Insurance

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Plan de Trump para combatir el VIH puede encontrar barreras en la América rural

KFF Health News Original

En algunos estados no se habla de sexo ni de VIH. Oklahoma, por ejemplo, tiene la tasa más alta de pruebas tardías de VIH: las personas se hacen el test cuando ya desarrollaron SIDA.

Trump Plan To Beat HIV Hits Rough Road In Rural America

KFF Health News Original

Health officials and doctors treating patients with HIV welcome the funding push, but warn that the strategies that work in progressive cities don’t necessarily translate to rural areas.

For 2020 Dem Hopefuls, ‘Medicare-For-All’ Is A Defining Issue, However They Define It

KFF Health News Original

Support for “Medicare-for-all” is becoming a front-runner topic among Democratic presidential candidates. But the phrase is being used to describe any number of policies.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ‘Medicare-For-All’ For Dummies

KFF Health News Original

The “Medicare–for-all” debate is already in full swing, but what does that phrase even mean? Joanne Kenen of Politico, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner for a beginner’s guide to the next big health policy debate. For “extra credit,” the panelists provide their favorite health policy stories of the week, and as a special Valentine’s Day bonus, their favorite #HealthPolicyValentines.

Beyond Beltway’s ‘Medicare-For-All’ Talk, Democrats In States Push New Health Laws

KFF Health News Original

As calls for “Medicare-for-all” grow louder among Democrats in Congress, Democratic governors and mayors have been pushing ahead with urgency to corral medical costs and bring health care to those who remain uninsured.

Texans Can Appeal Surprise Medical Bills, But The Process Can Be Draining

KFF Health News Original

In Texas, many people have a right to mediation of medical bills. But the concept can be off-putting, and patients often think they need a lawyer, which isn’t the case.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A ‘Healthy’ State Of The Union

KFF Health News Original

Health was a featured player in President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address. The president set goals to bring down prescription drug prices, end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and cure childhood cancer, among other things. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz about the current “Bill of the Month” feature.

Ideas To Curb Surprise Medical Bills Percolate With Rare Bipartisan Push

KFF Health News Original

The recent declaration by President Donald Trump that taming unexpected medical bills would be a top priority for his administration echoed through the halls of Congress.

Patients Suffer When Health Care Behemoths Quarrel Over Contracts

KFF Health News Original

The latest example is Sutter Health and Anthem Blue Cross, whose failure to seal a deal is causing Anthem members to worry they may not have access to one of the dominant hospital chains in Northern California. Across the U.S., the stakes in such contract fights have risen, as health systems and insurers battle to increase their market share.

Nonprofit Dental Insurer Under Scrutiny For ‘Flagrant’ Spending

KFF Health News Original

Delta Dental of California, with more than 36 million enrollees across the country, is looking to buy a stake in a for-profit insurance company based in Oregon. Consumer advocates are calling on regulators to scrutinize the transaction, arguing that it is just the latest questionable move by the nonprofit dental insurer whose corporate practices may be out of step with its tax-exempt status.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Live From D.C.: A Look Ahead At Health Policy In 2019

KFF Health News Original

Congress and President Donald Trump are starting to wrestle with health policy issues, and health is already a key debate point in the early run-up to the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. Might any major health policy legislation be passed and signed this year? Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Kimberly Leonard of The Washington Examiner, along with special guest Tom Miller of the American Enterprise Institute, join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and take questions from a live studio audience.

Ads For Short-Term Plans Lacking ACA Protections Swamped Consumers’ Online Searches

KFF Health News Original

People looking for insurance during the recent open enrollment period were frequently directed to websites promoting plans that are not required to offer the federal health law’s consumer guarantees.