Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Medicare For All’ Talk Likely To Be Center Stage At Dem Debate. But What About Other Health Topics?
While much of the health campaigning in the primaries has focused on how the different candidates will ensure health care coverage, there’s large swaths of the cost conversation that haven’t been touched — such as hospital spending, health care deserts and even decisions over drug development. Abortion, as well, has been one of the least talked about topics in the previous debates. Will that change at Tuesday night’s debate in Ohio when 12 Democratic presidential candidates take the stage?
First Edition: October 15, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Think ‘Medicare For All’ Is The Only Democratic Health Plan? Think Again
The Democratic presidential candidates have hit hard on health care, but generally the debates have centered on what kind of system candidates propose. The candidates’ ideas on many other issues, such as mental health and gun safety, have attracted much less attention.
California Governor’s Bill-Signing Marathon Offers Glimpse Of 2020 Issues
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off on an array of health care bills that will significantly affect the lives of Californians, including many college students, pregnant women, schoolchildren and dialysis patients.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care issues and others
Media outlets report on news from Oregon, Missouri, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, California, Iowa, Georgia and Hawaii.
In 1991, 5.9% of black teenagers reported attempting suicide, but in 2017, more than 10% of of black teenagers said they had. “It’s well documented that black youth access mental health treatment less,” said Michael Lindsey, author of the study. In other public health news: delivery company driving deaths, heart health, artificial intelligence, anxiety over flying, diabetes risk tests, and more.
The bill proposes that Medicare establish prices based on a price index on other nation’s sales. News on the industry looks at how Canada’s transparency on drug trials differs from the U.S., as well.
Nearly 60 rural Georgia hospitals must ensure their board members, CEOs and chief financial officers complete at least eight hours of classes by the end of next year or risk being fined and losing a valuable state tax credit. In other health industry and insurance news: dropped mergers, new partnerships, legal woes, DNA tests, surprise costs, and more.
Patients can choose to save money and find ways to gain new benefits by re-examining offerings from Medicare and Medicare Advantage, which are tweaked every year. News on the enrollment season is on how higher-rated plans influence decisions, as well.
Organ procurement before an investigation has long been legal, provided the coroner agrees. But a Los Angeles Times investigation finds dozens of cases where the coroner was left guessing at the cause of death because body parts were harvested early. As a result malpractice suits couldn’t be proven and even a murder charge had to be dropped.
Controversy Over Red Meat, Diet Soda Highlights Just How Complicated Nutrition Science Can Be
Does it ever feel like you get whiplash from all the latest nutrition guidance coming out? That’s because doing studies in this particular field is quite difficult when it comes to causation and correlation. “People like bumper sticker guidance,” said Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition at Harvard who has led studies tying meat to bad health. But nutrition doesn’t work like that.
Judge Robert Drain urged Purdue Pharma and the objecting states to take a break from court fights and talk about the advantages of standing down from suing the Sacklers, in exchange for cooperation from the family. Purdue called Drain’s order “an essential next step in preserving Purdue’s assets.”
Ten years after that warning, the FDA has not vetted the vast majority of vaping devices or flavored liquids for safety. Where did everything fall through the cracks? In other news on the vaping crisis: social media messaging, reported re-hospitalizations, a name for the mysterious vaping-related lung illness, state bans, and more.
The rule that has sparked fierce pushback would allow immigration officials to consider whether a person is using federal aid programs, such as Medicaid, when deciding on their green card eligibility. While three separate judges ruled against the policy, many expect it to eventually land in front of the Supreme Court.
Sharp Questions From Appeals Court Judges Cast Doubt On Future Of Medicaid Work Requirements
All three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had pointed questions from Trump administration lawyers during oral arguments on the legality of allowing states to add work requirements to their Medicaid programs.
A Decision On The Future Of The Health Law Is Poised To Drop Soon. This Is What’s On The Line.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals could deem the health law unconstitutional in its ruling in Texas v. Azar, a decision that could come as early as this month. Although the Affordable Care Act will remain the law of the land for a while no matter what the court decides, it could throw some things — like enrollment numbers — into flux. Meanwhile, a new study shows the impact the health law has had on patients with diabetes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) capped the end of a legislative session that focused heavily on health care policies with a rush of bill signings this weekend.
Warren Faces Increasing Pressure To Explain How She’d Pay For A ‘Medicare For All’ System
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) says that she supports rival candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) health care plan. But she also has faced criticism from members of her own party that she’s been “evasive” when it comes to paying for such a system. Other news on the elections looks at more candidates’ health plans, where the Democrats stand on gun control, and the pregnancy discrimination story that inspired women to speak out.
First Edition: October 14, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.