Latest KFF Health News Stories
Coverage Of Bariatric Surgery Is Spotty For Obese Kids
Experts in pediatric obesity say that caution is warranted, but some physicians see the operations as offering a safe chance to take off significant weight and avoid harmful disease.
Berwick: Don’t Blame Medicare, Medicaid. It’s The Delivery System
The former Medicare administrator says the U.S. health care system “isn’t built for modern times,” but the health care law will help rein in costs and improve care.
When ‘Critical Access’ Hospitals Are Not So Critical
A Medicare program intended to preserve “critical access” to rural hospitals may have grown beyond that goal, possibly keeping open hospitals that should close.
Health Law May Accelerate Growth In Urgent Care Centers
Crowded emergency rooms and a lack of primary care doctors have fueled recent expansions. But the drive to lower costs is also a factor and could bring more customers under the overhaul.
Florida Grappling With Questions About Taxes For Indigent Care
A special panel appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott has been meeting to figure out a way to scale back what taxpayers at the local level contribute to hospital costs in some parts of the state.
Calif. Hospital Report Cards Likely To Go Away
Most major hospitals in California give data voluntarily to independent analysts who publish consumer-friendly reports. But the California Hospital Association says it is withdrawing from the project.
Weighing Berwick’s Top Five Accomplishments At CMS
Dr. Donald Berwick’s 15-month tenure at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was marked by ambitious efforts to improve the nation’s health care system.
Hospitals Gear Hiring To Health Law And Industry Changes
Defying the economy, hospitals are hiring, but many are looking more for administrative staff and clerks than care givers.
Unconventional Clinic Providing Safety Net For Women
Marilyn Ringstaff’s clinic fills a void for low-income uninsured women in Rome, Georgia.
Both Patients And Physicians Can Suffer When Test Results Aren’t Reported
The push for better coordination of patient care, including the adoption of electronic medical records, should help improve the delivery of test results to patients from doctors and to doctors from those who perform the tests.
Colleges Face Challenges With Influx of Military Veterans
The demand for new services rises as veterans flock to schools around the country and need help for health, psychological and social issues that college officials generally haven’t dealt with.
Committed to Randol: One Family’s Long-Term Care Journey
As a child, Randol Brock had a high fever that caused brain damage. Now 52, there are two things Randol loves more than anything else: tractors and his sister-in-law Doris, who helps take care of him.
Where ‘Hospital Food’ Takes On A New Meaning
A Minneapolis clinic gives its patients what they need to stay healthy: screenings, immunizations, prescriptions. And, in an uncommon twist, food.
N.Y. Malpractice Program May Offer Model For Medical Liability Cases
Under the system, when a lawsuit is filed, a judge with expertise in medical matters becomes the point person for that case and helps broker a settlement.
Super Committee Urged To Alter Coverage For Some Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries
State Medicaid directors and health insurers press panel to move people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid into private health plans for more efficient care.
The Walmart Opportunity: Can Retailers Revamp Primary Care?
Just as Walmart and other retailers shook up the pharmacy business by offering $4 generic drugs, the industry now aims to apply its clout to tackle unpredictable costs, a lack of primary care doctors and inefficient management of chronic illnesses.
Hospitals Offering Complementary Medical Therapies
Experts say the move comes with consumers’ willingness to spend money on therapies such as acupuncture and massage and with the recognition that some can be effective.
Florida Politics Creating Bumps On Health Information ‘Highway’
Florida is one of the first states to help doctors and hospitals adopt a new way of transferring patient information. But Gov. Rick Scott objects to the Health Information Exchange Network, which was built with federal stimulus money.
Helping Low-Income Veterans Maintain The Best Possible Quality Of Life
The Veterans’ Affairs Aid and Attendance program can help wartime veterans remain at home or assist them in paying for long-term care. A large number of veterans across the country who qualify for this aid, however, somehow are slipping through the cracks. A Washington state pilot program is correcting this problem.
How PARIS Is Helping Veterans In Need
In Washington state, the Public Assistance Reporting Information System — PARIS — has proven to be an important tool in efforts to identify eligible veterans and connect them with the benefits they earned while serving their country.
