Latest KFF Health News Stories
Researchers Campaign Against Americans’ Sweet Tooth With Public Health Initiative
The Sugar Science webpage spells out dangers from average consumption of sugar, including increased risks of diabetes, heart disease and liver problems.
Former HHS Official Calls For ‘Smarter’ Networks That Deliver Cost-Effective Care
Gary Cohen, a former deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the challenge for regulators and insurers is to create networks that not only save money but also deliver better patient outcomes.
Seniors’ Obesity-Counseling Benefit Goes Largely Unused
Experts say low reimbursements and restrictions on providers have hampered the Medicare program.
Costly Hepatitis C Treatments Help Drive 12 Percent Drug Spending Jump
Increases are expected to moderate as more brand-name drug patents expire and the impact of the liver disease treatments lessens.
Study: American Seniors Face Health Care Gaps, Despite Medicare
The Commonwealth Fund finds cost barriers and limits on care for Medicare beneficiaries consistently places the U.S. low on the list of an 11-nation ranking of how older people fare in industrialized nations.
Big Changes For 2015 Workplace Plans: Watch Out For These Six Possible Pitfalls
Consumers who get health insurance through their employers need to pay close attention this year to their enrollment materials.
California’s Managed Care Project For Poor Seniors Faces Backlash
Nearly half of those eligible for a combined Medi-Cal and Medicare program are opting out.
Pacemakers Get Hacked On TV, But Could It Happen In Real Life?
Concerns about the potential vulnerability of medical devices are getting the attention of regulators, health care providers and manufacturers.
Laws Spreading That Allow Terminal Patients Access To Experimental Drugs
Five states have approved the measures this year, but critics note that they don’t address the issues of patient costs and don’t mean the drug makers will necessarily make the medications available.
As California Expands Medicaid To New Beneficiaries, Many Others Are Dropped
Previous enrollees in the program for low-income residents must reapply and many are finding the new applications too onerous to complete, advocates say.
Insurance Exchanges Launch With Few Glitches
More than 100,000 apply for coverage of federal marketplace as year-two health law enrollment period begins.
You Paid What? How Negotiated Deals Hide Health Care’s Cost
A patient’s portion of a health care bill is a complicated equation – but it’s simple compared to the deals between insurers and hospitals.
State Health Insurance Exchanges Hope To Woo Urban Minorities
Tomorrow it begins again – open enrollment for Obamacare. Two very successful state health insurance exchanges, Connecticut’s and California’s, are both intent on reaching people who avoided signing up last year – especially young Latinos and African-Americans. “The big takeaway for us last year was that the uninsured were really pocketed in a couple of […]
With Tight Enrollment Window, Consumers Seeking Coverage Should Sign Up Promptly
The online marketplaces open Saturday and officials say they will work better than at last year’s debut.
The Future Is Uncertain For The National Children’s Study
What was once considered a ground-breaking U.S. study to track the health of children from birth to adulthood may be stopped before its official start, causing alarm for researchers who say its findings are crucial to developing prevention strategies for a range of childhood illnesses.
Millions Of Medicaid Kids Missing Regular Checkups
Administration improves screening rates, but needs to do more to ensure that poor children get recommended health care, says HHS inspector general.
Red State Idaho Launches Its Own Obamacare Exchange
Idaho will have the only new state marketplace this year, while Oregon and Nevada abandon failed state exchanges and go with healthcare.gov instead.
Network Blues: Big Bills Surprise Some E.R. Patients
Even when using hospitals in their insurance network, people often find that the doctors are not covered and they are responsible for those charges.
Medicare Proposes Coverage Of Low-Dose CT Scans To Detect Lung Cancer
Beneficiaries who have a 30-year, pack-a-day smoking history would be eligible for this screening test.
Pay Close Attention To The Enrollment Calendar To Avoid Penalties
Consumers can sign up on the health insurance marketplace from Nov. 15 to Feb. 15 but waiting can leave them exposed to not only medical bills but also the health law’s penalties.
