Latest KFF Health News Stories
Insurers May Share Blame For Some Generics’ Price Hikes
News reports have led many consumers to blame drugmakers for the rapidly rising costs of some commonly used generic drugs. But changes made by insurers often play a major role, too.
What Do Covered California’s Big Rate Hikes Mean For You?
We answer some key questions to help consumers make sense of the news about large premium increases in the state’s Obamacare exchange.
Covered California Health Plan Rates To Jump 13.2 Percent In 2017
A double-digit increase, which follows two years of moderate rate hikes, is likely to resonate across the country in debate over Obamacare.
Montana Medicaid Expansion By-The-Numbers
Enrollment is nearly double where the state expected to be at the seven-month mark.
Seven Remaining Obamacare Co-Ops Prepare Survival Strategies
Two-thirds of the federally funded co-ops created by the health law to sell health insurance to individuals and small employers have folded and those that remain are diversifying to stay alive.
Democrats Unite, But What Happened To ‘Medicare For All’?
Advocates for a single payer health care system say it would be more efficient, but other analysts predict that such an unprecedented change could be extremely disruptive to a key part of the nation’s economy.
Obama Renews Call For A Public Option In Health Law
The president made the proposal as part of a comprehensive look at the Affordable Care Act’s legacy in an article under his byline in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Inaccurate Provider Lists A Major Barrier To Care, Study Finds
Research published in Health Affairs shows that new patients were able to get an appointment with a primary care doctor less than 30 percent of the time.
Young Adults Can Face Challenges To Health Enrollment
Even as the administration focuses on getting more young adults into marketplace coverage, many enrollment specialists say that this group has some difficulty transitioning from family plans or Medicaid.
Will Louisiana’s Medicaid Expansion Be A Harbinger For Georgia?
Louisiana’s decision to accept the federal health law program to provide coverage to more low-income residents is being watched around the South, including in Georgia, where deep-seated opposition is showing some small signs of cracks.
States Offer Privacy Protections To Young Adults On Their Parents’ Health Plan
Now that young people up to the age of 26 can stay on their family plan, it can be difficult for them to keep their medical information confidential.
For Many In Baltimore’s Growing Latino Community, Health Care Is A Challenge
Many immigrants lack access to affordable services due to lack of citizenship and legal residency.
Minnesota’s Largest Health Insurer To Drop Individual Plans
More than 100,000 Minnesotans will need to look for new insurance for 2017. Blue Cross Blue Shield is pulling back from the state’s market for individual policies, citing heavy losses.
House Republicans Unveil Long-Awaited Plan To Replace Health Law
The proposal includes many details, but key questions about cost remain unanswered.
HHS Targets Young Adults In 2017 Obamacare Enrollment Plan
The Obama administration’s strategy to attract young under-insured adults includes targeted direct mailings and discounted Lyft rides to open enrollment events this fall.
Study Projects Sharper Increases In Obamacare Premiums For 2017
A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis forecasts rates could jump 10 percent next year in 14 major metro markets.
If Zika Concerns Might Derail A Trip, Consider ‘Cancel-For-Any-Reason’ Plans
Consumers planning a vacation who have worries about health issues may want to look into travel insurance that allows them to cancel the trip for any reason.
HHS Announces Plans To Curtail Consumers’ Use Of Short-Term Insurance Policies
The plans, which do not qualify as coverage under the Affordable Care Act and put consumers at risk of a tax penalty, can siphon healthy people away from the online marketplaces because they are generally less expensive.
Despite New Access To Health Insurance, Drug-Treatment Rates For Ex-Offenders Barely Changed
More emerging prisoners are covered by Medicaid, but they still face barriers in navigating the health system, researchers said.
Factors Beyond Coverage Limit Mental Health Care Access
According to a new study, the health law’s insurance expansions have helped more people gain access to mental health services. But racial and ethnic disparities continue.
