The Health Law

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Local Hospitals and Doctors Join Forces to Improve Health Care, Restrain Costs

KFF Health News Original

Even as an overhaul of the nation’s health care system gets bogged down in Congress, hospitals, doctors and administrators from around the country talk about how they have changed the way they operate to bolster health care in their home towns.

Health Effects Of Comparing Care: No Easy Answers

KFF Health News Original

The Obama administration and Congress are moving forward with plans to evaluate various medical treatments for common health conditions. But how the government uses this comparative effectiveness research and how it might benefit – or complicate – medical decision-making are matters of some debate.

Blue Dog Ross’s Conundrum: Should He Battle Health Bill That Could Benefit His Depressed Town?

KFF Health News Original

Rep. Mike Ross grew up in tiny Prescott, Ark., and knows well the problems of many residents who can’t afford health care insurance and have trouble getting access to hospitals and doctors. Yet Ross, a leader of the Blue Dog Democrats, stands ready to try to block passage of a health care reform bill in the House that might help his constituents; he complains the bill doesn’t adequately contain costs or help rural areas enough.

Health on the Hill – July 20, 2009

KFF Health News Original

The House Energy and Commerce Committee continues its consideration of health care overhaul legislation this week while Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is still developing his panel’s health care package. Meanwhile, President Obama is pressing lawmakers to keep the momentum going on health care and has scheduled several public appearances this week to discuss health care legislation.

White House Moves To Calm Health Care Bill Fears

KFF Health News Original

The White House is fighting back against accusations that the health care overhaul bills moving through Congress would actually increase health spending rather than save money over the long haul.

Checking In With Fitzhugh Mullan

KFF Health News Original

Pediatrician Fitzhugh Mullan has been practicing public service medicine for more than 40 years. In a new essay in the journal Health Affairs, he calls on activists to resurrect “the fire of the Civil Rights movement” in their quest for universal health care.

‘Model’ Health Systems Press Case For Medicare Fix In Reform

KFF Health News Original

When talking about his vision for the U.S. health care system, President Barack Obama points to places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, which are known for providing high-quality, low-cost care.

Blue Dogs’ Health Demands Get Boost From CBO

KFF Health News Original

A leader of the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative House Democrats says he and six others in the group would vote together to block the health overhaul bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee unless changes were made to slow the rate of growth of federal health care spending, a concern raised by CBO Director Elmendorf yesterday.

Comments By CBO Director Underscore Conservatives’ Health Bill Concerns

KFF Health News Original

A leader of the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative House Democrats said today that he and six others in the group will vote together to block health care legislation in committee unless changes are made to slow the rate of growth of federal health care spending and to ensure that rural hospitals are adequately reimbursed for treating new patients under the legislation.

Health Overhaul Bills Move Forward On Capitol Hill

KFF Health News Original

A health overhaul bill cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee yesterday, which it passed 13-10 on a party-line vote. Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of pushed held the first hearing on their version of health reform.

Transcript: President Obama On Health Reform

KFF Health News Original

President Barack Obama spoke today in the Rose Garden on health care reform. The White House released his remarks. He spoke about the importance of nurses in the health care system.

For Many Workers, Insurance Choices May be Limited

KFF Health News Original

President Obama and leading Democrats have stressed that people who like their employer-sponsored insurance would be able to keep it, under a health care overhaul. But they haven’t emphasized the flip side: That people who don’t like their coverage might have to keep it.