Category: states

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Insurance Enrollment Is Lagging — And There Are Lots Of Reasons Why

Sign-ups for insurance under the Affordable Care Act are still well behind last year’s mark with just a week until the end of open enrollment in most states. The Supreme Court declines a case that could have allowed states to defund Planned Parenthood. And the Trump administration gets hundreds of thousands of comments about its proposed changes to immigration rules that could penalize people who use government-funded health care and other social service programs. Alice Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week.

Need Health Insurance? The Deadline Is Dec. 15

Enrollment is lagging compared with last year’s pace. But experts say sign-ups tend to accelerate as the deadline nears, and many people will be automatically re-enrolled, so the final numbers could approach last year’s totals.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Is Health Spending The Next Big Political Issue?

Diabetics dying because they can’t afford insulin. Organ transplant patients undergoing “wallet biopsies” to get on waiting lists. Are out-of-pocket costs going to dominate the health discussion in the next election? Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this as well as new Trump administration rules giving states the ability to make major changes to the Affordable Care Act. Also, lame-duck lawmakers in Wisconsin and Michigan try to cement health changes before Democrats take over.

Short On Federal Funding, Obamacare Enrollment Navigators Switch Tactics

Enrollment is lagging this year as the Trump administration spends just $10 million on navigators to help individuals enroll in coverage, down from $63 million in 2016.

Sales Reps May Be Wearing Out Their Welcome In The Operating Room

Do sales reps in the operating room lend helpful expertise or inflate already bloated costs? Depends on whom you ask.

Is Trump Pushing Health Insurance Innovation Or An ACA Rollback?

The Trump administration offered states specific examples of how they could change the way they implement the Affordable Care Act. Critics say it could drive up premiums for many.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Reading The Tea Leaves In Blue Wave’s Wake

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Ollstein of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss the impact of House Democratic leadership elections and their impact on health policy; as well as efforts by the Trump administration to address high drug prices and ensure the safety of medical devices. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Jay Hancock about the latest “Bill of the Month.”

Under Trump, Number Of Uninsured Kids Rose For First Time This Decade

About 276,000 more children are among the uninsured, a new report finds. Though the uptick is statistically small, it is striking because uninsured rates usually decrease during periods of economic growth.

One Twin’s Difficult Birth Puts A Project Designed To Reduce C-Sections To The Test

A woman had twins in a hospital south of Boston, and for doctors aiming to reduce cesarean sections, the second baby’s tricky arrival tested the limits of teamwork.

One Twin’s Difficult Birth Puts A Project Designed To Reduce C-Sections To The Test

A woman had twins in a hospital south of Boston, and for doctors aiming to reduce cesarean sections, the second baby’s tricky arrival tested the limits of teamwork.