Latest KFF Health News Stories
Florida Pushing New Fees For Most Medicaid Recipients
But the provision could get a chilly reception from federal officials, who would have to approve the changes.
Gloomier-Than-Expected Forecast For Medicare
The outlook for the federal health insurance program that, as of last year, covered 47.5 million elderly and disabled Americans is a dramatic shift from last summer.
When it comes to controlling rising health care costs, we face an urgent problem that leads to a simple question: Is there a smart idea that can be done now? Yes. It’s called “Paying for Outcomes.”
The first Republican debate among some of the presidential contenders included some questions about the health law, the role of the federal government, medical malpractice and Medicare. These excerpts of the debate include answers from Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich did not attend the Greenville, S.C. debate.
Medicare Announces Rules For Quality Bonuses To Hospitals
Extra funding will be awarded to facilities that do better than average on quality of care and patient satisfaction.
Health On The Hill Transcript – Key Republican Signals Flexibility On Ryan Plan For Medicare
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about Rep. Dave Camp’s comments Thursday that signaled flexibility on Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to change Medicare.
Key Republican Signals Flexibility On Ryan Plan For Medicare (Video)
In today’s Health On The Hill, KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about Rep. Dave Camp’s comments Thursday that signaled flexibility on Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to change Medicare. Camp said he’s open to pursuing other approaches to reduce federal Medicare spending to lower the debt, and he called on Democrats to present specifics on how they would cut federal spending.
Remaking Medicare: Saving Money Or Shifting Costs?
Lawmakers disagree, fundamentally, on how to save costs in the Medicare program and if recent proposals — like the GOP one passed recently in the House — will save money or just shift costs to Medicare patients.
The Hypocritical And Reckless Attacks On The Ryan Medicare Plan — Guest Opinion
Last week, the president said the country has serious issues to address. He’s right. One of the biggest is the budget challenge. Unfortunately, the president’s carefully orchestrated attack on the Ryan plan has made it much less likely that real progress will be made before 2013 to address the problem.
Health On The Hill Transcript – Congress Returns To Work On Deficit Proposals And Health Programs
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Politico Pro’s David Nather talk with Jackie Judd about lawmakers’ return to work this week on lowering the federal deficit and how health programs could be affected.
Health On The Hill – Congress Returns To Work On Deficit Proposals And Health Programs
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Politico Pro’s David Nather talk with Jackie Judd about Congress’ return to Washington to work on proposals to lower the deficit. How to, and if, Medicare and Medicaid are reformed in the process are part of the mix of policy and politics lawmakers are considering in their work.
Medicare’s Math Problem: Taxes – Benefits = Trouble
Why do seniors receive Medicare benefits totaling more than twice what they pay in to the system?
Medicare To Begin Basing Hospital Payments On Patient-Satisfaction Scores
Beginning in 2012, bad grades from unhappy patients could cause hospitals to lose out on bonuses.
Health On The Hill Transcript: GOP Medicare Plan Spurs Anger, Splits Public During Recess
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Jackie Judd report on a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll that reveals a split among the public on the GOP plan to cut Medicare cost growth.
Few Seniors Support GOP Plan To Restructure Medicare
A new Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds 30 percent of seniors support the effort to switch Medicare to a voucher-type program. Among all adults, opinion is more evenly divided, but confusion is rampant.
Health On The Hill – GOP Medicare Plan Spurs Anger, Splits Public During Recess
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about varied reaction by Americans and lawmakers to the GOP plan to reduce the deficit by making changes to Medicare. A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows most seniors oppose some GOP-proposed changes at a greater rate than the general public, which views it more favorably.
Medicare Patients Aren’t Taking Advantage Of Some Newly Free Tests
This year, seniors enrolled in Medicare no longer have to pay for more than a dozen tests and services to prevent disease thanks to the health law. Many, however, aren’t lining up for mammograms or colonoscopies though free wellness checks are luring many.
Under Health Law, Colonoscopies Are Free – But It Doesn’t Always Work That Way
The billing can get complicated if doctors find a polyp during a screening: Some insurers
There Aren’t Enough Rich People To Pay For Medicare And Medicaid! — Guest Opinion
This country is in such a hole that it is senseless to deny that some new taxes will be needed to pay for all of the nation’s accumulated debts. But folks, we can’t just tax our way out of this mess.
Nursing Home Industry Leader Worries About Cuts To Medicare, Medicaid
Too few resources are available to handle the predicted explosion in the number of elderly, says Mark Parkinson, head of the largest nursing home lobby.
