Insurance

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Deny and Delay? California Seeks Penalties for Insurers That Repeatedly Get It Wrong

KFF Health News Original

A state lawmaker wants health insurers to disclose denial rates and explain those denials as anger grows over rising costs and uncovered medical care. If the bill is signed into law, health experts say, it could be one of the boldest attempts in the nation to rein in denials.

Pain Clinics Made Millions From ‘Unnecessary’ Injections Into ‘Human Pin Cushions’

KFF Health News Original

Pain MD, which once ran as many as 20 clinics across three states, gave chronic-pain patients about 700,000 total injections near their spines, according to court documents. Last year, federal prosecutors proved at trial that the shots were medically unnecessary and part of an extensive fraud scheme.

As States Mull Medicaid Work Requirements, Two With Experience Scale Back

KFF Health News Original

As Republicans consider adding work requirements to Medicaid, Georgia and Arkansas — two states with experience running such programs — want to scale back the key parts supporters have argued encourage employment and personal responsibility.

Nueva ley ofrece atención médica a jóvenes que salen de la cárcel

KFF Health News Original

A pesar de la alta tasa de problemas de salud mental y trastornos por adicciones en esta población, muchas veces regresan a sus comunidades sin cobertura, lo que aumenta sus posibilidades de morir o sufrir una recaídas.

Some Incarcerated Youths Will Get Health Care After Release Under New Law

KFF Health News Original

It’s common for young people leaving jails and prisons to end up back behind bars, often after lapses related to untreated mental health issues or substance abuse. A new law is aimed at getting them on Medicaid before they’re released. But the government coordination required to make it happen is significant.

Officials Seek To Dismantle Appeals Board for Montanans Denied Public Assistance

KFF Health News Original

The Montana health department says the Board of Public Assistance is redundant and a bureaucratic hurdle that helps few people. Current and former board representatives say the rare cases in which the panel helps people are important.

Wash, Dry, Enroll: Finding Medicaid Help at the Laundromat

KFF Health News Original

State Medicaid and Affordable Care Act programs have long struggled to connect with lower-income Americans to help them access care. Now some are trying an alternative approach: meeting them at the laundromat.

Indiana Governor Appoints Business Leader To Shake Up Health Care

KFF Health News Original

Gloria Sachdev, a pharmacist by training, has spent years taking on the health care establishment in Indiana, working to pull down high hospital prices and make information public to patients. Now, in a newly created position in the governor’s Cabinet, she’s no longer fighting from the outside.

Most Insurance Covers IUDs. Hers Cost More Than $14,000.

KFF Health News Original

The Affordable Care Act requires most insurance plans to cover preventive care, including many forms of contraception, without cost to patients — but not if they’re “grandfathered” plans, which predate the law.

Trump’s Funding ‘Pause’ Throws States, Health Industry Into Chaos

KFF Health News Original

A sweeping Trump administration order threw the nation’s health system into disarray Tuesday, as states and the health industry tried to make sense of what looked like a freeze on federal Medicaid funding.

Covered California Hits Record Enrollment, but Key Subsidies in Jeopardy

KFF Health News Original

Enhanced federal subsidies and more state aid for out-of-pocket costs have made health insurance purchased through California’s marketplace more affordable. It’s unclear if the incoming Republican Congress will extend the enhanced subsidies beyond 2025.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Hello, Trump. Bye-Bye, Biden.

Podcast

With just days to go before the official launch of a new administration, the GOP-led Congress is putting together plans on how to enact incoming President Donald Trump’s agenda, with a particular emphasis on cutting spending on the Medicaid program. Meanwhile, the Biden administration makes major moves in its last days, including banning a controversial food dye and ordering cigarette companies to minimize their nicotine content. Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month” feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated.

New California Laws Target Medical Debt, AI Care Decisions, Detention Centers

KFF Health News Original

California has a few major changes coming to its health policy landscape in 2025. New laws that took effect Jan. 1 ban medical debt from credit reports, allow public health inspections of private immigration detention centers, and ban toxic chemicals in makeup.

Cinco cambios críticos que puede sufrir Medicaid bajo Trump

KFF Health News Original

Los republicanos en Washington afirman que planean utilizar recortes de financiamiento y cambios regulatorios para reducir drásticamente Medicaid, el programa de salud federal gerenciado por los estados

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': New Year, New Congress, New Health Agenda

Podcast

Health is unlikely to be a top priority for the new GOP-led 119th Congress and President-elect Donald Trump. But it’s likely to play a key supporting role, with an abortion bill already scheduled for debate in the Senate. Meanwhile, it’s unclear when and how the new Congress will deal with the bipartisan bills jettisoned from the previous Congress’ year-end omnibus measure — including a major deal to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. In this “catch up on all the news you missed” episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.