Medicaid

Latest KFF Health News Stories

As Billions In Tax Dollars Flow To Private Medicaid Plans, Who’s Minding The Store?

KFF Health News Original

Insurance companies profit from government contracts but are subject to little oversight of how they spend the money or care for patients. The expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has only exacerbated the problem.

Children’s Hospitals Again Cry For Help From Voters. But Are They Really Hurting?

KFF Health News Original

California’s 13 children’s hospitals are asking voters in November to approve $1.5 billion in bonds to help them pay for construction and equipment, the third such measure in 14 years. Some health care experts and election analysts believe the repeated financial requests aren’t justified.

Listen: Health Care Issues Reverberate In The States

KFF Health News Original

Although many health policies are set in Washington, states also have a big stake in making sure their residents have access to affordable and effective health care. Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News joins a panel on the 1A radio broadcast looking at recent moves by states on health issues.

No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist ‘Gag Orders’ On Drug Prices

KFF Health News Original

Congress approved two bills last month that prohibit provisions keeping pharmacists from telling patients when they can save money by paying the cash price instead of the price negotiated by their insurance plan.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Some Things Old, Some Things New

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner discuss final action on bills in Congress to address the opioid epidemic and fund federal health agencies. They also look at new efforts by the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on teen nicotine use.

Judges In California Losing Sway Over Court-Ordered Drug Treatment

KFF Health News Original

In a Medicaid-funded pilot project starting with 19 counties, clinicians and other providers are now in charge of deciding what kind of treatment an offender needs. The change has rankled some judges and attorneys — and forced some felons to spend more time in jail — but it has been largely embraced by clinicians and county agencies.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ (Almost) Live from Austin!

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico talk about how health issues will play in midterm elections, the Trump administration’s move that could penalize legal immigrants who use government aid programs, and other topics. Due to technical difficulties, the original discussion taped Sept. 27 at the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival could not be broadcast, so the panelists reconvened from Austin and Washington on Sept. 28.

5 Things To Know About Trump’s New ‘Public Charge’ Immigration Proposal

KFF Health News Original

Trump administration officials say the policy would promote “immigrant self-sufficiency and protect finite resources.” Critics say it could have serious public health consequences.

As States Try To Rein In Drug Spending, Feds Slap Down One Bold Medicaid Move

KFF Health News Original

Medicaid drug spending doubled in five years in Massachusetts. The state wanted to exclude expensive drugs that weren’t proven to work better than existing alternatives from its Medicaid plan, but the federal government blocked the effort.

Paper Jam: California’s Medicaid Program Hits ‘Print’ When The Feds Need Info

KFF Health News Original

Amid the buzz over apps and electronic medical records rescuing modern medicine, California’s Medicaid program still clings to 1970s-era technology. A reboot may cost half a billion dollars.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A Detour On A Smoking Off-Ramp

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call talk about the Food and Drug Administration’s latest actions to address teenagers’ use of e-cigarettes, Arkansas’ Medicaid work requirements and news about the uninsured from the latest federal Census report.

Confusión deja a niños de bajos ingresos en un limbo de atención de salud

KFF Health News Original

Bajo la ley federal, los niños son elegibles para una amplia gama de servicios, pero proveedores confundidos y los planes de salud a menudo solo consideran los pocos servicios aprobados para los adultos.

California: A Health Care Laboratory With Mixed Results

KFF Health News Original

California frequently innovates to address its wide-ranging health care needs, but it has not always achieved its aims. A series of articles in the journal Health Affairs shows, among other things, that efforts to care for HIV patients, provide better access to reproductive services for low-income women and fill gaps in primary care have sometimes fallen flat.