Latest KFF Health News Stories
Feds Approve Minn. Exchange, Insurers Scramble To Develop Health Plans
The federal government’s conditional approval Thursday for Minnesota to operate a health insurance exchange means insurers have just a few months to develop new health plans.
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Health Insurance Executive: ‘Incorporating All The New Regulations’ Will Be Challenge In 2013
Blue Shield of California chairman and CEO Bruce Bodaken discusses his views on the health law and the current state of the insurance industry.
After Newtown Shootings, Questions About Mental Health Insurance Coverage
Gaps in insurance coverage for mental health treatment persist despite new laws — including the health law and the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008 — expanding such coverage. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about mental health care in America.
Study Finds Coverage To Help Kick Smoking Can Be Tricky
A recent review of 39 health plans finds details about who is covered to smoking-cessation treatments and who pays for them can be confusing and inconsistent.
Q&A: Options For Patients Who Get Out-Of-Network Care
Consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about handling an out-of-network bill from a provider the patient didn’t choose.
How Much For An MRI? $500? $5,000? A Reporter Struggles To Find Out
A health reporter tries to solve the mystery of her migraines with a doctor-recommended imaging test, but trying to find out the real cost of that test induces headaches of its own.
Governors Weigh Options On Health Insurance Exchanges
What’s at stake if they build state-based exchanges, partner with the federal government — or let federal regulators run everything?
Health Plans Gear Up To Sell Directly To Consumers
Insurers develop new business strategies as the health law upends old models.
Weighing A State Mini-COBRA Plan; Premiums Based On Pay
Insurance columnist answers readers’ questions about choosing coverage after leaving a job, health law requirements for small businesses and salary-based premiums.
Parity for Behavioral Health Coverage Delayed by Lack of Federal Rules
The Obama administration has yet to complete federal regulations implementing rules that would enable states to enforce a mental health parity bill President George W. Bush signed into law, and in the meantime, behavioral health may have fallen behind.
Insurance Surcharges Will Fund Most Online Exchanges Created Under Health Law
The fees will make the markets self-supporting, but some state officials and insurers worry they could put coverage out of reach for some consumers.
Analysis: Health Exchanges And The Litigation Landscape
Health law critics are continuing their fight against the sweeping overhaul with legal challenges that aim to undermine the law’s employer and individual mandates.
Options For Parents To Cover A Sick Child
Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about how to find affordable coverage for a child with a preexisting medical condition.
Minnesota Facing Bigger Bill For State’s Health Insurance Exchange
Minnesota’s state health insurance exchange will cost $54 million in 2015 to operate; earlier estimates were $30 to $40 million.
How To Handle Extra Costs Not Covered By Medicare
Michelle Andrews answers a question about an unexpected bill a reader received after paying out-of-pocket for medical services not covered by Medicare.
Obama Administration Gives Smokers A Way Out Of Higher Insurance Premiums
Consumer groups praise the rules as a way to encourage smokers to quit, but one workplace expert dismisses them as “a dumb idea.”
Advocates Of Medical Marijuana Face Another Hurdle: Insurance Coverage
Even as more states move to allow the drug for medicinal purposes, health policies rarely cover its use. Some patients spend hundreds of dollars a month or more on the drug.
States Count Down To Decisions On Health Exchanges
With time running out, 17 states and D.C. commit to setting up the new markets, eight are undecided and the rest weigh partnering with the federal government — or letting the feds take over.
Computer Issues May Hamper Online Insurance Markets
Cascading delays related to technical issues could make October 2013 target for open enrollment difficult, if not impossible, to meet.
