Latest KFF Health News Stories
Covered California Expects 12.5% Average Rate Rise In 2018
The figure could be higher if President Trump ends an important consumer subsidy, which he has threatened to do. The exchange also announced that Anthem Blue Cross will pull out of Covered California and the overall individual market in 16 of the 19 regions it currently serves.
Denial, Appeal, Approval … An Adult’s Thorny Path To Spinraza Coverage
The FDA granted approval for Spinraza in late December for use on children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy. Insurance coverage is mostly focused on infants and children.
Drug Puts A $750,000 ‘Price Tag On Life’
The high cost of Spinraza, a new and promising treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, highlights how the cost-benefit analysis insurers use to make drug coverage decisions plays out in human terms.
In Strong-Arm Tactic, Trump Puts Congressional Health Benefits Into Play
By taking aim at the subsidies received by some congressional staff members who, under the Affordable Care Act, are mandated to get their health coverage from the Obamacare exchanges, the president reignited an old fight.
Counting On Medicaid To Avoid Life In A Nursing Home? That’s Now Up To Congress.
Tighter Medicaid budgets could jeopardize states’ home-based services that help older adults and disabled people live in their homes instead of more expensive nursing homes.
Even Without Congress, Trump Can Still Cut Medicaid Enrollment
The Trump administration is poised to grant states waivers that some critics say could change the shape of the program.
Analysis: GOP Failure To Replace The Health Law Was Years In The Making
As postmortems mount regarding the collapse of the Senate Republican health plan, it’s clear how complex political and policy issues worked against the replacement effort.
5 Ways White House Can Use Its Muscle To Undercut Obamacare
The Trump administration has a variety of mechanisms at its disposal that could undermine the insurance exchanges.
5 Ways White House Can Use Its Muscle To Undercut Obamacare
The Trump administration has a variety of mechanisms at its disposal that could undermine the insurance exchanges.
Obamacare’s History Littered With Near-Death Experiences
The Affordable Care Act has repeatedly faced opposition in Congress and the courts, but it has continued to survive.
McCain Votes No, Derails ‘Skinny Repeal’ In Marathon Session
After a late-night session and the “skinny” defeat, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pulls legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act from the floor.
Leap Of Faith: Will Health Care Ministries Cover Your Costs?
Sharing ministries are based on biblical principles and are not the same as commercial insurance. They are not legally binding and may not cover some common medical expenses.
When High Deductibles Hurt: Even Insured Patients Postpone Care
The number of Americans with high-deductible health plans is growing, along with the fear that even insured people won’t get the care they need because it’s too costly.
States Have Tried Versions Of ‘Skinny Repeal.’ It Didn’t Go Well.
Republican senators are warming to the idea of a scaled-back plan that would delete the Affordable Care Act’s individual and employer mandates but leave the rest of law generally intact. But this approach has caused difficulties in the past.
Medicaid Proves A Lifeline For Clients Of Crisis Pregnancy Centers
For pregnant women in the United States, Medicaid is less a safety net than a building block of the maternity care system.
How To Get Long-Term Care At Home Without Busting The Bank
The majority of older adults receive long-term care at home and need help covering these services with affordable insurance policies. The long-term insurance industry needs to focus on home care.
Rural Californians Want Price Relief From GOP Health Bill, But Unlikely To Get It
In far northern Lassen and Modoc counties, residents say Obamacare premiums are unaffordable. But under the proposed Senate bill, insurance premiums would increase even more.
Postcard From Capitol Hill: What YouTube Didn’t Show You In Senate Health Care Vote
The Senate’s vote to proceed with debate on an Obamacare repeal bill had drama and plenty of color, but you couldn’t get the complete picture on TV.
Who Knew Senate Health Bill Debate Could Be So Complicated?
The deliberations will be strictly governed by a time limit on debate and strict rules about what is germane.
Scope Maker Olympus Hit With $6.6 Million Verdict In Superbug Outbreak Case
In the first case of its kind in the U.S., the company was ordered to pay damages to the hospital where a patient died of an infection linked to a contaminated scope. But jurors also found the hospital negligent, and it was ordered to pay the patients’ family $1 million.
