Latest KFF Health News Stories
A Success Story: Expanding Health Care Options For Detroit’s Poor-The KHN Interview
Dr. Herbert Smitherman talks about the Voices of Detroit Initiative that tracked 33,000 uninsured people and helped get more than half of them into coordinated care systems.
Letter From California: Exchange Board Has Daunting Task
The Golden State was the first to create a health care exchange under federal law. But setting up the online marketplace will take time — and money that the cash-strapped state might not have.
The Old Practice Of House Calls Is Returning To Some Areas
Businesses and individuals looking for convenience are contracting with services that will provide same-day medical appointments at home or office.
High-Risk Health Coverage Pools Grow By 6,000 Enrollees
Numbers still remain far below estimates for the program designed to help people with pre-existing medical conditions, but cost and lack of publicity may hamper enrollment.
Q&A: My Uninsured Daughter Needs More Inexpensive Care, Where Can She Go?
Michelle Andrews answers a question from a mother whose daughter is uninsured and needs some inexpensive care. Andrews says going to a community health center may be a good option for her.
Community Health Centers To ‘Turn The Promise Of Coverage’ Into Better Care-The KHN Interview
Dan Hawkins, senior vice president of the centers’ national association, says influx of federal funding is helping them to reach out to more people.
Q&A: My Daughter With A Pre-Existing Condition Lost Her Insurance, What Can We Do?
Michelle Andrews answers a question from a mother whose daughter lost her insurance and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. What are her options to get coverage?
Federal Efforts Build Momentum To Address Health Inequities — Guest Opinion
During the month of April — Minority Health Month — the Obama administration took significant steps to build momentum for efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health inequities. But with this momentum the stakes have become higher than ever, just as fiscal and political pressures mount that could undermine progress.
Some Church Groups Form Sharing Ministries To Cover Members’ Medical Costs
The groups are financed through a monthly fee, and those revenues are divvied up and sent to members when they have health care expenses.
Health Overhaul Could Double Community Health Centers’ Caseload
The centers, designed to help low-income and uninsured people, offer an affordable option for care, but it can also be tough to get an appointment.
The End Of Pennsylvania’s AdultBasic – Not A Sound Investment In The State’s Future
Pennsylvania has long been a laboratory for innovation in providing health coverage to the uninsured. But this legacy came crashing down earlier this year when 42,000 adultBasic enrollees lost their health insurance. The program’s termination was explained as a “fiscal reality,” but this fiscal decision is not a sound investment in the state’s future.
As governors across the land pepper the federal government with requests to scale back Medicaid
Healthy Indiana: Conservatives’ Reform Poster Child Or Another Costly Program?
The Healthy Indiana Plan is the Hoosier state’s alternative to traditional Medicaid. It’s boosters also consider it a viable alternative to the dreaded Affordable Care Act. But do they really have a case?
Many Adults Struggle To Pay Medical Bills, Report Finds
The recession and rising health costs create financial hardships or cause consumers to forgo care, according to a survey by the Commonwealth Fund.
Ariz. Medicaid Cuts Spur Debate Over Impact On Providers
Doctors and hospitals raise concerns that reducing eligibility may spur ER crowding and premium increases, but experience in Missouri shows less dire consequences.
Alternatives To Mandating Insurance? Maybe
Some experts are proposing alternatives to mandating that nearly all Americans purchase health insurance – a requirement in the health law – including offering discounts for early buyers and instituting eligibility periods to use subsidies.
Digital Divide Threatens Health Care
In a story from The Center For Public Integrity, experts worry low-income clinics cannot afford the electronic health records that others can and will fall behind as a result, potentially missing the Obama administration’s goal of going digital in the next five years.
Some States Have Options To Help Consumers Find Individual Health Coverage
For people who can’t get insurance through work, finding a plan is often difficult. In addition to the high-risk pools that have recently generated a lot of attention, other options may be available, depending on which state a consumer lives in.
Checking In With Dr. Arthur Garson On ‘Health Care Half Truths’
KHN interviews Dr. Arthur Garson, Jr., on health care sound bites and myths. He says that the massive amount of confusion plaguing reform efforts confirms just how pervasive such myths can be.
Reinhardt: Repeal Health Care, Make GOP Cut Costs
Health economist Uwe Reinhardt critiques the new health care law, talks about cost containment and gives his reasons why a single-payer system health system couldn’t work in America.
