Ask KFF: Karen Pollitz Answers 3 Questions on Why Insurers Deny Claims March 6, 2019 Issue Brief Karen Pollitz, senior fellow for health reform and private insurance at KFF, answers three questions about denied claims and how the federal government may change the data insurers are required to report on this issue.
Kaiser Health News (KHN) Wins Prestigious Barlett & Steele Investigative Journalism Award October 2, 2019 News Release KFF is pleased to announce that Kaiser Health News (KHN), its editorially independent health news service, won a top prize in the 13th annual Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Journalism.
How Can Trump Administration Regulations Be Reversed? January 29, 2021 Issue Brief With the inauguration of President Biden and Democrats holding a slim majority in Congress, policymakers are likely to consider whether and how to reverse various health policy regulations issued by the Trump Administration.
Mental Health Parity at a Crossroads August 18, 2022 News Release With federal agencies preparing to update parity regulations and Congress considering reforms, our new report explains existing parity requirements, including who they apply to and how their enforced, and highlights key policy issues raised by regulators and advocates that could be addressed in the future. Those issues include: Simplifying parity standards…
Mental Health Parity at a Crossroads August 18, 2022 Issue Brief This brief discusses federal mental health parity protections — what they are, who they apply to, who enforces them and key policy issues as Congress and federal agencies evaluate improvements to the law to address gaps in mental health coverage and access.
Abortion Decision Renews Questions About Employer Access to Health Information July 12, 2022 Blog This Policy Watch takes a look at employers ability to access abortion information when their health plan covers abortion services. With some states criminalizing entities who assist in abortions, employers and providers face legal jeopardy and existing privacy laws such as HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) may be limited in their privacy protections.
Increasingly Privatized Public Health Insurance Programs in the US March 30, 2023 Perspective In this JAMA Forum column, KFF’s Larry Levitt examines the growing role of private insurance companies in public programs, including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care, and the tradeoffs that result.
Analysis: Inconsistencies Within Hospital Price Transparency Data Make Cost Comparisons Difficult February 10, 2023 News Release Since 2021, federal law has required hospitals to publicly post information about their standard prices and negotiated discount rates for common health services to encourage consumers to compare prices and to promote competition. To date, however, the transparency data currently shared by hospitals to comply with the law are messy,…
Ongoing Challenges with Hospital Price Transparency February 10, 2023 Issue Brief This analysis examines transparency data currently shared by hospitals to comply with federal law and finds that they are messy, inconsistent and confusing, making it challenging if not impossible for patients or researchers to use them to compare prices. Many of these shortcomings stem from a lack of specificity in the requirements for what hospitals must report.
Understanding the Role of the FTC, DOJ, and States in Challenging Anticompetitive Practices Of Hospitals and Other Health Care Providers August 7, 2023 Issue Brief This brief explains the role of federal and state antitrust agencies in challenging anticompetitive practices among hospitals and other health care providers, including the legal authority of federal and state agencies, the role that they play in enforcing antitrust laws, and proposed options for strengthening their authority.