Latest KFF Health News Stories
High-Deductible Plans Bring Lower Costs Now, But Will They Bring Pricey Problems?
Companies that introduced these plans experienced overall savings in the first three years, according to a new study.
Even In Female Dominated Nursing, Men Earn More
Nurses who are men make nearly $7,700 a year more than female nurses in outpatient settings and nearly $3,900 more annually in hospitals, a study finds.
Tax-Time Tribulations: Health Law Complicates Filing Season For Many
The financial consequences of not getting insurance and the effort to reconcile premium subsidies with income are new dynamics in the current tax season.
Depression, Related Ailments Take Their Toll On The Workplace, Study Finds
A new report says the costs associated with major depressive disorder and other related conditions affect businesses’ bottom lines.
Health Law Brings No Drop In Insurance Enrollment At Work, Study Finds
A survey by benefits consultant Mercer finds that most large employers already met the law’s requirement to provide coverage to those who work 30 hours or more.
Battle Over Dementia Drug Swap Has Big Stakes For Drugmakers, Consumers
A court ruling about Actavis’s strategy to switch consumers from its top-selling dementia drug, which will lose patent protection this summer, to a newer, patent-protected drug, may define how far drugmakers can go to protect profits from generic rivals.
Most Americans Unaware Obamacare Subsidies Are At Risk
When informed about the challenge before the high court, about two-thirds said that lawmakers should restore subsidies if the justices strike them down.
Advocates And Experts Debate Need For More Regulation Of Fertility Services
A new Utah law allowing children conceived via sperm donation to see the medical histories of their fathers is seen as an exception to otherwise light regulation of assisted reproductive technology in states.
Blue Shield of California Loses Its State Tax Exemption
The unheralded move by California tax authorities last August may leave the insurer on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in taxes dating back to 2013. Blue Shield of California is protesting the action.
Most N.Y. Marketplace Plans Lack Any Coverage For Out-Of-Network Care
Except for a few insurers in Albany and the western part of the state, all the policies sold in the individual market are HMOs that will not pay anything toward routine expenses from doctors or hospitals not in their networks.
Rural Hospitals, One Of The Cornerstones Of Small Town Life, Face Increasing Pressure
For people in Mount Vernon, Texas, the loss of their hospital means longer trips for treatment and uncertainty when a medical crisis hits.
HHS: Health Law Has Helped Insure 16.4 Million
The percentage of people without health insurance has dropped about a third since 2012, to 13.2 percent, according to federal officials.
Inviting Patients To Help Decide Their Own Treatment
At UC San Francisco and other hospitals and clinics around the nation, “shared decision making” programs encourage doctors and patients to work together in making tough choices about care.
Advocates Say California Counties Need To Shore Up Care For Remaining Uninsured
Report by Health Access California says 3 million uninsured in California have uneven access to care, depending on which county they live in.
Credit Rating Agencies Agree To Be More Flexible About Medical Debt
Under the agreement, medical bills will not be added to a consumer’s credit report for six months to give the patient and insurer time to pay.
Efforts To Instill Empathy Among Doctors Are Paying Dividends
Often considered less important than technical skills, having a good bedside manner is important to helping patients and can lead to better outcomes.
Republican Lawmakers Sink Montana Governor’s Medicaid Expansion Plan
A House committee gives the bill a “do not pass” recommendation, which effectively kills Democrats’ efforts to get it on the House floor. A Republican counter-proposal that includes premiums and co-payments for Medicaid enrollees may come out of the state Senate.
Mental Health Providers Look For Federal Incentives To Go Digital, Too
The federal government is spending $26 billion to get doctors and hospitals to move to digital records to help coordinate care, but the funding does not include mental health clinics, psychologists and psychiatric hospitals.
FDA Heads Into Uncharted Territory Of ‘Biosimiliar’ Drugs
Under a new process set out by the health law, the FDA approved the first so-called biosimilar drug for sale in the U.S. It’s a copy of the cancer medicine Neupogen that will be sold under the brand name Zarxio.
Hundreds Of Hospitals Struggle To Improve Patient Satisfaction
Pleasing patients has become more important to hospitals as Medicare takes consumers views into account when setting payments. Most hospitals are getting better, but others have not improved since the government started publishing ratings six years ago.
