Latest KFF Health News Stories
Having A Baby? Big Differences Noted In Hospital Quality Across Mass.
WBUR compiles a database for pregnant women to compare hospitals in Massachusetts.
Consumers’ Satisfaction With Coverage Linked To Out-Of-Pocket Expenses
People with traditional health insurance plans are happier with their coverage than those with high-deductible plans, but the groups also say the quality of their coverage is similar.
Good News, Bad News In Medicare Trustees Report
Trust fund solvent until 2030, but some seniors may see a big spike in Part B premiums.
Advocate For Alzheimer’s Research Says Aging Baby Boomers Face Big Threat From Disease
Dr. Maria Carrillo tells KHN that in addition to finding ways to screen for the disease and treat it, public health officials need to think about increasing the number of skilled nursing homes and home health aides.
How Vandalism And Fear Ended Abortion In Northwest Montana
When Zachary Klundt broke into All Families Healthcare he destroyed the only clinic providing abortions in the Flathead Valley of Montana. More than a year later, the clinic remains closed.
HHS Pushes States To Negotiate Lower Obamacare Rates
Healthcare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan is urging state insurance commissioners to look carefully at proposed rate hikes for insurance premiums in 2016.
Sometimes A Little More Minecraft May Be Quite All Right
The wildly popular video game Minecraft teaches kids basic spatial reasoning concepts and helps them think critically. So, if you’re using it for educational purposes, does it count as screen time, and should parents limit it?
Despite Obamacare Promise, Transgender People Have Trouble Getting Some Care
Advocates say that enrollees get turned down for coverage of some services that are tied to gender.
Feds Say 7.5M Paid An Average Penalty Of $200 For Not Having Health Insurance
New data also break down billions in subsidy payments.
More Health Plan Choices At Work. What’s The Catch?
Despite the benefits to a company’s bottom line, and more choices for employees, John Henry Foster is one of relatively few businesses using a private health insurance exchange.
Despite Gains In Advance Directives, Study Finds More Intensive End-Of-Life Cancer Care
A recent study in JAMA Oncology examined trends in advance care planning and found that though the use of durable powers of attorney increased, the number of people who received “all care possible” at the end of life went up.
Home Health Agencies Get Medicare’s Star Treatment
For the first time, the government is assigning one to five stars to the agencies that care for seniors in their homes. Nearly half of 9,000 agencies rated captured average scores.
California, Oregon To Allow Hormonal Contraceptives Without A Doctor’s Prescription
The two states are the first in the country to allow pharmacists to directly prescribe “the pill” and similar contraceptives.
N.Y. Law Offers Model For Helping Consumers Avoid Surprise Out-Of-Network Charges
Under the comprehensive law, patients are generally protected from owing more than their in-network copayment, coinsurance or deductible on bills they receive for out-of-network emergency services or on surprise bills.
Do Cell Phones Belong In The Operating Room?
A number of doctors and professional organizations are calling for clear rules on whether and how health care professionals can use cell phones while in the operating room.
New Regulations Would Require Modernizing Nursing Home Care
The proposed rules, released in advance of the White House Conference on Aging, cover wide-ranging topics, from meals to roommate selection to staff training.
Many Hospitals Don’t Follow Guidelines For Child Abuse Patients, Study Finds
The researchers found wide disparities in how hospitals handled young patients believed to have been abused. About half of those younger than 2 who were identified as abused were not checked out for other injuries.
Maryland Revamps Its In Vitro Coverage Mandate To Accommodate Same-Sex Couples
Requirements to prove infertility for two years and to use sperm from the husband have been eliminated for same-sex couples.
The App Will See You Now, But May Not Get The Diagnosis Right
A third of adults say they have gone online to get help diagnosing symptoms, but a study shows the results are often inaccurate.
An Explicit Contract Makes Surrogacy Viable For An Oregon Woman
The agreement sets up expectations for the woman and covers a wide variety of contingencies to help protect her from unexpected problems.
