Latest KFF Health News Stories
With Coverage Through Obamacare, Transgender Woman Opts For Surgery
The nation’s health law opens the door for transgender people to gain coverage for gender reassignment surgeries they previously could not afford.
Obamacare Still ‘Red Meat’ For GOP Candidates But Focus Of Attacks Shift
Rather than simply calling for repeal, Republicans argue the law is hurting consumers, taxpayers.
Some Insurers Refuse To Cover Contraceptives, Despite Health Law Requirement
Most plans must cover all FDA-approved birth control methods, but consumer advocates say it is still common for women to face rejection for some forms.
Are Your Medical Records Vulnerable To Theft?
Here’s what you need to know if your records are stored electronically (and they probably are).
Health Care Giants Battling For Control Of Pittsburgh’s Market
As the line between insurance companies and health care providers blurs, these onetime allies are venturing into each other’s business and becoming competitors.
Has Health Law Helped Young People Get Mental Health Treatment? Maybe
Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance abuse often start in adolescence, then peak in young adulthood. But for young people who don’t have steady jobs or stable paychecks, getting help can be tough. A popular provision of the Affordable Care Act that took effect in 2010 aimed to make it easier for young […]
Missouri Lags Behind In Insurance Pricing Transparency
Consumers in most other states have more information about, and control over, health insurance prices and plans.
Letters to the Editor is a regular feature in which readers comment on KHN original stories.
With Health Law, ERs Still Packed
Emergency-room visits have increased at many hospitals. A shortage of primary-care doctors is one reason.
Analysis: California’s Enrollment Success Is Its Greatest Challenge
After signing up hundreds of thousands of Medi-Cal enrollees, the state now needs to figure out how to care for them.
16% Of Large Employers Plan To Offer Low-Benefit ‘Skinny’ Plans Despite ACA: Survey
The National Business Group on Health also found, based on 136 large employers’ responses, a continued move toward high-deductible, “consumer-directed” plans.
More Employers Limit Health Plan Networks But Seek To Preserve Quality, Says Adviser
Dr. Robert Galvin, who helps executives at 50 companies purchase health care for employees, tells KHN that workers must become savvier consumers.
Must A Divorced Dad Cover Adult Kids; Will Medicare Pay For Infusion Therapy
KHN’s consumer columnist Michelle Andrews explores a divorced mother’s efforts to get her ex-husband to keep their sons on his plan, one senior’s problems getting Medicare to cover his antibiotic infusion at home and what earnings one reader will have to count when applying for premium subsidies.
Washington’s $10 Billion Search For Health Care’s Next Big Ideas
A little-known office tests ways to improve care, but some wonder whether its achievements will match its budget.
Vermont Is ‘Single-Payer’ Trailblazer
Vermont plays the maverick again in trying to be the first state to implement a single-payer health care system.
Obamacare Creates ‘Upheaval’ At Free Clinics
With many of their patients now insured under the law, most W. Va. free clinics are choosing to get paid by Medicaid.
Cleveland’s Early Medicaid Expansion Paying Off
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, created its own Medicaid program for 28,000 residents. So far, E.R. visits have dropped 60 percent.
Health Law Calls For Some Workers To Be Automatically Enrolled In Coverage
A provision of the ACA that could be implemented as early as next year requires employers with more than 200 workers to sign up employees in one of the company’s plans. Workers may opt out, however.
A Doctor’s Perspective On Obamacare Plans
Low reimbursement rates cause one doctor to reject two out of three companies selling Affordable Care Act insurance in his state.
Allynne Noelle: Ballerina Gets Insured
Ballerinas risk injury and high health care costs every time they perform. Allynne Noelle, 32, principal ballerina with the Los Angeles Ballet, says the new health care law offers some relief.
