Latest KFF Health News Stories
Drug Rebates Reward Industry Players — And Often Hurt Patients
A new JAMA study examines how drug rebates can direct money to middlemen and force Medicare patients to cough up more money.
Target Of Medicare Insider Trading Case Boasted He Was Unstoppable ‘Beast’
Prosecutors say hedge-fund traders made millions trading on information leaked from Medicare.
A New Zika Threat Hovers As Summer’s Mosquitoes Get Bzzzzy
The Zika virus, which made its appearance in the U.S. last summer, is still not well understood, and federal and state officials are not sure what to expect this year.
Consumer Advocates Wary Of New Marketplace Rules For Brokers
Federal officials relaxed their rules this month about how brokers and insurers can work with individuals to apply for health law policies.
Molina Healthcare, A Top Obamacare Insurer, Investigates Breach Of Patients’ Data
“It’s unconscionable that such a basic, security 101 flaw could still exist at a major health care provider,” says one cybersecurity expert.
A Busy Week For Health: Budget Cuts, CBO Scores And Mitch McConnell’s Cryptic Signal
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Julie Rovner discuss some of the developments that shook up health news this week.
‘Health Care’ = Fighting Words In Montana
A question about the Obamacare repeal bill turned into a rumble in the Montana special election — portending tough times ahead for Republicans.
Influx Of Elderly Patients Forces ER To Practice Comfort Care
Despite a culture clash and lack of time and training, ER doctors see how palliative care averts suffering for elderly patients with serious illnesses.
‘You’ve Got Mail’: Emails And Robocalls Hit Home In Promoting Medicaid Enrollment
An Oregon study finds that spending a lot more money to reach out personally to low-income residents eligible for Medicaid doesn’t bring an advantage.
Citing CBO Report, Critics Decry GOP Bill’s Potential Fallout In California
“I feel like I am in a bad dream,” said state Sen. Ed Hernandez, who chairs California’s Senate Health Committee.
Millions Of Ill People May Face ‘Extremely High Premiums’ Under House Bill, CBO Says
The report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office evaluates last-minute changes made to the bill to help propel it to passage.
Putting A Lid On Waste: Needless Medical Tests Not Only Cost $200B — They Can Do Harm
The health care industry thrives on ordering up tests and treatments, but some hospitals are urging restraint.
Tab For Single-Payer Proposal In California Could Run $400 Billion
A state Senate panel considering the measure said money for existing public programs could cover half the cost. But the rest might have to come from new taxes — a serious political obstacle.
GOP’s Health Bill Could Undercut Some Coverage In Job-Based Insurance
In states that take up the bill’s option to change the essential health benefits, the out-of-pocket spending limits and annual and lifetime caps on coverage in large group plans could fray.
Health Debate Heats Up In Montana For This Week’s Special Election
The race for Montana’s one and only seat in the House of Representatives will be decided Thursday, and health care is taking center stage in the race’s last week.
Who Will Care For Abril? Parents Fear For Their Disabled Child If They Are Deported
Anticipating a broader immigration crackdown, undocumented families are hiring lawyers and scrambling to make contingency plans for their seriously ill U.S.-born kids.
New York State Wants Its Prescription Drug Money Back — Or Else
A new law gives Medicaid regulators power to threaten drugmakers with cost-effectiveness scrutiny unless they grant additional rebates.
Republicans Race The Clock On Health Care — But The Calendar Is Not Helping
The delays in pushing through a bill to replace Obamacare are beginning to back up other key items on the congressional calendar.
California Bill Addresses Safety Concerns At Dialysis Clinics
Legislation would require minimum staffing levels, longer intervals between patients and more frequent state inspections.
Por miedo a la deportación, niños sin papeles pueden abandonar el Medicaid
Desde que California permitió por ley que niños indocumentados recibieran servicios completos del Medi-Cal, se inscribieron cerca de 190,000. Con el clima político actual, defensores temen que los padres no los reinscriban por miedo a las deportaciones.
