Kaiser Family Foundation
‘Gold Card’ Bill Seeks to Fast Track Health Care Approvals in Arkansas
Act 575 gives automatic approval in many cases for procedures and drugs ordered by physicians who have achieved a 90% standard on previous approvals from insurance providers. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Judge’s Ruling Undercuts US Health Law’s Preventive Care
Experts cautioned that insurers are unlikely to stop any coverage immediately. read more >
by Associated Press -
Economic Concerns Top Public’s List of Priorities
Health care, including costs, is the second-most frequently mentioned priority. read more >
How Nonprofits Help Millions Tackle Their Medical Debt
As nonprofits have expanded their efforts, they're taking a dual approach — paying off debt and pushing for legislative change to prevent or alleviate that debt, such as by expanding Medicaid eligibility. read more >
by Associated Press -
US Health Insurers Raise Rates to Match Increase in Usage
The rate increases come as Congress debates whether to extend financial help for consumers through the American Rescue Plan. read more >
by Associated Press -
More Than 90,000 COVID-19 Deaths Preventable
The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker estimated earlier this month that more than 90,000 COVID-19 deaths since June 2021 likely would have been prevented with vaccinations. read more >
Nearly 3M Got Health Coverage During Special COVID-19 Sign-Up Period, Biden Says
The number of Americans enrolled under the Affordable Care Act increased by 20%. read more >
by Associated Press -
Nearly 3,000 Health Care Workers Dead Due to COVID-19
More than 2,900 U.S. health care workers have died in the COVID-19 pandemic as of Dec. 23, a figure that is much higher than that reported by the government. read more >
Growth in Health Services Spending Declines
In the second quarter of 2020, health services spending fell by 8.6% compared with the second quarter of 2019. read more >
US Uninsured Rate Inches Up
After dropping dramatically with passage of the Affordable Care Act, the number of uninsured nonelderly Americans began to rise starting in 2017, the Kaiser Family Foundation said in a report earlier this month. read more >
That Time of Year (Gwen Moritz Editor’s Note)
Eager to be shed of Obamacare once and for all? Be careful what you wish for. read more >
by Gwen Moritz -
Specialized Cannabis Clinics Rise to Meet Demand
With medical marijuana expected to boom into a $100 million-a-year business in Arkansas within a year or two, medical clinics specializing in marijuana certifications are cropping up to handle the rush. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Health Care Spending Growth Slows
Spending on hospitals and physician services accounted for 53% of U.S. health spending in 2017. read more >
Matters of Life and Death (Gwen Moritz Editor’s Note)
Someday our federal lawmakers will have the luxury of turning their attention away from impeachment and back to matters of life and death. One of those is health insurance. read more >
by Gwen Moritz -
U.S. Tops Other Developed Nations in Health Care Spending
The United States spends more per person on health care than similarly wealthy countries: $10,224 per person in 2017. That was 28% higher than Switzerland, the next highest spender per capita. read more >
Health Insurance Premiums Continued to Rise in 2018
The average annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health insurance reached $19,616 in 2018, an increase of 5 percent. read more >
Rising Health Care Costs: Who’s to Blame?
Health care is No. 2 among the public’s top three concerns as the United States nears the 2018 midterm elections, according to the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll. read more >
Not Good for Arkansas (Editorial)
The Affordable Care Act has never gained the popular support that Democrats hoped. But neither has it been as deeply unpopular as Republicans believed it would be when they spent years promising to repeal “Obamacare” and possibly to replace it. read more >
Report: Opioid Addiction Costs Employers $2.6B A Year for Care
A new report shows large employers spent $2.6 billion to treat opioid addiction and overdoses in 2016, an eightfold increase since 2004. More than half went to treat employees' children. read more >
by Associated Press -
Budget Undercuts Trump Focus On Mental Health, School Safety
President Donald Trump is calling for a focus on mental health and school safety in response to shootings like the one that took 17 lives in Florida, but his budget would cut funding in both areas. read more >
by Associated Press -
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