Kaiser Health News - States

State Legislatures Face Tough Decisions On Long-Term Care, Abortion Rules, Pain Prescriptions, Coordinated Care

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:01:03 GMT

News from state legislatures in Washington state, Oregon, Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

State Roundup: Fraud Crackdowns, Searching For More Doctors, Immigrant Health Care

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:44:34 GMT

A selection of stories from Texas, Illinois, California, Massachusetts, Georgia and Connecticut

Health Insurance Exchanges Stall In Kansas And Georgia

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:28:04 GMT

Meanwhile, in Illinois, legislation to establish insurance co-ops moved forward.

Research Roundup: Predicting The Health Law's Effects On Small Business, Uninsured, Disparities

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:17:04 GMT

Today's selection of health research and analyses is from Health Affairs, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund and UCLA.

First Edition: February 10, 2012

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:20:07 GMT

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations examine the congressional stalemate on the tax package that includes a Medicare pay fix for doctors and the latest developments in the controversy over new regulations that would require religious organizations offering health insurance to workers to include free contraceptives.

Insurers Shift More Costs To Patients; Washington Insurance Commissioner Questions Surpluses

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:23:00 GMT

More insurers are shifting a growing amount of the cost of providing care to patients, Kaiser Health News reports. In other insurer news, UnitedHealth will overhaul how it pays doctors, and Washington's state insurance commissioner is asking for permission to consider insurer surpluses when mulling proposed insurance rate increases.

Medicaid Changes Eyed In Georgia, California and Connecticut

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:18:44 GMT

Georgia and Connecticut mull reforms, while California deals with the reversal of its plan to charge co-payments.

States' Capabilities To Share Patient Data Vary Greatly

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:54:29 GMT

Although the federal government has encouraged sharing of digital health records, the development of state health information exchanges has been slowed by governance, financing and policy issues, according to a Brookings Institution study.

Viewpoints: Many Weigh In On Contraception Controversy; NEJM On Essential Benefits

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:47:52 GMT

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care policy from around the country.

Hospitals Seek To Consolidate In Ga., Wis. and N.Y.; Other State Hospital News

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:44:00 GMT

Hospitals in Atlanta, Wisconsin and New York are consolidating or partnering more closely with others in a bid to reduce costs and save themselves. In other hospital news, small California hospitals market back surgery to patients and a Minnesota hospital faces a "patient abuse" crisis.

State Roundup: Iowa Ponders HPV Awareness Program; Md. Workers Will See Pharmacy Plan Change

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:32:00 GMT

A selection of health policy stories from around the U.S.

Viewpoints: Political Furor On Contraceptive Policy; Confusing Estimates Of Medicare's Costs

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:43:18 GMT

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care policy from around the country.

Roundup: State Legislatures Consider Nursing Home, Insurance Exchange Bills

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:43:00 GMT

A selection of health policy stories from Texas, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Kansas, Missouri, California, Michigan, Oregon and Louisiana.

Washington State's Medicaid Program Will No Longer Pay For Unnecessary ER Visits

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:43:00 GMT

Washington state's Medicaid program will no longer pay for ER visits deemed medically unnecessary. Elsewhere, Illinois' governor will propose $2 billion in Medicaid cuts, and fallout continues over controversial proposals to reform California's Medicaid Medi-Cal program.

Opponents Argue The Health Law 'Went Too Far'

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Briefs filed by 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business argue that Congress overstepped its constitutional authority when it mandated that individuals buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

States Busy Implementing Local, Federal Health Reforms

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:35:00 GMT

Vermont may for the short term allow small businesses to offer low-premium, "bronze" insurance plans. In other news, a N.J. legislative committee approved a bill to establish a state health insurance exchange, and a California plan to move 875,000 children to Medicaid raises concerns.