Month: February 2015
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Highly anticipated report on first year of Medicaid expansion says Kentucky can afford it even with higher-than-expected enrollment
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky’s decision to expand Medicaid under federal health reform is a better deal than previously projected and will more than pay...
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Thousands of Kentuckians face federal tax penalty for not having health insurance
“Thousands of Kentuckians might face a penalty this tax season for failing to sign up for health insurance during 2014,” Mary Meehan reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader. The state estimated...
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Economic upturn boosts share of Kentuckians on employer-based health coverage; health reform boosts number on public plans
Half of Kentucky’s working-age adults now get health insurance through their employers, up from 37 percent two years ago, reversing a downward trend that began with the Great Recession. Meanwhile,...
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Advocates of smoking ban, including victims of secondhand smoke, rally at Capitol
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. – Over 500 Smoke-Free Kentucky advocates spent Wednesday, Feb. 11, asking their lawmakers to pass a statewide smoking ban, wrapping up their day...
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Sponsor of local opt-out amendment says smoking-ban bill needs it to pass; sponsor and House leaders don’t care for it
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News UPDATE: The House didn’t vote on this amendment, but Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, says it or something like it would give the bill a...
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With 55 votes needed instead of the usual 51, it just got harder to pass a smoke-free workplace law in the House
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. – A bill to ban smoking in public places and places of employment will require the commitment of a supermajority to get...
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At least 14 counties had vaccination rates in 2011-12 below level experts say is needed to protect kindergartners from measles
As concern about the spread of measles from lack of vaccination grows, many Kentucky counties probably have vaccination rates below the minimum that experts say is needed to create “herd...
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Ten-county Lake Cumberland District Health Department is the latest to ask schools to foot more of the bill for school nurses
The Lake Cumberland District Health Department told school districts in its 10-county area in December that it would no longer be able to pay for nurses for each school, setting...
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Medicare to pay for CT scans of people at high risk of lung cancer
Medicare will now pay for low-dose CT scans for people at high risk of getting lung cancer, a change welcomed by officials in Kentucky, which leads the nation in lung...
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Anderson schools’ lunch profit is down nearly 10 percent; officials blame new federal nutrition standards; students object to food
Anderson County school officials say new federal nutrition standards are costing them money and hurting poor students because the students don’t like how the food tastes are opting out of...