Latest KFF Health News Stories
Critics have blasted the Trump administration, calling the policy a “death sentence” for the kids and other patients seeking care that would not be available to them in their home countries. “There is no national security justification for further traumatizing sick kids at their most vulnerable,” former Vice President Joe Biden said on Twitter. “Like all bullies, Trump is purposefully targeting the little guys.”
Just How Deep Are Sackler Family’s Pockets? With Offshore Financial Maneuverings It’s Hard To Tell
States and counties have come calling for money from the Sackler family, which ran Purdue Pharma during the birth of the opioid epidemic. The Associated Press investigates how family members have already siphoned away funds to try to protect them from potential federal and court judgments. In other news on the national drug epidemic: the proposed settlement with Purdue gets pushback, a look at how money would be divided between plaintiffs and more.
A new study that examined the DNA of nearly half a million men and women claims to dispel the notion that a single “gay gene” makes a person prone to same-sex behavior. The analysis found that although genetics are involved in who people choose to have sex with, there are no specific genetic predictors. The same day the study was published, the Broad Institute took the unusual step of posting essays by researchers who raised questions about the ethics, science and social implications of the project.
The Indian Health Service has been beset with a series of problems that have tripped up its efforts to provide proper care for its patients. There were no recommendations in the new inspector general report, but it was meant as a warning that the agency needs to make major strides toward improving.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said House Oversight and Reform Committee committee staff were barred from visiting 11 of the facilities only days after investigations found serious health threats to the detainees. Meanwhile, the CDC confirms that there have been nearly 900 cases of mumps at the detention facilities over the past year.
Kamala Harris Unveils Proposal To Expand Health Care Access For People With Disabilities
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) on Thursday released a wide-ranging plan, which ranges from health care to employment to disaster protections and makes her the only presidential candidate to have a proposal solely addressing the needs of Americans with disabilities. Meanwhile, advocates say 2020 candidates who tout “Medicare for All” could learn some lessons from Los Angeles County’s attempts to revolutionize health care.
President Donald Trump has mentioned that there should be facilities built to house mentally ill people, which he says would cut down on violent incidents like the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. But advocates say that plan is based on dangerous, out-dated thinking. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is hopeful about the possibility of getting the president’s support on background checks.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams and HHS Secretary Alex Azar said there might be some confusion about the health risks of marijuana as states loosen their rules against the drug. However, they warn the drug carries “more risk than ever.” The government will launch a public awareness campaign, especially directed at teenagers and pregnant women.
Health Officials Zeroing In On THC As Common Thread In Mysterious Vaping-Related Lung Diseases
Officials are narrowing the possible culprits to chemicals or additives in vaping products that use THC, the component in marijuana that makes users high, as well as adulterants in nicotine vaping products. In Wisconsin, nine out of 10 of the state’s vaping cases involved THC. Health officials have struggled to find the cause of the illness which has now spread to at least 29 states.
First Edition: August 30, 2019
NOTE TO READERS: KHN’s First Edition will not be published Sept. 2. Look for it again in your inbox Sept 3.
California Requires Suicide Prevention Phone Number On Student IDs
The new law, a response to escalating suicide rates among teens, is intended to ensure students know that immediate help is available if they need it.
They Got Estimates Before Surgery — And A Bill After That Was 50% More
Patients are often told to be smart consumers and shop around for health care before they use it. What happens when people actually take that advice?
Shopping At The Apotheke: Compare German Pharmacies With Your Corner Drugstore
Germany’s pharmacies provide insights into the country’s low drug prices and strict regulations. But they’re still businesses.
‘Locally Grown’ Insurance Companies Help Fortify Washington State Market
The individual insurance market in Washington is dominated by companies that do business only in the Pacific Northwest, and the state’s insurance commissioner credits them with helping keep premium rates lower than in other states.
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Connecticut, California, Louisiana, Iowa, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and District of Columbia.
Research Roundup: Plant Vs. Meat Diets; Cancer Treatments; And Title X Funding
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Instead of loading patients up with as much chemotherapy as a patient’s body can take, oncologist Dr. Robert Gatenby tried a different approach. In other public health news: women caretakers, red-light deaths, nature as a cure, tattoos and allergic reactions, and exercise.
The new study showed that when a woman gives birth by cesarean section, autism in the child is 33% more likely and the odds of ADHD increase by 17%. But experts say the truth is more nuanced than those startling numbers suggest, mostly because there could be a third factor at play that researchers didn’t take into account.
Pinterest Plans To Limit Vaccine-Related Search Results To Those Coming From Health Organizations
The company is the latest social media organization to take action against anti-vaccination information that spreads like wildfire through such sites. Meanwhile, officials say there’s a “reasonable chance” the country will lose its measles elimination status because of the recent outbreaks.