Latest KFF Health News Stories
Unconventional Settlement Idea Eyed By Drugmakers Named In Massive Ohio Opioids Lawsuit
Endo International, Johnson & Johnson and other drugmakers are working on an unusual strategy to end or shrink one of largest, most complex cases in U.S. history, The Wall Street Journal reports. The plan involves enacting a global settlement that would be implemented through OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy case. Meanwhile, as the Ohio trial approaches, a manufacturer accuses that state of not doing enough to stop the opioid epidemic. And an Ohio county experiences a spike in fatal fentanyl overdoses.
HHS Redistributes $34M In Family Planning Funds No Longer Going To Planned Parenthood And Others
Planned Parenthood and some states gave up the funding this summer after the Trump administration began enforcing new rules that ban providers from referring women for abortion.
The program, initiated under the Affordable Care Act, is designed to reward top-performing health providers with bonuses while pushing those that do poorly to repay Medicare. In her announcement, Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said nearly 11 million Medicare beneficiaries are served by an accountable care organization. Other Medicare news includes the penalties hospitals face for having too many readmissions.
Collins was the largest investor and a member of the board of directors for Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian biotech company. He was charged with passing inside information on the company to his son Cameron and Stephen Zarsky, father of Cameron Collins’ fiancee.
Progressive Democrat Seeks Changes To Pelosi’s Plan To Curb Drug Costs
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) circulated a letter urging “necessary improvements.” In addition, the Pelosi plan could cause problems for the 340B program, a federal drug discount program designed to aid hospitals that serve poor people.
First Edition: October 1, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Skin-Lightening Cream Put A Woman Into A Coma. It Could Happen Again.
A Sacramento woman is in a coma after using a face cream from Mexico. It is the nation’s first case of methylmercury poisoning from a cosmetic, and public health officials can do almost nothing to prevent other contaminated cosmetics from hitting the shelves.
New Round of Medicare Readmission Penalties Hits 2,583 Hospitals
Starting today, Medicare is keeping half a billion dollars in payments from 83% of general hospitals for having too many patients come back.
Trastorno de atención: pediatras apoyan la medicación, pero otros la terapia primero
La prevalencia del TDAH se ha disparado en las últimas dos décadas, y ahora, 1 de cada 10 niños recibe este diagnóstico en el país. Hay controversia sobre qué terapia utilizar primero.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care issues and others.
Editorial pages focus on solving the rising cost of health care and maintaining quality.
Media outlets report on news from California, Tennessee, Georgia, Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas and New York.
Hospitals Gear Up To Press For Long-Term Fix For Congressional DSH Payment Delays
Other stories in the headlines includes a whistleblower claim regarding a Louisiana hospital; the latest from the Sutter anti-trust case in California; a letter of intent between the Cleveland Clinic and Sisters of Charity Health System; the restart of elective surgeries at LA County-USC Hospital; and a community health program at Boston Children’s.
In the latest in its series on nursing home conditions, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation of senior care facilities finds 600 cases of neglect, including many at upscale homes.
Health Care Deserts: Nearly 80 Percent Of Rural U.S. Designated As ‘Medically Underserved’
To report on the growing problem, The Washington Post spotlights communities in Texas — where 159 of the state’s 254 counties have no general surgeons, 121 have no medical specialists, and 35 have no doctors at all. More news on rural health conditions comes out of Minnesota and Oklahoma.
Therapy isn’t a solution for many of the African American women. Connecting with other mothers who have lost sons offers some comfort, says Tammy Riley: “They’ve been through it, they know exactly how you feel. You can relate the things you do to cope to the next person.” News on gun violence is on mental health and the use of deadly force among police, and a meeting between President Donald Trump and Wayne LaPierre, as well.
Unlike the U.S. where there’s an abundance of opioids, orthopedic doctors in Gambia don’t have the ability to medicate patients after painful surgeries. “I remember when I first turned up, I’d have to leave the ward when they were doing dressings because I couldn’t handle the screams,” says Dr. Kebba Marenah. Other news on opioids is on profits the Sackler family is making on sales of resorts in ski-areas hit by the epidemic.
Veterans, Active Duty Military Cite ‘Lack Of Service’ On Prescriptions From Pharmacy-Middleman
Since 2009, Express Scripts has held the exclusive right to serve as pharmacy benefit manager to 9.5 million active-duty troops and veterans as well as their dependents, who together received $7.7 billion worth of drugs in 2018. Other news on veterans’ health care is on dental care and a new health center in Manchester, N.H.
Pfizer Executive Chairman Ian Read To Retire At The End Of The Year
Albert Bourla, the company’s chief executive, will assume the post on Jan. 1. Also, a roundup of other recent developments from the drug industry.
About Those Nurses … National Union Critical Of UC Health Response To Concerns About Patient Safety
Outlets also report on on the various roles played by nurses and patient advocates in the delivery of care, as well as other news.