Latest KFF Health News Stories
More than 3 million women experienced rape as their first sexual encounter, according to a new study, which surveyed women ages 18 to 44 in the U.S. For many who work in field of rape prevention, the number wasn’t surprising. “This study quantifies what we see . . . every day,” said Gina Scaramella, executive director of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
President Donald Trump met again with aides Monday to discuss proposals to address gun violence in an effort to create a plan, the details of which he’s been playing close to the vest. The White House expects to release the package of proposals this week. House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have been vocal this week about pressing the president to include the House-passed universal checks.
Connecticut To Eliminate Religious Exemptions For Vaccinations, Joining Handful Of Other States
Connecticut is one of 31 states that reported measles cases this year, part of the worst outbreak of the disease in the U.S. since 1992. Meanwhile, in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom defends his eleventh-hour changes to a controversial vaccination law.
Medical records have become a hot target for hackers looking for troves of data. ProPublica launched an investigation into just how easy the servers are to breach. Meanwhile, a San Diego couple is being charge with stealing trade secrets allegedly to use the information to market their biotech company.
The “public charge” rule makes it more likely that a legal immigrant who uses benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing assistance will be identified as a “public charge,” jeopardizing their potential to get a green card and become a U.S. citizen. The Trump administration policy has already drawn legal challenges from nearly 20 states.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state will pump $20 million into a public awareness campaign as well as crack down on sales of illicit products. While he says he lacks the authority to ban the products outright, Newsom said he would like to sign a bill if the legislature sends him one. Lawmakers were quick to agree. Meanwhile, a man in Tulare County, Calif. becomes the seventh confirmed fatality in the national vaping-related illness outbreak.
With Half The States In Opioid Case Opposed To Deal, Can Purdue Pharma Really Pull It Off?
And if so, where does that leave the Sackler family when it comes to bankruptcy protections? Many questions remain following news that Purdue Pharma had reached a tentative settlement agreement in the consolidated, nationwide opioid case. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs are fighting opioid companies’ efforts to disqualify the judge overseeing the trial.
House To Probe Private Equity Firms’ Stakes In The Debate Over Surprise Medical Bills
The House Energy and Commerce Committee wants three private equity firms that own physician staffing companies to answer questions about their role in surprise medical bills. Hospitals sometimes contract out the staffing of their emergency room or other departments to these physician staffing companies, who then can send massive bills to patients because the staffing company might not be in their insurance network even though the hospital as a whole is.
First Edition: September 17, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Obesity Stigma And Yo-Yo Dieting, Not BMI, Are Behind Chronic Health Conditions, Dietitian Claims
With nearly 72% of U.S. adults considered overweight or obese, the pressing question is: Is it possible to be overweight and healthy at the same time? The science falls short.
Longtime Crusader Against OxyContin Begins To See The Fruits Of Her Struggle
Barbara Van Rooyan lost her son to the drug 15 years ago and has fought ceaselessly since then to hold Purdue Pharma accountable for its role in the opioid crisis.
Proveedores de medicamentos en el mercado negro enfocan en inmigrantes
Inmigrantes, no sólo de países hispanos, sino de todo el mundo, y algunos no inmigrantes también, están comprando una amplia gama de medicamentos ilegales en todo el país,
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care issues and others.
Media outlets report on news fro Alaska, New Hampshire, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Virginia, Minnesota, Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Georgia, Ohio, Missouri, and Maryland.
The grocer, which has about 95,000 workers, said it is making the change “to better meet the needs of” its business.
The report comes as states and federal officials are scrambling to find ways to reduce Medicaid spending. Other Medicaid news comes out of Idaho and Nebraska, as well.
Other major cities have lowered the number of suicides in their police forces with aggressive mental health initiatives, including efforts to remove the stigma of seeking counseling by making therapists visible and readily available. But an uptick in suicides this year has shined a light on where the department is falling short when it comes to addressing its mental health crisis. In other mental health news: a 3-digit suicide line, suicides in prisons, and mental health care on college campuses.
As officials across the country try to pinpoint the cause of a lung illness outbreak linked to vaping, a look at a bust in Wisconsin shows just how sweeping the unregulated black market for the products is. Meanwhile, the outbreak highlights the dark underbelly of the rise in CBD oil’s popularity. More news on vaping looks at the Trump administration’s proposed ban on flavored e-cigarettes; movement in the states to crack down on vaping; and stories from the users themselves.
While peanut allergies are the leading cause of death from food-induced allergic reactions in the country, a lack of approved preventive treatments has left families desperate for some kind of hope. The drug’s goal is not to cure the allergy, but to reduce the risk that an accidental exposure to small amounts of peanut.
Cluster Of Autism Cases All Linked To Same Sperm Donor Could Provide Genetic Insight Into Diagnosis
Donor H898 was blond and blue-eyed, 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, and appeared to be smart and accomplished. Now it turns out that many of the kids conceived with his sperm have autism. Experts are intrigued by the genetic clues the cluster of cases could offer. In other public health news: gene-editing, hospital care, maternal mistreatment, lead levels in water, heart attacks in women, and more.