Latest KFF Health News Stories
FindTreatment.gov utilizes an obscure directory maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, but it adds user friendly tools like the ability to search based on treatment type. News on the opioid crisis comes out of Pennsylvania and Minnesota, as well.
Although the FDA doesn’t have to follow the guidance, the vote could call into question the use of the medication, which to this point has been viewed as standard treatment. Other pharmaceutical news looks at Alzheimer’s research, as well as a recall of a generic version of Xanax.
The actions of Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams — who had an investigator keep a spreadsheet tracking the periods of Planned Parenthood patients — was revealed at the trial over Missouri’s last-remaining abortion clinic. The Missouri House minority leader has called for an immediate investigation into whether patients’ privacy rights were breached.
The Alabama law, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in May, effectively outlaws abortion in the state and makes doctors who perform the procedure at any point during a pregnancy criminally liable, with a punishment of up to 99 years in prison.
The report from Georgetown University Center for Children and Families cited the confusion surrounding the Trump administration’s failed attempt to repeal the health law, the successful elimination of the law’s individual mandate, and a months-long delay in funding CHIP.
“You’re asking me to come up with an exact detailed plan of how every American — how much you’re going to pay more in taxes, how much I’m going to pay,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said. “I don’t think I have to do that right now.” 2020 rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has faced intense scrutiny over the same issue, and has promised to release a plan on how to pay for the changes.
First Edition: October 30, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
California Nursing Home Residents Told To Find New Homes
Dozens of frail nursing home residents have been informed by their Medi-Cal managed care plans that they are no longer eligible for long-term care. Some health care advocates and legal aid attorneys fear that such terminations will increase as the state implements mandatory managed care for nursing home residents.
‘Invincible’ Teen Vapers Face Fears, Ask For Help
Starting to vape is easy, but quitting a nicotine habit can be tough, teens are finding. Some vaping cessation programs have begun to reach out to teens where they live — on their phones.
California Fires Illuminate Trauma And Resilience
The chaos and evacuations prompted by wind-fueled wildfire in Sonoma County pose special challenges for people in need of ongoing medical treatment. Volunteer medical personnel have stepped up to provide care and a sense of stability.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Minnesota, Kansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio, Florida and Nebraska.
Planned Parenthood said the attempt to close the clinic is politically motivated. The hearings, which started Monday, continue for several days. News on abortion come out of Ohio also.
The system, the agency hopes, would encourage facilities to avoid quality missteps that can often lead to shortages. In other pharmaceutical news: drug pricing legislation, a vote on pre-term birth medication, immunotherapy drugs, and more.
Sharp Public Criticism Prompts Tennessee To Revise Medicaid Block Grant Plan
But state officials won’t release details of those changes until they’ve submitted the new plan to CMS. Medicaid news comes out of Florida and Arizona, as well.
Could CRISPR Technology Rise As A Hero In The Era Of Antibiotic Resistance?
CRISPR has been making waves with its success in fighting rare genetic diseases, but could it also help turn bacterium’s machinery against itself? In the era of superbugs, scientists are hopeful the technology can be a game-changer. Meanwhile, GSK has announced a late-stage study for its new antibiotic to fight urinary tract infections and gonorrhea.
Pediatricians More Likely To Ask About Smoke Alarm Safety Than Safe Storage Of Guns, Study Reports
Suicide rates among young people are rising and about 4.6 million of U.S. children live in households with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked, according to the study. Yet discussing gun safety is avoided by many pediatricians. Public health news is on opponents of assisted death, sugary drinks bans, tattoo risks, infant genome sequencing, social media and teens, eye tests for Alzheimer’s, childhood anxiety, seniors’ heavy duty flu shots, bedtime blood pressure meds, and more.
New Facebook Tool Encourages Preventive Health Screenings, Helps Consumers Track Decisions
But in the era where many are hesitant about Facebook’s privacy protections, the success of the new health tool might rely on how much the company can soothe those fears.
The Senate Democrats would need four Republicans to join them in the vote. But the move would put many Republicans on record voting in favor of chipping away health law protections–which became a winning issue for Democrats in the mid-terms. Meanwhile, as open enrollment nears, states look for ways to reach out to new consumers.
Success Of New TB Vaccine Sparks Hopes Of A Watershed Moment In Fight Against Disease
Although scientists remain cautious in their optimism, promising results suggest that the vaccine could save millions of lives.