Category: Health Insurance

Pain Clinics’ Doctors Needlessly Tested Hundreds Of Urine Samples, Court Records Show

Whistleblower lawsuits accuse Tennessee chain of bilking millions from Medicare for unnecessary urine drug tests.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The Abortion Wars Rage On

Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest news about women’s reproductive health policy and the latest skirmish in the debate over “Medicare-for-all”: how hospitals should be paid.

Many seniors can’t afford healthcare despite paying billions, finds Gallup

Seniors also reported their concern that rising healthcare costs will result in significant and lasting damage to the economy.

Americans Overwhelmingly Want Federal Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

Three-quarters of people urge action to keep patients from facing high medical costs when their insurance doesn’t cover the care, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

Modifications to Medicare rules could support care innovation for dialysis

Medicare spends approximately $35 billion annually on care for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease.

CMS gives states 3 options to test care models for dual eligibles

A joint contract between CMS, states and health plans would pay a capitated amount to provide integrated Medicare and Medicaid services.

CMS proposes to pay for transformative IT

The change would ramp up add-on payments to hospitals that implement new tech and increase the wage index for rural and other qualifying hospitals.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma promotes state waivers to Affordable Care Act

Pre-existing coverage remains protected, though a new type of high risk pool approach could better tailor coverage for these enrollees, Verma says.

Consolidation, consumerism ranked as top trends in healthcare based on new survey

Even though M&A activity has slowed in recent quarters, health professionals don’t expect the slowdown to last.

Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will run out money in 7 years, trustees say

Part D drug spending projections are lower than last year because of slower price growth and a continuing trend of higher manufacturer rebates.