Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Three Key Changes Proposed For Medicare Part D
Among the elements of the proposal that consumers might notice are changes in what drugs will be “protected” so that they are more readily available to seniors, how many plans are offered and what pharmacies will be offering the best deals.
Administration Faces Opposition To Changes In Medicare Prescription Drug Program
Officials say proposed alterations would help seniors and save money but some patient groups and the drug industry are raising concerns.
There’s a Life-Saving Hepatitis C Drug. But You May Not Be Able To Afford It.
The price tag of the breakthrough treatment raises questions about the proper costs of pharmaceuticals.
A Reader Asks: How Do I Apply For Coverage For My Son In Another State?
KHN’s consumer columnist explains that parents can get a child-only policy for a dependent living elsewhere while still getting coverage for themselves at home.
Conn. Tries To Sell Its Obamacare Success To Other States
Selling Affordable Care Act insurance is going well in Connecticut, so the state is offering “Exchange In A Box” services to other states that are still stumbling.
Tales Of Obamacare: From Elation To Frustration
Chicago-area consumers navigate the health law’s new insurance exchanges.
Mass. Patients Can ‘Shop’ For Health Care — At Least In Theory
Part of the state’s health care cost control law requires hospitals and doctors tell patients how much things cost, if they ask.
Could Medicaid Expansion Debate Turn Into An Immigration Issue?
Proponents of expanding Medicaid in Florida argue that a ‘no’ vote means that legal immigrants will have access to insurance subsidies while some U.S. citizens go without coverage.
Readers Ask About Whether Some Practices By Doctors, Insurers Are Acceptable
KHN’s consumer columnist responds to questions about whether doctors can request to keep a patient’s credit card on file, if a woman can sign up for insurance after becoming pregnant and whether an insurer can keep a young man off his parent’s policy.
Obama Administration Proposes 1.9% Cut In Medicare Advantage Payments
Insurers claim the cuts are deeper and are campaigning to stop them, saying they will hurt seniors.
Medicare Data Show Wide Differences In ACOs’ Patient Care
The first public evaluation of how 141 networks of doctors and hospitals performed looks at five quality measures for patients with diabetes and heart disease.
A Reader Asks: Can My Doctor Charge Me For ‘Chronic Disease Management’ In My Annual Physical?
KHN’s consumer columnist says that even though many preventive care services are covered without cost to the patient, “evaluation and management services” can be billed separately.
Insurance, Not Injuries, May Determine Who Goes To Trauma Centers
A new Stanford University study shows that patients with critical injuries are less likely to be transferred to trauma centers if they have insurance.
Colorado’s Elusive Goal: A Complete, Useful Health Care Price List
Making health care prices available to the public is difficult and expensive, and Colorado and several other states are in jeopardy of losing funding for their efforts unless Congress intervenes.
Tips For New Obamacare Coverage: Stay In Network, Avoid Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Consumers who obtain insurance through the health law’s marketplaces will now have to figure out their plans’ specifics.
The 10 Least Expensive Health Insurance Markets In The U.S.
Areas that offer the least expensive exchange premiums are marked by robust competition, salaried doctors and health systems that organize care.
Florida Moves To Manage Health Care For Foster Kids
Plan seeks to close gaps for more than 30,000 kids in the state’s child welfare system.
Regional Breakdown Of Florida Children Eligible For New Managed Care Plan
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Map shows there are 31,600 children eligible for the new specialty plan designed for those in the child welfare system across 11 regions.
Report: Nearly 3.3 Million Americans Have Enrolled in Private Obamacare Plans
The number of young adults still lags, but the pace of signups has increased.
Telemedicine Bolsters ICU Care In Rural Maryland Hospitals
A new telemedicine technology, Maryland eMedicare, allows critical care physicians to monitor ICU patients hundreds of miles away.
