Latest KFF Health News Stories
Capitol Hill Dems, HHS Secretary Price Trade Jabs On HHS Budget
Tom Price defends proposed spending reductions in Medicaid and other HHS programs while demurring on questions about cost-sharing subsidies for the 2018 Obamacare marketplace.
If Insurance Market Crashes, Can Lawmakers Put The Pieces Back Together?
Actions by the Trump administration are putting pressure on the fragile market for individuals who buy their own coverage, but analysts say it should be able to rebound.
Protected But Priced Out: Patients Worry About Health Law’s Future In Arizona
Corinne Bobbie has a love-hate relationship with the Affordable Care Act. As the GOP tries to repeal the law, the experiences and fears of voters like Bobbie could determine a politician’s fate.
Former Pharma Reps’ New Mission: To School Docs On High Drug Costs
One insurer is turning the tables on drugmakers with what may be a new job category: a sales force for cost-effective medicine.
Daylight On Diabetes Drugs: Nevada Bill Would Track Insulin Makers’ Profits
With the cost of medications up 300 percent in the past decade, supporters see this as a first step to rein in prices.
When An Insurer Balks And Treatment Stops
A 22-year old man from Orange County, Calif., alleges in a lawsuit that his health insurer stopped paying for a crucial — and expensive — immunotherapy drug, leading him to become seriously ill. Treatments for patients with similar conditions are increasingly denied or interrupted, experts and patient advocates say.
Feds To Waive Penalties For Some Who Signed Up Late For Medicare
People who were using marketplace plans instead of Medicare may qualify for the reprieve. They have until Sept. 30 to apply.
Recovery On The Reservation: Montana Sisters Help Peers Stop Using Drugs
A grass-roots effort to corral Montana’s meth crisis hinges on the idea that people who are successful in conquering addiction are uniquely qualified to coach others.
Hospitals Now Tap Lawyers To Fulfill Patients’ Legal Needs
About 300 health care systems around the country have set up medical-legal partnerships to help patients who are dealing with legal problems that affect their health.
Cuts In Federal Housing Help Would Hurt People’s Health, Research Suggests
A study in Health Affairs shows that people who receive federal housing vouchers and other forms of public housing assistance are more likely to have health insurance and get regular medical care.
A Community Seeks Answers, Assurances About Health Care — In 10 Languages
A forum for Asian immigrants in Oakland draws a crowd so large some attendees had to be seated in an overflow room. Many immigrants are eager for information relevant to them as changes to the health care system are debated in Washington.
They’ve Still Got Bucket Lists — In Their 90s
One flew a plane at 97; the other went to college at 92. But these two friends are proudest of their legacies of kindness.
Many COPD Patients Struggle To Pay For Each Medicinal Breath
One in 9 Medicare enrollees have COPD and many of them can’t afford the inhalers that keep them out of the emergency room.
As Government-Funded Cancer Research Sags, Scientists Fear U.S. Is ‘Losing Its Edge’
More of the research studies being presented at the world’s largest annual gathering of cancer scientists comes from abroad.
Caring For A Loved One? Care For Yourself, Too
Tending to somebody you love who has a debilitating condition can be physically and emotionally overwhelming. Here are some tips and resources to help you stay strong.
Putting In Place An A-Team Of Allies
Older adults who face an uncertain future reach out to trusted friends to guide them.
Senators’ Dueling Web Shoutouts Echo Nation’s Partisan Divide On Obamacare
In the early stages of the Senate’s attempts to write a health care bill, a Republican and a Democrat each solicit constituents’ Obamacare experiences from opposite ends of the spectrum.
California’s New Single-Payer Proposal Embraces Some Costly Old Ways
The legislation would revive the age-old practice of paying providers for every service they perform — a recipe for a busted budget, some experts say. Backers say the bill is a work in progress.
GOP Health Bill Pleases Most Republicans, But Not Many Other Americans
While nearly half of Americans support Obamacare, fewer than a third are in favor of the Republican replacement legislation.
Handshake-Free Zone: Keep Those Hands — And Germs — To Yourself In The Hospital
Health care workers and families are trying new ways of greeting people in two neonatal intensive care units at UCLA, hoping to reduce infections and protect fragile babies.
