The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Showing 41 - 60 of 403
The federal government鈥檚 hospital penalty program finishes its first decade by lowering payments to nearly half the nation鈥檚 hospitals for readmitting too many Medicare patients within a month. Penalties, though often small, are credited with helping reduce the number of patients returning for another Medicare stay within 30 days.
Nonprofit hospitals of all sizes have been trying their luck as venture capitalists, saying their investments improve care through the creation of new medical devices, health software and other innovations. But the gamble at times has been harder to pull off than expected.
Nursing home operators acknowledge that large numbers of staff members are not getting the shots but fear a federal vaccination mandate could drive away workers in a tight labor market.
With schools reopening, poll finds two-thirds of parents support mandating masks for unvaccinated students, but resistance to vaccinating students remains high. 鈥淢y child is not a test dummy,鈥 one Black parent told pollsters. Some parents deferred the decision to their teens.
About three dozen elite health systems are involved in for-profit hospital projects overseas. Though the systems are exempt from U.S. taxes for providing 鈥渃ommunity benefit,鈥 there鈥檚 limited evidence that such business ventures benefit American patients.
As the crisis crushed smaller providers, some of the nation鈥檚 richest health systems thrived, reporting hundreds of millions of dollars in surpluses after accepting huge grants for pandemic relief. But poorer hospitals 鈥 many serving rural and minority populations 鈥 got a smaller slice of the pie and limped through the year with deficits and a bleak fiscal future.
A student sought counseling help after feeling panicked when she had trouble paying a big tuition bill. A weeklong stay in a psychiatric hospital followed 鈥 along with a $3,413 bill. The hospital soft-pedaled its charity care policy.
Renowned medical centers are among the quarter of general hospitals that will lose 1% of Medicare payments for one year because their patients have high rates of bedsores, sepsis and other preventable complications.
New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., makes money and does not require taxpayer subsidies. But the county is selling the public hospital because officials say it needs more capital to compete. Civic leaders say the change will lead to higher health care costs.
Half the public believes the worst of the pandemic is yet to come, but most are prepared to continue to take measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 until vaccines are distributed.
Authorities are ordering early closures 鈥 generally around 10 p.m. 鈥 to curb the spread of COVID-19. But will the coronavirus observe this curfew?
The Trump administration hailed rapid tests as the way to halt COVID鈥檚 spread in nursing homes. A KHN analysis of federal data shows they鈥檙e not being used, as questions linger about accuracy and best practices.
Under the plan pushed by Gov. Brian Kemp, the healthcare.gov website will no longer provide options for Georgia starting next fall, and consumers will need to rely on private brokers, insurance companies, agents and commercial websites.
The penalties are the ninth round of a program created as part of the Affordable Care Act鈥檚 broader effort to improve quality and lower costs. The average reduction in federal payments is 0.69%, with 613 hospitals receiving a penalty of 1% or more.
The state hospital association has endorsed Dale Folwell鈥檚 opponent after the treasurer sought to force them to accept lower reimbursements from the state employees鈥 health plan.
Rural hospitals have been closing at a quickening pace in recent years, but a number of inner-city hospitals now face a similar fate. Experts fear that the economic damage inflicted by the COVID pandemic is helping push some of these urban hospitals over the edge at the very time their services are most needed.
About 60% of poll respondents are worried that federal regulators will rush to allow a vaccine because of political pressure. Opposition to getting a vaccine that might be authorized before the November election is strongest among Republicans.
Half of the money the Trump administration gave dialysis companies was collected by Fresenius, an international juggernaut with a robust balance sheet, a KHN analysis has found.
State officials are pointing to reopened bars as a cause of local spikes in coronavirus cases. Bars are tailor-made for the spread of the virus, with a cacophony of conversations that require raised voices and alcohol, which can impede judgment.
KHN senior correspondent Jordan Rau spins through this week鈥檚 essential health care news.
Stay informed by signing up for the Morning Briefing and other emails:
漏 2026 51视频