Health Industry

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Rural Doctor Launches Startup To Ease Pain Of Dying Patients

KFF Health News Original

Getting basic health care to rural areas has always been difficult, and delivering specialized care is even harder. One doctor is raising money to get palliative care to patients in rural California.

Many Insurers Do Not Cover Drugs Approved To Help People Lose Weight

KFF Health News Original

Despite the increasing efforts to fight the obesity epidemic and the approval of four new weight-loss medications, Medicare and many private plans are reluctant to pay for the medicines because of serious safety problems with other drugs in the past.

Seniors’ Wait For A Medicare Appeal Is Cut In Half

KFF Health News Original

Federal officials handle most of the requests in 2014 from beneficiaries seeking a hearing before a judge and cut into the heavy backlog. But cases from hospitals, doctors and other providers are still on hold.

Hospital-Acquired Condition Penalties By State

KFF Health News Original

Medicare is reducing payments to 721 hospitals with high rates of infections or other medical complications. About 1,400 hospitals, including all in Maryland, are excluded from the program and Medicare did not assess their rates of patient harm.

More Competition Helps Restrain Premiums In Federal Health Marketplace

KFF Health News Original

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.