Latest KFF Health News Stories
The Coming Nursing Home Shortage
Cuts in government payments for patient care and less construction of new nursing homes are taking a toll, and as baby boomers start to retire in great numbers, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Hospitals Seek To Attract Business With Patient Perks
The rewards range from free parking and gift-shop discounts to wellness seminars and even social mixers.
High Cost Of New Cancer Drugs Sparks New Care Struggle
Unaffordable new cancer drugs, even when they’re covered by insurance, are being rationed by price as patients, doctors and hospital officials struggle with how to pay for the spectacular rise in the cost of cancer care.
In Quest to Grow, Catholic Hospital System Pares Religious Ties
Catholic Healthcare West today ends its governing board’s religious affiliation to ease concerns from possible new partners. Some of its hospitals will remain Catholic.
Details about the programs that four of the newly named “innovation advisors” plan to pursue.
The High Cost Of A Good Night’s Sleep
Diagnosing sleep apnea, which has been shown to increase the risk of serious illnesses, is a big business. Critics worry, though, that sleep tests are overprescribed at great cost to the health system.
Collaborative Efforts Can Save Money And Improve Care
Employers, insurers and hospitals are banding together in several areas of the country to tackle cost and quality issues.
Work Insurance Often Offers Coverage For Programs To Stop Smoking
Some companies are also penalizing employees who don’t give up cigarettes by hitting them with higher health insurance premiums.
For Hospitals, There’s No App For That
Hospitals are usually eager to embrace the latest medical technology, but the road to deploying tablet computers has been bumpy.
Top Maternity Hospitals In Mass. Stop Early Elective Deliveries
A growing number of hospitals in Massachusetts are saying no to elective inductions and C-sections before 39 weeks. The change is happening quietly and some new mothers don’t like it.
Web Reporter Jessica Marcy Discusses What 2012 Will Hold For Health Care
KHN reporters preview some of the big issues coming this year: KHN Web Reporter Jessica Marcy says she’ll be examining the different kinds of health care workers — growing in numbers — looking to give more people more care.
Senior Correspondent Jordan Rau Discusses What 2012 Will Hold For Health Care
KHN reporters preview some of the big issues coming this year: KHN Senior Correspondent Jordan Rau says he’ll be keeping an eye on how Medicare proposes to change how it pays hospitals after changes in the health law.
KHN Used CMS Readmission Rates And Patients’ Income For Analysis
The examination found that hospitals with the largest share of poor patients were 2.7 times as likely to have high readmission rates.
Medicare Penalties For Readmissions Could Be A Tough Hit On Hospitals Serving The Poor
Federal officials are seeking to make sure patients get the care they need after discharge. But the new policy is likely to disproportionately affect hospitals that treat the most low-income patients, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis.
The Revolving Door Of Readmissions
Ralph Rust’s decade-long struggle to stay out of hospitals involves some of the factors that cause patients to be readmitted frequently. For years he was hospitalized as often as three times a month.
Interactive: Readmission Rates And Poverty Levels For Individual Hospitals
This interactive chart compares the heart failure readmission rates and patient population poverty levels for more than 3,000 hospitals.
Feds Face Challenges In Launching U.S. Health Exchange
Technical, political and financial obstacles loom as clock ticks toward 2014 deadline for operations.
Both Perry and Obama can claim political victories with the Medicaid waiver the feds granted to the Lone Star state. But public hospitals have the most to gain from the new system.
Hospitals Try To Control Readmissions, Even When It Hurts Profits
Patients with multiple chronic conditions benefit from a new clinic at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. But the hospital says it bears too much of the costs to keep discharged patients from returning.
Hospitals Adopt Drug Industry Sales Strategy
“Sales calls” on doctors’ offices help to fill beds, but also elicit criticism.
