Latest Morning Briefing Stories
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.
Questions & Answers About Coverage Options Under The Health Law
In the second of two installments, KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and health policy analyst Susan Dentzer joined Judy Woodruff on PBS NewsHour Wednesday to answer questions from consumers about health insurance enrollment and the health care law.
The Future Is Uncertain For The National Children’s Study
What was once considered a ground-breaking U.S. study to track the health of children from birth to adulthood may be stopped before its official start, causing alarm for researchers who say its findings are crucial to developing prevention strategies for a range of childhood illnesses.
Answers For Consumers As Obamacare Enrollment Reopens
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and health policy analyst Susan Dentzer joined Judy Woodruff on PBS NewsHour Tuesday to answer questions from consumers about enrollment and the health care law.
Network Blues: Big Bills Surprise Some E.R. Patients
Even when using hospitals in their insurance network, people often find that the doctors are not covered and they are responsible for those charges.
Kidney Dialysis Company Expands Into The Hospital Business
DaVita HealthCare Partners, a kidney dialysis company, is picking up on a new way insurers and the government are paying for health care — by keeping people healthy through primary care.
Cigna Agrees To Reduce Costs Of HIV/AIDS Drugs In Florida
The health insurer signs a consent agreement saying it would cap the amount consumers must pay for four popular HIV drugs.
L.A. County Health Department Allegedly Falsified Nursing Home Probe Records
Two staffers accuse the county of altering the dates when complaints were received amid rising concern over the pace of investigations.
Consumer Guide To The Supreme Court’s Action On ACA Subsidy Issue
At issue is whether the federal government can pay subsidies to people living in states that use healthcare.gov, the federal exchange.
