Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

VA Opts To Delay Training On New $10B Electronic Health Record System As First Site’s Deadline Draws Near

Morning Briefing

The VA said the planning with Cerner is “proceeding deliberately and thoughtfully to adhere to the project’s ten-year timeline, which calls for a rolling implementation schedule through 2027.” Other health technology news is on AdventHealth’s plans to switch from Cerner and privacy issues, as well.

Don’t Look At Wall Street To Get A Good Read On Scope Of Virus Threat

Morning Briefing

Stocks may be rallying, but investors are making assumptions that public health experts warn about. Meanwhile, most financial experts believe China faces a short but sharper economic shock than originally thought. And China warns against an overreaction from other countries in the form of trade restrictions.

Quarantined Cruise Ship A Textbook Example Of How Not To Handle A Crisis, Experts Say

Morning Briefing

The number of infected patients on the quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan continues to climb along with the frustration and anger of those on board. Other global news from the outbreak includes the release of about 200 American evacuees from quarantine, people in Georgia who are self-monitoring, a British “super spreader,” and more.

NIH Is Looking For A Drugmaker To Develop Its Potential COVID-19 Vaccine But No One Is Raising Their Hand

Morning Briefing

In the past drugmakers have stepped up during times of public crisis to take over the development of a drug, but that can also leave them burned in the end. “I don’t work for the companies, I’m not like a drug company fan,” said Ron Klain, who served as Ebola czar in the Obama administration. “But there’s no question that a lot of them lost a lot of money trying to produce an Ebola vaccine.”

China Reports Smallest Number Of New COVID-19 Cases Since January, But That Doesn’t Mean Virus Is Peaking

Morning Briefing

Experts say the coronavirus outbreak may be hitting its peak in the epicenter where the crisis started, but it will likely spread elsewhere. Meanwhile, medical experts are worried that because of false negatives on tests, the number of patients is being vastly under-recorded. Media outlets also take a look at the politics at play within China as leaders handle the outbreak.

Sanders Secures Win In New Hampshire, With Moderates Buttigieg And Klobuchar Hot On His Heels

Morning Briefing

Sen. Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire Democratic primary in part because of his support for a single-payer health system. But South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who both oppose “Medicare for All” in favor of a more moderate plan, finished second and third.

Conservative Indiana Adopted Needle Exchanges But Still Faces Local Resistance

KFF Health News Original

Indiana was ground zero for shifting ideas about needle exchanges after a small town had an HIV outbreak in 2015 brought on by needle-sharing. But even as other parts of the country start to embrace needle exchanges amid the ongoing opioid epidemic, the sites remain controversial in Indiana. Only nine of the state’s 92 counties have them, after a series of closures and reopenings.

When Your Doctor Is Also A Lobbyist: Inside The War Over Surprise Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

As lawmakers consider bills to protect patients against surprise medical bills, doctors have waged a stealth on-the-ground campaign to win over members of Congress. Here’s how they did it.

Insurers Try To Avoid Trump Administration Order By Taking Price Transparency Into Their Own Hands

Morning Briefing

The insurers are hoping that if they voluntarily provide more price transparency in the way they want to, they can convince the Trump administration to abandon its proposal that would force them into it. In other news from the health industry: middle-aged Americans worry about costs, how some patients are setting their own terms when it comes to surprise medical bills, and an update on the Theranos fraud case.

Instead Of Trying To Break Impossible Congressional Gridlock, Some Gun Violence Activists Start Thinking Local

Morning Briefing

Advocates are finding success in school board measures as well as simply talking to friends and neighbors about keeping their guns stored safely. Despite the high tensions that usually come with the issue, the movement is flying under the radar and making progress where others have been stymied.

‘Everyone Knows It’s Not About Women’s Rights’: Abortion Foes Warn ERA Passage Will End State Life Protections

Morning Briefing

As the House prepares to vote on removing the deadline for ratification, Politico examines a changing argument against the measure among conservatives. News on abortion issues is from Georgia and West Virginia, also.