Insurance Archives - Page 40 of 190

A Health-Heavy State of the Union

Episode 284

Feb. 9, 2023

President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address leaned heavily on health care issues. Biden took a victory lap for recent accomplishments like capping prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare. He also urged Congress to make permanent the boosted premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, and he sparred with Republicans on threats to cut Social Security and Medicare. Also this week, both sides in the abortion debate are bracing for a court decision out of Texas that could, at least temporarily, make the abortion pill mifepristone illegal nationwide. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Kate Baicker of the University of Chicago about a possible middle ground in the effort to get universal health insurance coverage.

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Centene Agrees to $215 Million Settlement With California for Alleged Medicaid Overbilling

The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer denies wrongdoing after the California attorney general’s office investigated it for inflating prescription drug costs.

By Samantha Young

Feb. 8, 2023

A photo shows President Biden speaking during the State of the Union address.

Health Policies Were a Prominent Theme in Biden’s State of the Union Speech

Our partners at PolitiFact fact-checked a range of President Joe Biden’s statements, including key health-related comments.

By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs

Feb. 8, 2023

A photo shows Senator Bernie Sanders speaking into a microphone in front of the U.S. Capitol.

‘We Ain’t Gonna Get It’: Why Bernie Sanders Says His ‘Medicare for All’ Dream Must Wait

As he takes the reins of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, the independent from Vermont and implacable champion of “Medicare for All” maps out his strategy for negotiating with Republicans — and Big Pharma.

By Arthur Allen

Feb. 8, 2023

A stack of wooden blocks is seen surrounded by a medical cross. One of the wooden blocks in the center of the stack is painted red, indicating the tower may fall.

As Pandemic-Era Medicaid Provisions Lapse, Millions Approach a Coverage Cliff

States are trying to reach millions of Medicaid enrollees to make sure those still eligible remain covered and help others find new health insurance.

By Phil Galewitz

Feb. 2, 2023

California Author Uses Dark Humor — And a Bear — To Highlight Flawed Health System

A new graphic novel by Kathleen Founds follows an angst-ridden bear on his quest for mental health treatment. Founds drew on her own experience with bipolar disorder.

By Rachel Scheier

Jan. 31, 2023

A photo shows Gavin Newsom outside speaking on a sunny day.

California’s Resolve Questioned After It Grants Medi-Cal Contract Concessions

After the Department of Health Care Services canceled Medi-Cal contract awards under pressure from major insurers, some consumer advocates question the administration’s willpower to improve care in the safety-net program.

By Bernard J. Wolfson and Samantha Young

Jan. 27, 2023

Did Your Health Plan Rip Off Medicare?

KHN has released never-before-seen details of federal audits as the government weighs action against dozens of Medicare Advantage plans.

By Fred Schulte

Jan. 27, 2023

KHN On Air

Journalists Follow Up on Radon Mine Health Spas, Open Enrollment, and Health Fraud

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Jan. 21, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

As US Bumps Against Debt Ceiling, Medicare Becomes a Bargaining Chip

Episode 280

Jan. 19, 2023

The debt ceiling crisis facing Washington puts Medicare and other popular entitlement programs squarely on the negotiating table this year as newly empowered Republicans demand spending cuts. Meanwhile, as more Americans than ever have health insurance, the nation’s health care workforce is straining under the load. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

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Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Diagnose Greed and Chronic Pain Within US Health Care System

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Jan. 19, 2023

President Joe Biden, who is sitting at a desk, gives a pen to former President Barack Obama after signing an executive order aimed at strengthening the Affordable Care Act on April 5. Others stand around them, clapping.

Biden Promise Tracker

Numbers Don’t Lie. Biden Kept His Promise on Improving Obamacare.

KHN has teamed up with our partners at PolitiFact to monitor 100 key promises made by Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign — including those surrounding the Affordable Care Act.

By Julie Appleby

Jan. 18, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

GOP House Opens With Abortion Agenda

Episode 279

Jan. 12, 2023

Leaders of the new Republican-led U.S. House kicked off their legislative agenda with two bills supported by anti-abortion groups. While neither is likely to become law, the move demonstrates how abortion will continue to be an issue in Washington. Meanwhile, as open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act nears its end in most states, the number of Americans covered by the plans hits a new high. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

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A photo shows a close-up of a person looking through Covered California paperwork.

Asking Never Hurts

Many Families With Unaffordable Employer Coverage Now Eligible for Covered California Subsidies

If family coverage on an employer-sponsored plan is too expensive, a worker’s spouse and dependents may be eligible for Affordable Care Act subsidies under a new federal rule.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

Jan. 4, 2023

A photo shows two demonstrators holding a banner that reads, "Stop the corporate takeover of NHS GP surgeries. Get Centene out."

Centene, Under Siege in America, Moved Into Britain’s National Health Service

A nine-minute public hearing gave the U.S. insurance giant a foothold in Britain’s prized National Health Service. One doctor called it “privatization of NHS by stealth.” And critics worry that business efficiencies will degrade the quality of care.

By Christine Spolar

Dec. 22, 2022

Podcasts

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Getting Insurance to Pay for Oral Surgery Is Like Pulling Teeth

A car crash left a woman in need of oral surgery, but her health insurance wouldn’t cover it. Her ongoing fight shows podcast host Dan Weissmann the weird way insurance treats teeth and reveals a big problem in the Obamacare marketplace.

By Dan Weissmann

Dec. 22, 2022

A photo shows Hawley Montgomery-Downs posing with her daughter Bryn outside their home.

After Tuition, Books, and Room and Board, Colleges’ Rising Health Fees Hit a Nerve

Many colleges require students to have health insurance coverage, and the college option can be costly. In addition, some schools mandate that students pay a fee to cover health services on campus.

By Phil Galewitz

Dec. 19, 2022

A photo shows a group of people gathered outside, holding petitions, asking passersby to sign them.

Why Medicaid Expansion Ballots May Hit a Dead End After a Fleeting Victory in South Dakota

Since 2017, Medicaid expansion has been adopted in seven states where a question was placed directly on the ballot. But campaign leaders say that strategy may not work in Florida and Wyoming, where Republican opposition remains strong.

By Rachana Pradhan and Daniel Chang

Dec. 16, 2022

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Chime In on Disability Rights and Drug Discounts

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Dec. 16, 2022

How Medicare Advantage Plans Dodged Auditors and Overcharged Taxpayers by Millions

Facing rare scrutiny from federal auditors, some Medicare Advantage health plans failed to produce any records to justify their payments, government records show. The audits revealed millions of dollars in overcharges to Medicare over three years.

By Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker

Dec. 13, 2022

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