Latest KFF Health News Stories
States Urged To Reduce Pregnancy-Related Deaths
States are being asked to collect data on the deaths of pregnant women and new mothers to determine how to reduce maternal mortality rates.
Smokers’ Ranks Look Conspicuously Sparse In Obamacare
Federal data suggest that many smokers aren’t confessing to their tobacco habit to avoid paying higher health care premiums, thwarting insurers.
Pregnant Women In Houston And Their Doctors Weigh Risks Of Zika
The U.S. Gulf Coast has the right weather conditions and mosquitoes for the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects. But the level of risk is unknown in this country so doctors are advising caution to their patients who are pregnant or trying to have a baby.
United’s Departure From Marketplaces Could Impact Consumers’ Costs, Access
Florida and Oklahoma counties are among the hardest hit by UnitedHealthcare’s pullout from health law exchanges.
Using Novel Line-Item Veto, Ark. Governor Extends Medicaid Expansion
The unusual strategy helped the governor get around a small group of Republican senators who threatened to cancel the expansion, which has brought coverage to more than 267,000 state residents.
Cities Begin To Count The Scars Of Childhood, And Try To Prevent New Damage
A class action lawsuit in Los Angeles and a task force in Memphis both try to counter the “adverse childhood events” that impair health and well-being.
Study: Medicaid Expansion Encourages More Poor Adults To Get Health Care
Doctor visits and hospital stays were more likely for low-income adults in states after they expanded Medicaid under Obamacare, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine Monday.
Why Some Prisoners With HIV Get Better Treatment Than Others
A new report says care varies widely between Louisiana’s jails and prisons.
In Conservative Indiana, Medicaid Expansion Makes Poorest Pay
The novel expansion model is testing how far a state can go under Obamacare in making poor people share responsibility for the cost of health care.
Montana Medicaid Expansion Earns Good Grades In First Report Card
Since its rollout on Jan. 1, Montana Medicaid expansion has enrolled more than 38,000 people and returned $3 million to the state’s general fund.
N.H., Calif. Seek To Help Consumers Get Details On Health Care Prices
New Hampshire is expanding its website that lists the cost of specific medical procedures to include dental treatments and 65 prescription drugs. California is expanding its report cards on large medical groups to include cost of medical services by an average patient.
Slowing Down The ER To Improve Care For Patients With Autism
A small but growing number of hospital emergency rooms are taking steps to improve quality of care for patients with autism while also adding efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Ark. Governor: Feds Back Plan To Preserve Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Asa Hutchinson says HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell “accepts the framework” of his proposals but negotiations are continuing.
Selling The Health Benefits Of Tap Water, In An Age Of Flint
Public health officials in Colorado are battling a stigma against drinking tap water, especially in some Latino communities.
Alabama Puts Hospitals At Forefront Of Medicaid Managed Care
As officials seek to take control of costs in the health coverage for low-income residents, they are relying on hospitals, not private insurance companies, to run the program.
Are States Obligated To Provide Expensive Hepatitis C Drugs?
New hepatitis C drugs boast cure rates of at least 95 percent. But states are restricting their use for Medicaid patients and prisoners because the cost is so high.
N.Y., Minn. Opt For Low-Cost Plans To Help Some Residents Afford Coverage
Both states are offering “basic health programs” that provide policies to consumers with low monthly premiums and copayments, and low or no deductibles.
Governor Seeks New Concessions From CMS To Maintain Arkansas’ Medicaid Expansion
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will meet with federal officials to negotiate the future of the state’s Medicaid expansion program, which leading Republicans say could be killed if it’s not changed.
Making The Most Of Military Medics’ Field Experience
A new physician assistant training program at UNC-Chapel Hill recruits veterans and gives them credit for their years spent aiding injured troops.
2016 Health Law Exchange Enrollment Tops 11.3M
The government’s most detailed release of figures shows insurance plan sign-ups beat the Obama administration’s goal for the year.
