Latest KFF Health News Stories
The nursing homes cried foul at the red icon on the government’s database that allows consumers to compare the quality of the facilities they’re considering, saying it paints an unfair picture of the facility. But advocates say the icon is doing enough and is just catching the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to rampant abuse within the industry.
‘Please Just Let Me Out’: Children Locked Away In Isolation In Schools Across Illinois
A ProPublica and Chicago Tribune investigation reveals the extent to which schools use “quiet rooms” to put children in “isolated timeouts.” But advocates argue the practice, which isn’t broadly monitored, can cause trauma for the children — and they say there are better ways to deal with difficult behavior.
Gout Drugs As A Way To Help Heart Attack Survivors? Scientists Start Thinking Outside The Box
Nearly half of all U.S. adults have some type of cardiovascular disease, and scientists are turning to old drugs as well as novel concepts as they try to figure out a way to improve treatments. In other pharmaceutical news: Alkermes acquires Rodin Therapeutics and a drugmaker shuts out a family-run rival.
Native Americans Are More Likely To Have Trouble Accessing Water Than Any Other Group, Report Finds
Advocates said they knew anecdotally that water access is a massive problem for the tribes but when they went looking for data it didn’t exist. A new report lays out the full scope of the problem. In other environmental health news: asbestos cases, childhood cancer and shale gas drilling, a $9.4 billion chemical plant, and toxins in the water.
Executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Matthew Doherty wrote that the Trump administration “no longer wishes to have me” in the position. Doherty was appointed during the Obama administration.
Following reports that President Donald Trump has changed his mind on the flavor ban, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D., Ill.) wrote to the OMB and FDA to inquire into the status of the proposed regulation on flavors. Public advocates were also left disappointed. “If the Trump administration backs off for political reasons, it will create a public health crisis that we will live with for decades,” Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said. Meanwhile, California is joining the ranks of those suing Juul over its marketing.
Dr. Sean Conley, President Donald Trump’s physician, backed up the White House’s explanation that this weekend’s unplanned visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was a part of Trump’s annual physical. But the statement hasn’t squelched the speculation — or stop the topic from becoming fodder for late-night comedians and political rivals alike.
After his primary victory, California Gov. Gavin Newsom admitted that single-payer is a hard reality to achieve. Now that he’s in office, though, he has had some success inching the needle forward. As 2020 Democratic candidates make similar big promises on health care, can they look to him for when they need to turn a political slogan into policy? Meanwhile, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s plan to gradually ease country into “Medicare for All” has once again all but guaranteed the topic will come up in the debate on Wednesday.
First Edition: November 19, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
For Newborns With Hearing Loss, Screening Opens Window To A World Of Sound
Most infants in the United States have a hearing screening in their first few days of life. Twenty years ago, before universal newborn screening, many kids missed out on early intervention services that help children with hearing loss access sound and develop spoken language.
The Startlingly High Cost Of The ‘Free’ Flu Shot
Although many consumers pay nothing out of pocket for flu shots, insurers foot the bill. And those prices vary dramatically.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland and Texas.
Editorial pages focus on these public health issues.
Despite Warnings About Health Risks Of Youth Tackle Football, New Leagues Emerge In Texas Town
A coach reassured trustees in Marshall, Texas that new concussion protocols and rules have made the game safer. The school dropped the programs several years ago. Public health news is on faces behind anti-vaccine ads on Facebook, mental health in solitary confinement, cancer treatment risks, cures for dwarfism, dementia controls, images of love and disease, aging bladders, China’s recruiting of scientists, teens charged with adult crimes, alternatives to knee surgery, and more.
In This World Nothing Can Be Said To Be Certain Except Death, Taxes … And Health Care Costs Going Up
The National Business Group on Health’s CEO Brian Marcotte talks about the current health care landscape and where it’s headed in the future. In other health industry news: the Blues team up, a hospital system settles allegations of ADA violations, and more.
As more immigrants linger in jails than ever before in U.S. history, deportations lag far behind the former administration, despite President Donald Trump’s promise to deport “millions.” News on the border crisis is on mental health issues, as well.
Drug Therapy Alone May Save Lives As Effectively As Stents, Major Bypass Surgeries
This is far from the first study to suggest that stents and bypass are overused, but previous research was criticized for not adequately controlling for risk factors. With its size and rigorous design, this new study aims to settle questions about the benefits of stents and bypass.
But health care skeptics warn that robotic and other upgrades in the $2.1B facility will accelerate the rise of costs over time that would be passed down to patients. Health technology news is on a cost-cutting effort in Utah that pays off and privacy issues, as well
Sanders, Booker Propose Creating A New Bureau Dedicated To Keeping Drug Prices In Check
Under the bill proposed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), drugmakers bringing a new product to market would have to submit to this new agency the cost of research and development, the cost of the drug and of comparable medications in other countries and the federal investments that contributed to the drug’s discovery and production.