Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Medicare Fails To Recover Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Lab Overcharges
Genetic testing firms declare bankruptcy and wipe out debt to the federal government.
These Annual Checkups Help Seniors Not Only Survive But Thrive
Seniors are living longer and defying predictions of cognitive and functional decline. Wellness coaches guide them in setting goals for the year — whether physical, social, intellectual or spiritual.
Experts Tell Congress How To Cut Drug Prices. We Give You Some Odds.
Some of the nation’s most influential scientists recommend eight steps to lower drug prices. KHN takes the political temperature and tells you the chances of Congress acting on them.
In Era Of Increased Competition, Hospitals Fret Over Ratings
Hospitals are jockeying for patients and view the many different quality and safety ratings as a keen way to distinguish their services. But when those ratings nosedive, a hospital may retaliate.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Is Health Care Spending Still The Hungry, Hungry Hippo?
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of the Wall Street Journal, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Margot Sanger Katz of The New York Times discuss new health spending numbers from the federal government, as well as how the year-end legislating in Congress is being complicated by health issues.
Brokers Tout Mix-And-Match Coverage To Avoid High-Cost ACA Plans
But buyer, beware. Cobbling together “packages” designed to cover gaps in high-deductible health plans could shortchange consumers, warn advocates.
Pace Of U.S. Health Spending Slows In 2016
Dramatic increases in spending that came with the influx of newly insured consumers in 2014 and 2015 appear to be moderating.
Your Plumber Offers A Money-Back Guarantee. Should Your Doctor?
Even though consumers don’t expect to pay for faulty service or goods, they are often forced to pay for bad health care. But a small number of hospitals and doctors are seeking to change that practice.
Facebook Live: A Status Check On Obamacare Enrollment
In this chat, KHN’s Julie Appleby offers a progress report on the 2018 sign up season.
Dangling A Carrot For Patients To Take Healthy Steps: Does It Work?
Many medical groups and state Medicaid programs are offering gift cards, cash and other rewards to low-income patients if they agree to get preventive screenings and make healthier lifestyle choices.
‘Rock Star’ Navigator On Mission To Clear Health Insurance Hurdles For Vietnamese
In Texas, the uninsured rate among Vietnamese immigrants is nearly double the national rate. Navigators there are working to reverse that.
CVS-Aetna Merger A Bid To Bring Down Costs, Gain Competitive Edge
What will the mega-merger mean for consumers and the health care industry? Senior correspondent Chad Terhune offers insight.
Deciden bajar sus salarios para poder tener seguro a través del Obamacare
Para este matrimonio de Tennessee, la diferencia de salario significó tener una prima de $87, frente a una anterior de $2,100.
CHIP: sigue en peligro atención médica de 9 millones de niños
Varios estados se quedarán pronto sin fondos para el Programa de Seguro de Salud Infantil (CHIP) si el Congreso no aprueba una nueva refinanciación.
Middle-Class Earners Weigh Love And Money To Curb Obamacare Premiums
Ineligible for subsidies, a Tennessee woman quit her job to get an affordable health care premium. Conventional steps — such as maxing out your 401(k) contribution each year — may also do the job, financial planners say.
States — And 9M Kids — ‘In A Bind’ As Congress Dawdles On CHIP Funding
Congress let funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program expire in September, and despite bipartisan support for the program, states are facing the specter of having to prepare to wind down their programs.
California Winces At Trump’s Turn Back To ‘Bad Old Days’ Of Health Plan Associations
State leaders vow to protect consumers from a presidential order to resurrect a health plan model that they say could destabilize the insurance market.
Congress Isn’t Really Done With Health Care — Just Look At What’s In The Tax Bills
Even though congressional Republicans set aside their Obamacare repeal-and-replace efforts this year, here are five major health policy changes that could become law as part of the pending House and Senate proposals.
Desperate For Coverage: Are Short-Term Plans Better Than None At All?
As stopgap health plans gain attention as possible alternatives to Obamacare, consumers are advised to read the fine print.
Patients With Rare Diseases And Congress Square Off Over Orphan Drug Tax Credits
The House and Senate want to reduce or eliminate federal tax credits for “orphan drugs” used to treat rare diseases, but patients are fighting against the plan.
