Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others.
Longer Looks: Dementia, Science In The Courts, Phages And More
Each week, KHN finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Opinion writers weigh in on issues pertaining to coronavirus.
Media outlets report on news from Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.
There are multiple reasons that only about 15% of patients receive drugs to help them overcome their addiction, but experts say a prominent one is rooted in outdated beliefs about treatment. “Medications are also rejected in part because they have been stigmatized as not being truly ‘clean’ or ‘trading one addiction for another,’ which is a false representation of the role of medications for opioid use disorder treatment,” said Dr. Michael Barnett, a researcher at the Harvard.
In A Season Featuring Two Waves Of Flu Strains, Vaccine Is Doing OK At Protecting Americans
The flu vaccine is particularly hard to get right, and overall average around 40%. The current seasonal flu vaccine protects about 45% of recipients.
Appeals Court Upholds Block On Mississippi Heartbeat Bill On Likely Path Toward Supreme Court
“The clinic contends it occurs at six weeks. Mississippi argues it can occur anywhere between six and twelve weeks,” the appeals court judges wrote. “But all agree that cardiac activity can be detected well before the fetus is viable. That dooms the law.” The legislation is one of several restrictive bills that have passed in recent years and is expected to make it to the Supreme Court. Other news on abortion comes out of Florida, Texas and Illinois.
The Indian Health Service says that it won’t release a report on the government officials who were responsible for a pediatrician who was charged with sexually abusing six boys on two reservations over his time at IHS. Legal experts are questioning the grounds from IHS’ decision, though. Other news on the administration focuses on EPA and “forever chemicals,” new visa rules for immigrants, and a lawsuit against the VA.
As Antibiotic-Resistant Era Looms, Artificial Intelligence Could Be The Answer To These Superbugs
Researchers have now used machine learning to identify a molecule that appears capable of countering some of the world’s most formidable pathogens. Structurally the molecule is different than existing antibiotics, but it was found to be effective in mice. Meanwhile, Gilead was dealt another blow in its patent fight with the U.S. over drugmaker’s HIV pill.
The new popularity of Medicare Advantage plans has grown without much public policy debate about the effects of large-scale privatization on patient health and on the costs to both the government and enrollees. Critics are worried about what that could mean for patients.
Police leaders say law enforcement is stuck in the middle between legal, tax-paying sellers and the competing illicit growers and sellers. Other news on marijuana looks at pros and cons of legalization, medical marijuana, and regulations on growing hemp.
The findings suggest a growing openness among employers to regulatory approaches for controlling healthcare costs, even though the business community traditionally favored market-based solutions. Other health industry news focuses on accountable care organizations, social determinants, and surprise medical bills.
“There is an epidemic of alcoholism and alcohol use disorder that I think is hiding behind the opioid crisis,” said Dr. Naga Chalasani, head of hepatology at Indiana University Health. More public health news reports on vaping research, sanitation, LBGTQ mental health, auto safety, fears of dementia, hope for cancer moms, and water bottle recalls, as well.
It would also save about 68,000 American lives a year. The research gives some weight to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) talking points on the 2020 campaign trail, but the study is also built on assumptions about human behavior and how the system would work in practice that others find fault with. Meanwhile, some say that the Democrats’ push for “Medicare for All” could hurt them in Minnesota, a traditionally blue state that has a number of medical-related jobs at stake.
Behind The Scenes: State Department And CDC Waged Battle Over Flying Americans With Coronavirus Home
The CDC didn’t want to fly the 14 cruise ship passengers who had tested positive for coronavirus home on the same flight as the other Americans. But the State Department won the argument. “It was like the worst nightmare,” said a senior U.S. official involved in the decision. “Quite frankly, the alternative could have been pulling grandma out in the pouring rain.” Meanwhile, disease fighters are walking back early criticism of the Wuhan quarantine, saying that it did indeed serve its purpose in buying the world time to prepare.
A number of factors may be working against men in the current epidemic, scientists say, including some that are biological, and some that are rooted in lifestyle. Meanwhile, experts say that the current coronavirus outbreak is just the latest sign that the the wildlife trade needs to be shut down. And a closer look at other Asian countries gives researchers hints about how the virus may spread.
“Strike a balance that is conducive to protecting lives,” urged James Liang, the executive chairman of Trip.com, China’s dominant online travel agency. Meanwhile, public health experts are losing faith in the accuracy of China’s coronavirus count as the method continues to change. In other news from China: the overstretched medical system, the coronavirus in prison, re-hospitalized patients, the politics of an outbreak, and more.
First Edition: February 21, 2020
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Stalked By The Fear That Dementia Is Stalking You
For those worried they have an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, testing is an option. But words to the wise: It’s hardly foolproof and could even backfire by heightening your fear of memory loss.
Trump’s Medicaid Chief Labels Medicaid ‘Mediocre.’ Is It?
This claim ‘wouldn’t pass muster’ in a first-year statistics class.