Latest KFF Health News Stories
TrumpCare Takes It On The Chin
GOP health policy analysts skewer front-runner’s health proposal.
Consumer Choices Have Limited Impact On U.S. Health Care Spending: Study
An analysis from the Health Care Cost Institute finds that less than half of health care costs are for services considered “shoppable,” and consumers’ out-of-pocket spending on that is just 7 percent of all spending.
Aetna CEO Answers Burwell’s Call, Vows Support For Exchanges Amid Losses
But Mark Bertolini wants the country’s marketplaces to better serve young people, who define
healthy as “looking good in their underwear.”
Will Healthcare.gov Get A California Makeover?
Feds propose taking a page out of Covered California’s book and moving to a simplified health insurance marketplace.
Support For Sanders’ Single-Payer Plan Fades With Control, Cost Concerns
Although half of Americans favor the idea of a government health insurance system, the popularity drops significantly when negative arguments are presented, poll finds.
Supreme Court Vacancy Creates Muddle For Future Of Reproductive Rights
Scalia’s death throws cases on abortion, contraception coverage into doubt.
California Marketplace May Require Insurers To Pay Agent Commissions
Covered California’s Executive Director Peter Lee said the measure is needed to keep insurers from slicing commissions to avoid enrolling the sickest patients.
Delay Of New Health Law Forms May Confuse Some Taxpayers
Employers, insurers and government health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are required to send taxpayers a form showing whether they provided health care but the government has pushed back the deadline for the forms.
Top Hospitals Likely Are Available On A Marketplace Plan, Study Finds
Many of the hospitals can be found in network on at least one plan, but fewer are participating in more than that, according to the analysis.
Blue Shield Top Choice On California Exchange
Anthem sign-ups are trailing, and UnitedHealth and newcomer Oscar are playing a minor role in coverage thus far, according to unofficial reports.
A 401(k) Withdrawal Can Lead To Trouble For Health Plan Subsidies
The retirement savings are considered income, so an unexpected withdrawal may change the level of premium subsidies for which an individual qualifies.
Narrow Marketplace Plans In Texas Pose Problems For Autistic Children
The move away from policies that allow families to seek out-of-network care is forcing many parents with autistic children to consider covering therapy costs themselves.
Some Dialysis Patients Give Medicare Failing Grade On Ambulance Trial
A Medicare trial aimed at averting billing fraud and waste in nonemergency ambulance service in eight states is drawing complaints from patients’ families and ambulance companies.
Burwell Says ‘Beat Goes On’ As HHS Seeks To Expand Health Law’s Influence
Despite closing the open enrollment just a week ago, the secretary of Health and Human Services says her department is thinking about next year already and hoping to make progress on Medicaid expansion.
2016 Obamacare Enrollment Tops Expectations At 12.7 Million
About 4 million people signed up for health coverage for the first time, reports the Health and Human Services Department.
Licking Wounds, Insurers Accelerate Moves To Limit Health-Law Enrollment
Major changes in broker compensation are designed to discourage enrollment of the sickest, say consumer advocates.
Head Of California Exchange Scolds UnitedHealth For Blaming Woes On Obamacare
Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, says the giant insurer’s complaints about ACA exchanges are “total spin and unanchored in reality.”
Buying Supplemental Insurance Can Be Hard For Younger Medicare Beneficiaries
Congress left it to states to determine whether private Medigap plans are sold to the more than 9 million disabled people younger than 65 who qualify for Medicare. The result: rules vary across the country.
Bosses Find Part-Time Workers Can Come With Full-Time Headaches
Health law requirements that small employers offer insurance to full-time workers prompted some fast-food restaurants to convert more employees to part time. Now owners are rethinking that approach.
‘Critical Illness’ Insurance Grows As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Jump
A relatively obscure category of health insurance — “critical illness” insurance — is catching on because, increasingly, conventional health plans have consumers paying a lot of out-of-pocket costs. Mark Zdechlik of Minnesota Public Radio explains the pros and cons of critical care insurance in this story that aired on NPR’s Morning Edition.
