Latest KFF Health News Stories
Minnesota Exchange Grant Arrives In Politically Divided State
The federal government has awarded Minnesota $26 million to help it create a health insurance exchange, but Republicans in the GOP-led state legislature there are engaged in a bitter fight with Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton on its planning and even its existence.
Analysis: Is A New Federal Patient Safety Effort Doing Enough To Curb Medical Errors?
The Medicare program is betting on a new course of action to curb patient harm. The effort is pegged to the success of a little-known entity called a “hospital engagement network.”
Can Massachusetts Lead The Way On Controlling Health Costs?
As of April 1, base health insurance rates for small businesses will increase, on average, just 1.8 percent. Four prominent economists discuss why the state is having success keeping premium costs down.
Feds Jump-Start Health Insurance Co-Ops With Loans
Seven organizations will receive a total of $639 million in federal low-interest loans to launch new health insurance plans in eight states, the federal government announced Tuesday.
Insurance Coverage Might Steer Women To Costlier – But More Effective – Birth Control
Long-acting methods such as the IUD and the hormonal implant are nearly 100 percent effective and require no effort after insertion. But birth control pills are about 92 percent effective.
Hospitals Demand Payment Upfront From ER Patients With Routine Problems
Proponents say the policy saves time and money, but critics fear people will be discouraged from seeking emergency room care when they need it.
Despite Doctors’ Concerns, Home Births Are Increasing
The numbers are still small but some women opt to have their babies at home because of the convenience and to save money.
Experts Question Medicare’s Effort To Rate Hospitals’ Patient Safety Records
The new data identify many major teaching institutions as having high rates of serious complications. But officials say the measures are faulty.
FAQ: The Obama Administration’s Compromise On Contraception Benefits
The Obama administration, stung by fierce opposition from Catholic leaders to a new rule requiring that insurance plans offer free contraception, announced revised regulations Friday. Kaiser Health News summarizes common questions and answers to explain the new policy.
Consumers Hit By Higher Out-of-Network Medical Costs
Insurers switch to new way to calculate reimbursement that shifts more of the expenses onto patients.
Experts Divided Over Recommendation To Screen Children For Cholesterol
Doctors say testing may identify some in need of treatment but could also lead to many youngsters being mistakenly labeled as at risk.
Can Insurers Charge You More Due To A Pre-Existing Condition?
There is still confusion about whether pre-existing conditions matter when it comes to the cost of your health insurance premium.
The National Alzheimer’s Plan: An Opportunity For Action
Alzheimer’s expert Dr. Rachelle Doody writes that the recently released draft framework for a national Alzheimer’s plan is somewhat vague even as it contains excellent goals and begins to focus the minds and resources of key stakeholders on these issues.
Taking Steps To Overcome Alzheimer’s Disease
Robert Egge, the Alzheimers Association vice president of public policy, offers his take on why the current push to develop a national plan to combat Alzheimer’s represents a historic opportunity to strengthen the federal government’s efforts to overcome this disease.
Different Takes: The National Plan To Address Alzheimer’s Disease
Kaiser Health News talked to two experts about current efforts to craft a national plan to overcome Alzheimer’s disease.
People In State High-Risk Insurance Plans Often Feel Left Behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Doctor, Did You Check Your Checklist?
Thousands die in hospitals because of mistakes – often simple oversights – made by doctors and nurses. Here’s how hospitals can improve patient safety.
The Coming Nursing Home Shortage
Cuts in government payments for patient care and less construction of new nursing homes are taking a toll, and as baby boomers start to retire in great numbers, the timing couldn’t be worse.
The coverage is expensive and often restrictive, but it offers vital protection and flexibility for some consumers facing a nursing home stay.
High Cost Of New Cancer Drugs Sparks New Care Struggle
Unaffordable new cancer drugs, even when they’re covered by insurance, are being rationed by price as patients, doctors and hospital officials struggle with how to pay for the spectacular rise in the cost of cancer care.
