Latest KFF Health News Stories
HHS’s Contracting Bonanza in 8 Charts
The Affordable Care Act and related programs have helped make the Department of Health and Human Services the No. 3 federal agency for outsourcing work to private business, after the Pentagon and the Energy Department.
Some Newly Covered Illinois Residents Still Struggle To Pay For Health Care
Even with insurance, high deductibles can put care out of reach.
Federal Officials Urge Marketplace Consumers To Look For Better Deals In 2015
People who bought coverage on healthcare.gov for this year could likely find cheaper premiums if they shop again.
Growth In U.S. Health Spending In 2013 Is Lowest Since 1960
The report credits slower growth in spending for private health insurance, Medicare, hospitals, physicians and clinical services.
Big Data Offer New Strategy For Public Health Campaigns
In Chicago, data analytics methods once used in political campaigns helped identify women needing mammograms.
Consumers Will Pay More Out Of Pocket Next Year For Specialty Drugs
More insurers selling Affordable Care Act plans will charge consumers higher rates for medicines that treat multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C and other serious illnesses, Avalere studies say.
EEOC Takes Aim At Wellness Programs Increasingly Offered By Employers
The lawsuits brought by the commission, which have raised complaints from business leaders, highlight the lack of clarity in the standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Medicare Tightens Non-Emergency Use Of Ambulances To Combat Fraud
Advocates say many poor seniors who need dialysis and cancer treatments will have few transportation options.
More Competition Helps Restrain Premiums In Federal Health Marketplace
In counties that are adding at least one insurer next year, average premiums for the least expensive silver plan are rising 1 percent on average, compared to 7 percent in counties where the number of insurers is not changing, KHN analysis finds.
School District Pays For Health Care But Can’t Get Itemized Bill
Like most big employers, the Miami-Dade County Public School system is self-insured, but finding out just how much they are expected to pay for many health care procedures for employees is proving difficult.
Marketplaces Will Automatically Renew Consumers’ Plans, But Take A Look First
KHN’s consumer columnist answers questions about enrollment under the health law and cautions people not to just go with last year’s choice.
Alaska Doctors Overwhelmed By New Federal Rules
The new requirements for electronic medical records and other technological upgrades can be a heavy burden for Alaska’s small medical practices and aging physician workforce.
Some Experts Dispute Claims Of Looming Doctor Shortage
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can fill some primary care gaps, but specialists say an aging population will need more intensive care.
A Quarter Of Uninsured Say They Can’t Afford To Buy Coverage
Poll finds that the high cost was the biggest obstacle noted by Americans who lack insurance and don’t expect to buy it next year. About half of the uninsured hope to get coverage in 2015.
Former HHS Official Calls For ‘Smarter’ Networks That Deliver Cost-Effective Care
Gary Cohen, a former deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the challenge for regulators and insurers is to create networks that not only save money but also deliver better patient outcomes.
Hospitals And Pharmacies Grapple With Rising Drug Prices
Spending on drugs by Ascension, a large Midwestern health care system, has increased $36 million in the last year — with two-thirds of that attributed to costlier generics.
Costly Hepatitis C Treatments Help Drive 12 Percent Drug Spending Jump
Increases are expected to moderate as more brand-name drug patents expire and the impact of the liver disease treatments lessens.
Study: American Seniors Face Health Care Gaps, Despite Medicare
The Commonwealth Fund finds cost barriers and limits on care for Medicare beneficiaries consistently places the U.S. low on the list of an 11-nation ranking of how older people fare in industrialized nations.
Big Changes For 2015 Workplace Plans: Watch Out For These Six Possible Pitfalls
Consumers who get health insurance through their employers need to pay close attention this year to their enrollment materials.
Laws Spreading That Allow Terminal Patients Access To Experimental Drugs
Five states have approved the measures this year, but critics note that they don’t address the issues of patient costs and don’t mean the drug makers will necessarily make the medications available.
