsibility for their health coverage.
What Surge? Nation’s Primary Care System Holding Up Well So Far Under Obamacare
Some say early concerns were exaggerated, though late enrollment and Medicaid problems also have cut demand.
Medicare Struggling With Hepatitis-C Cure Costs
Millions of baby boomers have hepatitis-C, and as they age into Medicare, the problem is how to pay for a $100,000+ treatment.
D.C. Health Insurance Tax Triggers Insurer Pushback
All insurers that sell health-related policies would be required to pay the assessment, even those whose products aren’t sold on the exchange.
A Reader Asks: Where Can I Find Insurance Options Between Open Enrollments?
KHN’s consumer columnist answers a reader’s question about what happens when, because of special circumstances, one must shop for health coverage through the online insurance marketplaces even though it’s not open enrollment season.
California’s Small Business Health Insurance Exchange Off To Slow Start
The program, which provides subsidies to businesses with fewer than 25 employees, has been beset by delays and technical problems. “It’s absolutely making me crazy,” says one frustrated business owner.
Hospitals Boost Patient Safety, But More Work Is Needed
Readmissions and patient injuries decrease as new government programs take effect.
