Latest KFF Health News Stories
What Consumers Need To Know About The Obama Plan For Canceled Health Policies
Under the president’s plan, insurers will be permitted to extend this year’s policies into next year, but it’s far from clear that insurers will want to follow through. Some state regulators may not even let them.
Oregon Shines On Medicaid, As Texas Stalls On Sign-Ups
In Oregon, the online health marketplace isn’t working for people looking to buy individual policies. But the state has been rapidly expanding Medicaid anyway. In Texas, insurance helpers may face state regulations that would make it even harder to assist people seeking coverage.
Methodology: How Value Based Purchasing Payments Are Calculated
The Kaiser Health News story and data on Medicare’s quality payment programs are based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) containing the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing and Readmissions Reduction Program adjustment factors for individual hospitals.
Nearly 1,500 Hospitals Penalized Under Medicare Program Rating Quality
The hospitals were rated on two-dozen measures, including surveys of patient satisfaction and death rates.
By State: Hospital Quality Bonuses And Penalties
Medicare gives hospitals bonuses and penalties based on how well they performed on 24 quality measures. This chart shows the average effect by state on hospitals’ Medicare payments during the second year of the program.
Interactive Chart: Bonuses And Penalties For U.S. Hospitals
This chart shows the payment adjustments for each hospital and how they compared to the bonuses and penalties from last year.
Will Low Online Enrollments In The Fall Hobble The Health Law?
Numbers released by the government Wednesday deepened doubts about the law’s immediate viability, and proposed fixes have shortcomings.
FAQ: Grandfathered Health Plans
If you get your insurance from your employer, there’s a very good chance that you are in a “grandfathered plan,” and that means some of the provisions of the health law do not apply to you – yet.
Medicaid Questions Delay Some Health Insurance Purchases In Colorado
Some say Colorado Medicaid has hampered the state’s private insurance enrollment efforts.
Kids’ Dental Coverage Uncertain Under Obamacare
Provisions in the fine print of the Affordable Care Act could prevent some children from receiving dental coverage.
P.R. For Obamacare Stalls In Illinois, Missouri
While Cover Missouri and Get Covered Illinois are staying active on social media, they’ve put mass media advertising efforts on hold until the federal government’s website is fixed.
FAQ: How The Health Law Impacts Federal Employees’ Health Benefits
Congressional staffers are among those most likely to experience changes in their coverage options as a result of the Affordable Care Act.
How Much Is That X-Ray? Still Hard To Say, Even In Massachusetts
A new state law requires price transparency, but it is still a days-long quest for one reporter to find out how much a simple back X-ray costs.
A Reader Asks: Can Adult Children With An Offer Of Family Coverage Instead Get Subsidies?
The answer: Yes, if their parents have not claimed them as tax dependents.
Enrolling In Obamacare In Alaska Is Possible
Lara Imler finally got through on healthcare.gov, but it took both motivation and expertise. She has a chronic condition and a programming degree.
Democrats’ Frustrations With Health Law Grow Amid Website Problems
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a Senate hearing Wednesday that officials were advised to keep healthcare.gov open while fixing problems and also fielded criticism of President Obama’s promise that if Americans like their old health plans they can keep it. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and CQ HealthBeat’s Rebecca Adams discuss.
Labor Unions May Get Health Law Tax Relief
Unions want their plans exempted from the reinsurance tax, but the Obama administration may not do so until 2015.
Blue Shield of California Delays Cancellations for Some Individual Policyholders
Threatened with a legal action from the state, company says 80,000 customers can keep their plans through March 31.
Call Centers Got Big Contracts From Health Law, But How Big Is Unclear
The contractor running Connecticut’s call center for its health insurance marketplace doesn’t have to reveal how its pricing works.
Oregon’s State Exchange May Be Worse Than Healthcare.gov
Not a single person is enrolled yet in Oregon, where 7,300 applications have been filed, all on paper.
