Latest KFF Health News Stories
A Reader Asks: Can I Cancel My Marketplace Plan If My Boss Decides To Offer Coverage?
KHN’s consumer columnist notes that consumers can drop a plan from the online exchanges anytime, but there are some important factors to consider.
Obamacare Lightens Load For Cancer Patients
People with cancer can now get health coverage even if they lose their jobs and insurance.
7 Things You Should Know About The Next Big Benefit Change
“Reference pricing” has the blessing of the Obama administration. What is it and how might it affect your health insurance?
States Consider Using Medicaid To Pay College Health Plan Premiums
Advocates say that the option will provide more flexibility for students who are eligible for the state-federal health program for low-income people.
Safety Net Hospitals Already Seeing More Paying Patients – And Revenue
Many inner-city hospitals in Medicaid-expansion states report big drops in the number of uninsured people for whom they provide care.
Temporary Fee On Big Businesses Funds Obamacare
Large companies like Sherwin-Williams, based in Cleveland, aren’t likely to use the individual insurance marketplace created by the health law, but they will help pay for it.
The Politics Of Health In 2014 Aren’t What You Think
Some embattled Democrats see Medicaid expansion as a winning issue.
ACA And The Children’s Health Insurance Program
The Affordable Care Act offers subsidies for low-income families who currently qualify for the federal-state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), forcing states to make a decision on CHIP’s future.
Employees: No Work At Obamacare Processing Centers, And Bosses Knew
Company and government supervisors knew that employees at the tax-funded ACA processing center in Wentzville were being paid to do little or no work, former employees said.
Gaps In Kids’ Dental Coverage A Trouble Spot
New data indicate that difficulties persist despite the health law’s efforts to expand pediatric dental insurance.
A Reader Asks: Will Using Electronic Cigarettes Affect My Insurance Rates?
Whether e-cigarettes are subject to the tobacco surcharge is a matter of debate.
Leaving Jail Doesn’t Have To Mean Losing Health Care
California is among 25 states to open Medicaid to childless adults, including thousands of ex-offenders. Covering this group is expected to save money and perhaps reduce recidivism.
By The Numbers: Mental Illness Behind Bars
There are now three times more people with serious mental illness incarcerated in the United States than in hospitals, and the types of behavioral and mental health problems among inmates are becoming more severe.
Workers At Obamacare Processing Center Have Little To Do, Says Ex-Employee
The allegations have spurred members of Missouri’s congressional delegation to call for investigations of the taxpayer-funded center that processes paper applications for the new health care law.
Brew Pub Owner Frustrated That Health Plan Prices Still Jumping
The volatility in insurance rates irks a small business owner in Northeast Ohio, despite the introduction of the ACA.
Defining What ‘Defined Contributions’ Mean For Work-Based Health Insurance
KHN’s consumer columnist examines the pros and cons of this trend, which could give employees more responsibility for their health coverage.
What Surge? Nation’s Primary Care System Holding Up Well So Far Under Obamacare
Some say early concerns were exaggerated, though late enrollment and Medicaid problems also have cut demand.
D.C. Health Insurance Tax Triggers Insurer Pushback
All insurers that sell health-related policies would be required to pay the assessment, even those whose products aren’t sold on the exchange.
Bipartisan Praise For Nominee To Lead HHS In Senate Hearing
Despite the warm reception from members of the Senate HELP panel, Republican senators had tough questions for Sylvia Mathews Burwell about implementation of the health law. Mary Agnes Carey and CQ Roll Call’s Melissa Attias discuss what’s next for the nomination.
California’s Small Business Health Insurance Exchange Off To Slow Start
The program, which provides subsidies to businesses with fewer than 25 employees, has been beset by delays and technical problems. “It’s absolutely making me crazy,” says one frustrated business owner.
