Obamacare Back At The High Court — With Billions For Insurers On The Line
By Phil Galewitz
December 9, 2019
KFF Health News Original
The case revolves around a health law provision designed to help insurers recover some losses because they had an unusually high number of sick and expensive customers. Insurers complain that when Republican lawmakers discontinued funding the program, it was like “Lucy Van Pelt pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.”
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
By Brianna Labuskes
June 22, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes, who reads everything on health care to compile our daily Morning Briefing, offers the best and most provocative stories for the weekend.
Republicans Try To Find ‘Positive Vision’ On Health Care As ‘Repeal And Replace’ Battle Cry Becomes Outdated
January 9, 2019
Morning Briefing
“We should be the guys and gals that are putting up things that make health care more affordable and more accessible,” said Jim McLaughlin, another Republican pollster. “No question Democrats had an advantage over us on health care.” In other health new from Capitol Hill: short-term insurance plans, single-payer and gun control legislation.
Trump Promises ‘Phenomenal’ Health Plan. What Might That Mean?
By Julie Appleby
September 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In the background, advisers weigh the risks of rolling out a comprehensive health care proposal. Peering into the crystal ball, here’s a glimpse of what could be included in the GOP plan.
KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Politics Heading Into 2020: Live From Aspen!
June 24, 2019
KFF Health News Original
How big an issue will health really be in the 2020 election? Will the Republicans find their political footing on the issue? In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times report from the Aspen Ideas: Health festival in Aspen, Colo. Joining them are Chris Jennings, who advised Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama on health policy, and Lanhee Chen, who advised GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio.
Timeline: Despite GOP’s Failure To Repeal Obamacare, The ACA Has Changed
By Julie Rovner
April 5, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A look at the most consequential events that have reshaped the federal health law since President Donald Trump was inaugurated.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Repeal And Replace Is Dead. What Now?
September 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post discuss what happens now that Republicans have officially failed in their latest effort to overhaul Obamacare. Plus an interview with Bruce Lesley of First Focus about the fate of the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Repeal-And-Replace Votes Haunt Republican Congressional Candidates In Swing Districts
October 31, 2018
Morning Briefing
In some midterm contests, support for the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people who have preexisting conditions could become an important issue.
Could California Shape The Fate Of The Affordable Care Act In November?
By Chad Terhune and Pauline Bartolone and Ana B. Ibarra and Alex Leeds Matthews
June 7, 2018
KFF Health News Original
With the primary now over, health care may well emerge as an issue that helps voters distinguish between candidates for governor, attorney general and other offices in the general election.
Democrats’ House Win Is Likely End For Republicans’ Years-Long ‘Repeal And Replace’ Battle
November 8, 2018
Morning Briefing
“I think it is very obvious that a Democratic House is not going to be interested in” changes to the health law, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. The battle over health care will likely shift toward “Medicare for all,” a plan touted by the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, 26 percent of voters said health care was the most important issue for them in deciding their vote, and three out of four voters who listed health care as their top issue voted for Democrats.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Zombie Repeal-And-Replace Bill Rises Again
September 20, 2017
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss Senate Republicans’ last-ditch effort to upend the Affordable Care Act ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Nothing In Health Care Ever Goes Away
April 19, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post examine how even after Republicans failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the health care debate continues to roil politics. They discuss how Republicans in Congress have shifted their ACA messaging and how the Democrats are looking to Medicare expansion. They also discuss state efforts to expand Medicaid and drug pricing. And they spend a moment talking about Congress’ push to do something about the opioid crisis.
Congress Isn’t Really Done With Health Care — Just Look At What’s In The Tax Bills
By Julie Rovner
December 1, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Even though congressional Republicans set aside their Obamacare repeal-and-replace efforts this year, here are five major health policy changes that could become law as part of the pending House and Senate proposals.
Hollowed-Out Public Health System Faces More Cuts Amid Virus
By Lauren Weber and Laura Ungar and Michelle R. Smith, The Associated Press and Hannah Recht and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
July 1, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The U.S. public health system has been starved for decades and lacks the resources necessary to confront the worst health crisis in a century. An investigation by The Associated Press and KHN has found that since 2010, spending for state public health departments has dropped by 16% per capita and for local health departments by 18%. At least 38,000 public health jobs have disappeared, leaving a skeletal workforce for what was once viewed as one of the world’s top public health systems. That has left the nation unprepared to deal with a virus that has sickened at least 2.6 million people and killed more than 126,000.
Progressives In House Growing Ever More Frustrated With How Democratic Leadership Is Working On Drug Pricing
June 7, 2019
Morning Briefing
Some angry progressives say the secrecy being employed by leadership is akin to how Republicans drafted legislation to repeal and replace the health law. At issue is a plan House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office has been working on for months that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, a top priority for Democrats and one that the party stressed in its campaign last year to win back the House. Meanwhile, Republican senators are asking pharmaceutical companies for their suggestions to lower costs, and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) talks about her drug plan.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ HHS Leaders Take To The Stump
March 8, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and new podcast panelist Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss this week’s spate of speeches by the leaders of the Department of Health and Human Services. They also discuss the slow progress on health legislation on Capitol Hill intended to fund the government and stabilize the individual insurance market. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists offer their favorite health policy stories of the week.
Consumers Brace For Premium Hikes While Lawmakers Grasp At Remedies
By Julie Rovner
May 11, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Health insurers’ initial premium requests indicate stiff price hikes for consumers, just as bipartisan talks in Congress fall flat.
Whichever Way ‘Repeal And Replace’ Blows, Pharma Is Due For Windfall
By Emily Kopp
July 12, 2017
KFF Health News Original
A little-noticed provision in President Donald Trump’s executive order on drug prices may offer a clue to why Big Pharma hasn’t opposed a bill that could bleed their balance sheets of millions of patients.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Still More ‘Medicare-For-All’
April 11, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest version of a “Medicare-for-all” bill by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a presidential hopeful, and Democratic and Republican reactions to it. They also discuss the latest on congressional efforts to rein in drug prices and another state effort to expand Medicaid — but not exactly in the way voters wanted. Also, Rovner interviews Ceci Connolly of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.
Despite Compressed Sign-Up Period, ACA Enrollment Nearly Matches Last Year’s
By Julie Rovner
December 21, 2017
KFF Health News Original
HHS announces that 8.8 million people signed up for coverage through the federal insurance marketplace.