Latest KFF Health News Stories
California To Provide Financial Boost To Help Buy Health Coverage
Come Jan. 1, California will be the first state to offer financial aid to middle-class people who make too much money to qualify for federal Obamacare tax credits. And Californians will once again owe a penalty if they are uninsured.
California ayudará a la clase media a comprar cobertura de salud
Muchas personas de clase media han tenido dificultades para pagar un seguro de salud, asumiendo el costo total de las primas que pueden superar los $1,000 al mes.
Refereeing Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren On Public Support For ‘Medicare For All’
Polling supports Buttigieg’s claim.
Biden Gets Too Specific On ‘Medicare For All’ Tax Hikes
It comes down to questionable methodology.
Health Care Stayed Front And Center At Democratic Debate
The topic, which polls show is top of mind among voters, kept returning throughout the fourth debate of Democratic presidential candidates.
Think ‘Medicare For All’ Is The Only Democratic Health Plan? Think Again
The Democratic presidential candidates have hit hard on health care, but generally the debates have centered on what kind of system candidates propose. The candidates’ ideas on many other issues, such as mental health and gun safety, have attracted much less attention.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Age-Old Health Care Debate Shifts From Insuring More People To Cutting Costs
U.S. political parties for years have argued about the role of government in providing health care and expanding coverage to more people. But as the cost of medical services continues to grow faster than most Americans’ incomes, even people with private insurance coverage are finding the cost of care becoming unaffordable, KHN’s Julie Rovner writes in a new article in BMJ.
VCU Health Will Halt Patient Lawsuits, Boost Aid In Wake Of KHN Investigation
Patients at VCU Health will no longer be taken to court and can more easily get financial assistance to pay their bills.
As Medicare Enrollment Nears, Popular Price Comparison Tool Is Missing
For more than a decade, customers used the online plan finder to compare dozens of policies. Yet after a redesign of the website, the search results no longer list which plan offers a customer the best value. Federal officials say it will be fixed before enrollment begins next week.
Extent Of Health Coverage Gains From California Gig Worker Law Uncertain
The new law reclassifies many independent contractors as employees, requiring they be offered a range of benefits. But that could have unintended consequences, experts warn.
Where Contraception’s A Lifestyle Drug Not A Medical Need — So Women Pay The Tab
Unlike in the U.S., health insurance in Germany doesn’t cover birth control. German health advocates say that causes health problems — but change is unlikely.
Trump Speech Offers Dizzying Preview Of His Health Care Campaign Strategy
The president’s outline of key health policy concerns touched on a variety of hot-button issues from drug prices to immigration.
Tenn. Block Grant Experiment Would Boost Federal Funding, State Medicaid Chief Says
In a Q&A with Kaiser Health News, Tennessee Medicaid Director Gabe Roberts says state officials are requesting a modified block grant from federal officials because it would save money and allow the state to keep some of that savings.
Walmart To Give Workers Financial Incentives To Use Higher-Quality Doctors
The program, which will roll out next year in three parts of the country, seeks to encourage workers on the company’s health plan to choose doctors that have been identified as providing “appropriate, effective and cost-efficient care.”
Brechas profundas: fronteras estatales resaltan la enorme disparidad en Medicaid
Las fronteras estatales se han convertido en líneas divisorias arbitrarias entre los que tienen Medicaid y los que no, y los pacientes con problemas financieros similares enfrentan destinos de salud muy diferentes.
Georgia Sheriff’s Deputy Sues Over Lack Of Transgender Insurance Coverage
A sheriff’s deputy in central Georgia filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Houston County, whose employee insurance plan has denied coverage for her transgender-related health care. The decision would likely result in a ruling that affects the entire state, if not the entire Southeast, and comes after decisions in Wisconsin and Iowa sided with other transgender patients.
The Deep Divide: State Borders Create Medicaid Haves And Have-Nots
State borders can highlight Medicaid’s arbitrary coverage. On the Missouri side of the Mississippi River, low-income people struggle with untreated health issues. But on the Illinois side, people in similar straits can get health care because their state expanded its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act.
Her Biopsy Report Was Benign. But The Bill Is A Spot Of Contention.
After a test to rule out cancer, Brianna Snitchler faced a $2,170 facility fee for the hospital’s radiology room used that day.
KHN Files Lawsuit To Force Feds To Disclose Medicare Advantage Audits
The Freedom of Information Act lawsuit could spur the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to release audits that document up to $650 million in overcharges.
