Latest KFF Health News Stories
More Than 800 To Be Laid Off As Humana Looks To Cut 2% Of Workforce By End Of Year
Humana spokeswoman Kate Marx stated the company began evaluating its “work and cost structure” this year but didn’t say where cuts will be made. Other news on the health industry and systems looks at: hospices, acquisitions, hospitals, new clinics, and more.
‘Deeply Troubled’: Democrats Express Dismay Over Trump’s Hesitation On Banning Flavored E-Cigs
Pressure mounts on HHS six weeks after it announced plans to restrict sales on all non-tobacco flavors. “With each day, more children continue to be lured to e-cigarettes by flavors such as fruit, candy, and mint or menthol,” Senate Democrats said in a letter to the administration. Other news on vaping is from Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Colorado.
Perspectives: The Elephant In The Room When It Comes To High Cancer Drug Costs Needs To Be Addressed
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Rock-Bottom Drug Prices For Older Generic Drugs Contribute To Worsening Shortages, FDA Says
A weekly round-up of stories related to pharmaceutical development and pricing.
Number Of Detained Children At Border In Last Year Surpasses Any Previous Record
“These are numbers that no immigration system in the world can handle, not even in this country,” Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection, told reporters. “And each month during the fiscal year, the numbers increased. You saw them. We all saw them.”
The National Weather Service office took the unusual step of labeling the fire weather conditions an “extreme red flag” warning to impart the severity of the situation. In other news on the wildfires: California’s disparities are put on display during disasters; a deepening skepticism emerges around PG&E’s power outage plan; parents worry about calming anxious children; and more.
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.