Latest KFF Health News Stories
Analysis: A Health Care Overhaul Could Kill 2 Million Jobs, And That’s OK
Reform has a cost. But the point of a health care system is to treat patients, not to buttress the economy.
House Hagglers Zero In On Single-Payer And It All Comes Down To Two Little Words
At Wednesday’s House Budget Committee, Congressional Budget Office experts outlined the complexities of implementing an overhaul of America’s health insurance system.
Are Surprises Ahead For Legislation To Curb Surprise Medical Bills?
This high-profile issue has gained bipartisan attention, but it remains unclear if that’s enough to move it to the finish line. Here’s a review of the current state of play.
Did The ACA Create Preexisting Condition Protections For People In Employer Plans?
Not exactly. We found that protections for preexisting conditions for most people with job-based insurance predated the Affordable Care Act by more than a decade.
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.
‘Sham’ Sharing Ministries Test Faith Of Patients And Insurance Regulators
Officials in Washington and other states are cracking down on companies that avoid health insurance regulations by masquerading as faith-based care.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ States Race To Reverse ‘Roe’
Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the new abortion bans passed in Alabama and Georgia; bipartisan congressional efforts to end “surprise” out-of-network medical bills; and a new public option health insurance plan soon to be available in Washington state.
Trump’s Talk On Preexisting Conditions Doesn’t Match His Administration’s Actions
The administration’s position on a pending lawsuit to get the Affordable Care Act is one of the reasons experts said there’s cause for skepticism.
Walmart Charts New Course By Steering Workers To High-Quality Imaging Centers
Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, is recommending that employees and dependents use one of 800 imaging centers identified as providing trustworthy care.
Listen: A Blitz Of Health Care Bills
Kaiser Health News’ Julie Rovner talks about a package of health care bills that Democrats plan to push through the House this week during an interview on “Here and Now.”
Newsom Changes Course On Plan To Pay For Immigrant Health Coverage
California’s governor Friday scuttled his plan to siphon public health money from four counties to help provide health coverage for unauthorized immigrants ages 19 through 25.
Newsom cambia de idea sobre plan para pagar por cobertura de salud a inmigrantes
La administración de Newsom escuchó los reclamos de cuatro condados y decidió cambiar el curso. Usará dinero de las arcas estatales para cubrir a esta población, de aprobarse su presupuesto.
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.
Listen: Trump’s Plan To End ‘Unpleasant Surprise’ Bills
President Donald Trump called for an end to the “unpleasant surprise” of certain medical bills on Thursday. NPR reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin covered the White House announcement, which featured two patients from the KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” series.
Surprise! Fixing Out-Of-Network Bills Means Someone Must Pay
Despite the broad agreement on the need to address surprise bills, insurers and health care providers oppose the other side’s preferred solutions.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ‘Conscience’ Rules, Rx Prices and Still More Medicare
Joanne Kenen of Politico, Jen Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest news about the Trump administration’s effort to allow health care practitioners and organizations to refuse to provide care or refer patients for services that violate their conscience or religion. Also this week, the administration orders TV ads for prescription drugs to include list prices. And Tennessee wants free rein from the federal government to run its Medicaid program. Plus, Rovner interviews Joan Biskupic, author of a new book on Chief Justice John Roberts, about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the 2012 ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
Market Muscle: Study Uncovers Differences Between Medicare And Private Insurers
Findings released Thursday by the Rand Corp. highlight how reimbursement rates vary nationally and the impact the charges have on the nation’s high cost of health care.
El largo y sinuoso camino para conseguir atención de salud mental infantil
Los Estados Unidos se enfrentan a una creciente escasez de profesionales de salud mental capacitados para trabajar con jóvenes, en un momento en que la depresión y la ansiedad están en aumento.
Putting A Face To Surprise Bills: Among Specialists, Plastic Surgeons Most Often Out-Of-Network
Many plastic surgeons don’t participate in health plans, even when providing emergency care at a hospital. Too often that catches patients off guard.
The Long And Winding Road To Mental Health Care For Your Kid
A growing mental health crisis among children is exacerbated by a national shortage of child psychiatrists and therapists. It’s either difficult to get, or to afford, an appointment for your child. Here’s some advice that might help.