Latest KFF Health News Stories
A Primer: How The Fight Against Zika Might Be Funded
The Senate approved an amendment to a must-pass appropriations bill that provides $1.1 billion to combat the virus’s spread. A separate House proposal, which has drawn a veto threat from the White House, is also pending and it is not clear how they might compromise. But public health advocates say efforts are needed soon to fight the mosquito-based disease.
A pioneering program in southern California provides ongoing care and housing to homeless people who are “super-utilizers” of hospital emergency rooms. The effort is reducing ER visits and saving a lot of money.
In Alameda County, A Big Data Effort To Prevent Frequent ER Visits
Hospitals share patient records of “super-users” to save money and avoid duplicating medical treatment.
Politics Makes Abortion Training In Texas Difficult
The hostile climate surrounding abortion in Texas has made it hard for doctors-in-training to learn to do abortions. Professors feel intimidated, and there are fewer clinics where residents can train.
Can Doctors Learn To Perform Abortions Without Doing One?
Accredited medical residency programs have to teach doctors how to perform abortions. But interpretation of the requirement varies, especially in a state like Texas where training options are scarce.
House Republicans Unveil Long-Awaited Plan To Replace Health Law
The proposal includes many details, but key questions about cost remain unanswered.
Boeing Contracts Directly With California Health System For Employee Benefits
Aerospace giant’s Southern California employees will have access to MemorialCare’s network of hospitals and clinics, in addition to UC Irvine Health and other providers.
HHS Targets Young Adults In 2017 Obamacare Enrollment Plan
The Obama administration’s strategy to attract young under-insured adults includes targeted direct mailings and discounted Lyft rides to open enrollment events this fall.
Office Chatter: Your Doctor Will See You In This Telemedicine Kiosk
Employers and insurers are installing sophisticated kiosks in more workplaces so that workers can quickly consult a doctor offsite when they take ill at work.
Health Effects Of Egg Donation Not Well Studied
Fertility specialists say that egg donation is safe and involves the same process as in vitro fertilization, but there are sporadic reports of cancers, some fatal, and subsequent fertility problems among egg donors. Because of a lack of research, it isn’t known whether these problems are linked to the process or are the result of chance.
California Regulator Signs Off On $37 Billion Aetna-Humana Insurance Merger
Aetna to spend nearly $50 million on health initiatives, agrees to more rate review.
As Childhood Diabetes Rates Rise, So Do Costs — And Families Feel The Pinch: Study
Researchers estimated that a year’s worth of care for kids with diabetes cost more than $17,000.
Despite Overdose Epidemic, Georgia Caps The Number Of Opioid Treatment Clinics
Georgia has stopped licensing new clinics that provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. Some call the state’s move irresponsible. Others say the clinics aren’t regulated enough.
Study Promotes Battlefields’ Lessons To Advance National Trauma Care
A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine calls for the White House to lead a national strategy to promote and continue advances in trauma care.
Harmful Chemicals Are Everywhere — But What Does That Mean?
A report by the Environmental Working Group measures how much Americans are exposed to a variety of chemicals that may be linked to cancer.
Florida’s Mosquito Control Forces Mobilize Against Zika Threat
Local mosquito control authorities prepare spray-and-trap offensive to halt Zika-carrying mosquitos in damp breeding grounds.
Senate Panel Kills Medicare Program That Offers Help On Enrollment, Billing Issues
It’s not clear yet if the full Senate or House will concur in the plan to cut funding for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which operates in all states and gives beneficiaries free advice on enrollment in drug and insurance plans, appealing coverage decisions and applying for financial subsidies.
California Insurance Commissioner Urges Feds To Block $54 Billion Anthem-Cigna Deal
Commissioner Dave Jones says the deal would further reduce competition in the state’s health insurance market and harm consumers.
Report From Key Calif. Agency Raises Concerns About Proposal To Cut Drug Prices
Staff researchers at California’s largest public buyer of health benefits say the goal of reducing drug costs for the state is appealing but might not work in the real world.
Feds Urge State Medicaid Programs To Encourage Long-Acting Contraceptives
Medicaid spends billions on unintended pregnancies, and federal officials say better use of long-acting contraceptives, such as IUDs, offer advantages for women and are cost-effective.
