Latest KFF Health News Stories
Presidential ‘Parity’ Panel Offers Steps To Treat Mental Illness Like Other Disease
In a report released Friday, a task force recommends patient education and more funding to enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
FDA Faults 12 Hospitals For Failing To Disclose Injuries, Deaths Linked To Medical Devices
The agency found several prominent facilities had not followed rules on reporting incidents in which patients were harmed.
Reducir el shock del Obamacare
Con los grandes aumentos en las primas que se avecinan, la flexibilidad al elegir un plan de salud puede ser la clave para proteger su bolsillo.
California Rules About Violence Against Health Workers Could Become A Model
New workplace health rules in California would go beyond existing safety standards by requiring private health care facilities to develop specific plans to mitigate risks of violence against workers.
Study Finds Significant Differences In Plans Sold On Or Off The Exchanges
Researchers at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found more bronze and gold offerings off the exchange and better out-of-network options. But there are no subsidies.
Medicare Bars New ‘Seamless Conversion’ Efforts For Some Seniors
Some insurers have been allowed to move customers on the health law’s marketplaces into their Medicare Advantage plans when they become eligible for Medicare, but seniors complain they didn’t always know it was happening.
Study Offers Young Doctors Strategies To Deal With Discrimination
A survey of experienced physicians offer interns and residents suggestions about how to handle patients who are prejudiced.
How To Enroll In Medicare And Avoid Costly Mistakes
Enrolling in Medicare is confusing and mind-boggling if you don’t act at the right time and avoid costly mistakes.
Drug Prices, Not The Health Law, Top Voters’ Health Priorities For 2017
Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents support making sure high-cost drugs for chronic conditions are affordable.
Clinton Took More Conciliatory Tone With Health Care Industry In Paid Speeches
WikiLeaks documents show a cautious speaker who tried to avoid compromises on policy.
What Would A Public Insurance Option Look Like?
UCLA health policy expert Gerald Kominski says a “public option” health plan would look a lot like private insurance, and politics will determine whether it would happen on a state or national level.
Colorado Wrestles With Ethics Of Aid-In-Dying As Vote Looms
Proposition 106, on Colorado’s ballot next month, would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to people who have less than six months to live. A recent poll shows strong support for the measure.
Terminally Ill Patients Don’t Use Aid-In-Dying Laws To Relieve Pain
Ending pain and suffering has helped several states pass “right-to-die” laws, but dying patients are more concerned about controlling how they die and dying with dignity.
States See Peer-Recovery Coaches As A Way To Break The Addiction Epidemic
Rhode Island installed coaches in all of the state’s hospital emergency rooms and others are following its lead.
Will A Study Save Victims Of Violence Or Gamble With Their Lives?
A major study in Philadelphia will look at whether it is better for people with gunshot or stab wounds to get basic care from paramedics or more advanced care before going to the hospital, as most do now.
VA Shifts To Clinical Pharmacists To Help Ease Patients’ Long Waits
Some Veterans Affairs’ hospitals are cutting vets’ long waits for outpatient care appointments by authorizing specially-trained pharmacists to treat certain patients with chronic care needs.
For Seniors, Teeth Need Care — But Insurance Coverage Is Rare
Traditional Medicare does not cover most dental needs and the private Medicare Advantage plans often have limited coverage, leaving most seniors struggling to pay for dental care out of pocket.
Feds Find Doctor Listings Often Wrong In Medicare Advantage Directories
The federal government’s first in-depth review reveals errors such as wrong addresses and incorrect phone numbers riddle many directories used by Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
California’s RN Wages Now Highest In The Nation, Federal Data Show
Registered nurses in the state earn an average annual salary of $100,000, compared to a national average of $71,000.
Skeptics Question The Value Of Hydration Therapy For The Healthy
Some spa-like clinics will inject an expensive mix of water and vitamins into your bloodstream, ostensibly to ward off illness and boost energy. But can’t drinking fluids offer the same benefit?
