Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Cuts Payments To Nursing Homes Whose Patients Keep Ending Up In Hospital
The incentive program to discourage nursing homes from discharging patients too quickly will also give bonuses to facilities with fewer rehospitalizations.
Readers And Tweeters Demand Action On Gun Violence, Mental Health Care Options
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Feds Order More Weekend Inspections Of Nursing Homes To Catch Understaffing
Medicare instructs inspectors to look for staffing inadequacies in homes that report suspiciously low numbers of registered nurses and weekend workers.
Government Investigation Finds Flaws In the FDA’s Orphan Drug Program
A probe by the Government Accountability Office cites breakdowns in the Food and Drug Administration program that approves drugs for rare diseases.
Look-Up: Medicare’s Bonuses And Penalties For Nursing Homes Near You
The federal government is issuing bonuses and penalties to skilled nursing facilities based on how often their patients are readmitted to hospitals within a month of being discharged.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Sales Reps May Be Wearing Out Their Welcome In The Operating Room
Do sales reps in the operating room lend helpful expertise or inflate already bloated costs? Depends on whom you ask.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Reading The Tea Leaves In Blue Wave’s Wake
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Ollstein of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss the impact of House Democratic leadership elections and their impact on health policy; as well as efforts by the Trump administration to address high drug prices and ensure the safety of medical devices. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Jay Hancock about the latest “Bill of the Month.”
Chronically Ill, Traumatically Billed: The $123,000 Medicine For MS
Shereese Hickson’s doctor wanted her to try the infusion drug Ocrevus for her multiple sclerosis. Even though Hickson is trained as a medical billing coder, she was shocked to see two doses of the drug priced at $123,019, with her share set at $3,620.
One Twin’s Difficult Birth Puts A Project Designed To Reduce C-Sections To The Test
A woman had twins in a hospital south of Boston, and for doctors aiming to reduce cesarean sections, the second baby’s tricky arrival tested the limits of teamwork.
Comprar planes de salud de corto plazo, ¿es inteligente o no?
La administración Trump impulsa estos planes que no cumplen con los requisitos de ACA de proteger a los pacientes con condiciones preexistentes.
Buyers Of Short-Term Health Plans: Wise Or Shortsighted?
Policyholders reason that their health is good — for now — and they don’t see the need for costly comprehensive coverage. Detractors say the plans undermine the Affordable Care Act, and agents advise reading the fine print. “You basically have to be in perfect health,” says one.
Playing On Fear And Fun, Hospitals Follow Pharma In Direct-To-Consumer Advertising
Hospitals are increasingly advertising medical services directly to patients to enhance their national brands. They think the image building improves their ability to negotiate with health plans and brings in wealthier patients.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Estrategia para frenar infecciones sexuales: tratar a la pareja sin cita médica
Aunque es una práctica recomendada oficialmente para frenar la diseminación de infecciones sexuales, muchos médicos no la ponen en práctica.
An Underused Strategy For Surge In STDs: Treat Patients’ Partners Without A Doctor Visit
For over a decade, federal health officials have recommended the practice, known as expedited partner therapy. It is allowed in most states, but many doctors don’t do it — either because of legal or ethical concerns, or because they are unaware of it.
Fish Oil And Vitamin D Pills No Guard Against Cancer Or Serious Heart Trouble
And new study finds no reason to get routine vitamin D tests, researchers say.
Píldoras de aceite de pescado y de vitamina D no protegen contra el cáncer o males cardíacos
Los investigadores definieron los males cardíacos graves como el índice combinado de ataques cardíacos, apoplejía y muertes relacionadas con el corazón.
Measure To Cap Dialysis Profits Pummeled After Record Spending By Industry
The dialysis industry raised nearly $111 million in a successful bid to defeat the measure, which also was opposed by hospitals and doctors. The union that sponsored the measure collected about one-sixth that amount.
Beyond The Buzz: What Do Americans Mean By ‘Medicare-For-All’?
KHN’s news analysis on “Medicare-for-all” sparks a broader conversation.
