Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Milwaukee Adopts ‘Cure Violence’ Program In Effort To Help Break Cycle Of Shootings, But It Has Its Critics

Morning Briefing

The program works on the idea that violence spreads like an epidemic and trains trusted community insiders, some of whom have criminal backgrounds, to anticipate where violence might occur and intervene before it erupts. In other news, outlets from Texas and Massachusetts report on the intersection of violence and mental health.

Hospitals Fight CMS Rule That Would Cut Disproportionate-Share Hospital Funds

Morning Briefing

DSH funds are intended to support hospitals’ uncompensated-care costs, helping facilities that serve large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients. A final rule released Monday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandates cuts to that money beginning in fiscal 2020. Other hospital and health system news is reported on Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Trinity Health, and value-based pay.

Novartis Pledges New Integrity Efforts In Letter To FDA Detailing Manipulation Of Data On New Drug

Morning Briefing

Novartis and the Food and Drug Administration disclosed in August they had identified data manipulation in testing of a gene-therapy treatment, but the FDA is probing why Novartis didn’t disclose the manipulation when it first became aware of it earlier. The company says its probe was hindered by two employees, who were later fired. Also, Novartis announced that it is expanding its recall of a heartburn drug to the U.S.

Federal Officials Weigh Curbs On ‘Made To Order’ DNA Experiments

Morning Briefing

Making genes from scratch used to be laborious and time consuming, but not anymore, NPR reports. So federal officials are considering measures to prevent these methods from being used to create dangerous viruses or bioweapons.

Verma: Danger Is Afoot For The Health Insurance Industry

Morning Briefing

Speaking at the Association of Health Insurance Plans national conference, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator said insurers need to adapt to the changing political landscape. “There’s a growing chorus to eliminate your industry entirely,” Verma warned.

CBO Estimates Hefty Price Tag For Surprise Medical Bill Solution Favored By Doctor, Hospital Groups

Morning Briefing

The Congressional Budget Office analysis could undermine efforts by these groups to fight surprise billing legislation pending in Congress. That legislation, which use an approach not favored by doctors to calculate provider payment rates, would both save more than $20 billion over 10 years, the CBO has found.

Bernie’s Answer On Paying For Medicare For All? Tax The Very Rich

Morning Briefing

A tax rate of 1% of net worth would begin at $32 million and rise with accumulated wealth, topping out at 8% at $10 billion and over.

Sanders’ Democratic presidential campaign said the tax would raise $4.35 trillion over a decade and would be used to fund “Medicare for All”, along with his plans for affordable housing and universal childcare.

EPA, Complaining About Calif. Air Quality, Threatens To Withhold Billions In Transportation Funds

Morning Briefing

The Trump administration has been critical of California’s environmental regulations recently. Last week the administration said it will revoke a waiver that allows California to set stricter car emission standards.

States Take Vaping Action: California Warns Users To Quit; Massachusetts Orders Temporary Sales Ban

Morning Briefing

As the growing number of lung injury cases tied to vaping continues to climb, state public health officials take steps to fight the trend. “Californians are encouraged to stop vaping until health officials fully understand what’s causing this public health crisis,” said Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom. After declaring a public health emergency, Massachusetts announces a vaping product ban that goes further than any other state with a four-month prohibition on all sales. Meanwhile, a case in Kansas brings the U.S. death toll to nine people.

Trump Administration Joins Other Countries At U.N. In Efforts To Curb Abortions

Morning Briefing

U.S. officials call on other countries to acknowledge there is no “international right to abortion.” Other articles on administration news look at the points made in a court case about the decision to withhold federal family planning funds from Planned Parenthood and some other groups, changes in food stamp and free school lunch program eligibility, warnings to lawyers about recruiting patients in drug claim cases and pushing members of Congress from office spaces in VA hospitals.

CDC Warns Lawmakers That Cases Of Vaping-Related Illnesses Will Only Increase

Morning Briefing

A House Oversight and Reform Committee panel held a hearing on how to address the crisis of respiratory injuries related to vaping. “We are seeing more and more cases each day and I expect the next weekly numbers will be much higher,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified. The proceedings took a partisan turn at times.

Meet The Health Officials Who Alerted The World To The Alarming Vaping Illness

KFF Health News Original

Without the teamwork, communication and quick action of several veteran health officials in Wisconsin, the world might not know about the vaping illness the U.S. is battling today. This is their story.

College Won’t Be Fun If You’re Not Healthy. Take This Advice About Health Insurance.

KFF Health News Original

As you enter college this fall, health insurance may not be at the top of your mind. But it’s important to have coverage if you have a chronic condition or if something unexpected happens. Luckily, college students have several options.

5 Takeaways From Court Arguments On Trump’s New Abortion Referral Rule

KFF Health News Original

The legal fight over the Trump administration’s new rule barring health clinics that receive federal family planning grants from referring women for abortion services played out before a divided federal appeals court Monday. Here are key takeaways.