Latest KFF Health News Stories
Trump’s Medicaid Chief Labels Medicaid ‘Mediocre.’ Is It?
This claim ‘wouldn’t pass muster’ in a first-year statistics class.
It’s Not Just Hospitals That Sue Patients Who Can’t Pay
Until very recently, the separate company that runs the emergency department at Nashville General Hospital in Tennessee was continuing to haul patients who couldn’t pay medical bills into court.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: The Labor Pains Of ‘Medicare For All’
Organized labor is divided over whether to support “Medicare for All.” Meanwhile, many of the Democratic presidential candidates seem unable to use the health issue to their advantage. Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Jennifer Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, for extra credit, the panelists offer their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Scalpels Out: Democrats Make Slashing Attacks On Health Care Plans
Candidates’ tough health policy talk strayed far from hope for unity.
Obamacare A Disgrace? Biden Highlights Bloomberg’s Negative Remarks About The ACA
There was a time when Bloomberg’s criticism was consistent.
Sanders’ Claim That Buttigieg Is ‘Favorite Of The Health Care Industry’ Is Broad And Needs Context
It all comes down to how you define it.
Analysis: Who Profits From Steep Medical Bills? The People Tasked With Fixing Them.
Surprise bills are just the latest weapons in a decades-long war among health care industry players over who gets to keep the fortunes generated each year from patient illness: $3.6 trillion in 2018. The practice is an outrage, yet no one in the health care sector wants to unilaterally make the type of big concessions that would change things.
Surge In Enrollment As Californians Avoid Penalty, Receive State Aid
Although a new state tax penalty and state financial aid motivated people to sign up for health insurance this year, Covered California is reopening enrollment for those who said they weren’t aware of them.
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.
Would ‘Medicare For All’ Cost More Than U.S. Budget? Biden Says So. Math Says No.
Biden’s statement misses the mark because of messy math.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Live from D.C. With Rep. Donna Shalala
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget includes billions of dollars in health spending cuts, Congress gets back to work on surprise medical bills, and health care remains a top issue for the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), a former Health and Human Services secretary, joins the panel at a special taping before a live audience in Washington, D.C. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Joanne Kenen of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Estrategia defensiva contra cuentas médicas sorpresa: establecer los propios términos
Las cuentas sorpresa son el saldo que suele aparecer sin invitación cuando al paciente lo atiende un proveedor que no está en la red del plan médico.
One Defensive Strategy Against Surprise Medical Bills: Set Your Own Terms
By writing in payment limits when signing hospital forms, patients might have leverage in negotiations over disputes that arise from surprise medical bills.
Newsom Touts California’s ‘Public Option.’ Wait — What Public Option?
Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state already has a public option: Covered California, the state health insurance exchange. While there is no single definition of a public option, some health care experts say that’s a stretch.
Better Than Other Plans Or Better Than Nothing? Trump’s Claim About ‘Affordable’ Options
Caveat emptor. Some of these health insurance plans might prove helpful for some people, but making that determination is not easy.
In Fierce Debate, Democratic Candidates Expand Health Agenda Arguments
A sampling of health policy highlights from the eighth Democratic presidential primary debate in Manchester, N.H.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Happy Friday! In news that is technically really good and exciting but is also kind of icky: yarn made from human skin could eventually be used to stitch up surgical wounds as a way to cut down on detrimental reactions from patients. As CNN reports, “The researchers say their ‘human textile,’ which they developed from […]
Women Shouldn’t Get A Bill For An IUD … But Sometimes They Do
The Affordable Care Act requires that insurers cover birth control with no out-of-pocket costs, but the enforcement mechanism is weak and a pending court case could add further complications.
Feds Slow Down But Don’t Stop Georgia’s Contentious Effort To Ditch ACA Marketplace
The state proposes to jettison the federal insurance exchange and instead send people buying individual coverage to private companies to choose coverage. It would also cap how much money is spent on premium subsidies, which could mean some consumers would be put on a wait list if they needed financial help buying a plan.
Patients Stuck With Bills After Insurers Don’t Pay As Promised
Insurance companies often require patients to have medical procedures, devices, tests and even some medicines preapproved to ensure the insurers are willing to cover the costs. But that doesn’t guarantee they’ll end up paying. Some patients are getting stuck with unexpected bills after the medical service has been provided.
