Latest KFF Health News Stories
Study Eases Fears That Capping Hours For Doctors In Training Has Ill-Effect On Patients
Physicians who trained before the 2003 limits on work hours typically logged about 100 hours a week. When that was capped at 80 hours a week, some worried it wouldn’t be enough to properly train the doctors. But a new study finds that there were no difference in hospital deaths, readmissions or costs from the change.
Fierce Opposition From Hospitals Leaves California Surprise Medical Bill Legislation On Life Support
“We are going after a practice that has generated billions of dollars for hospitals, so this is high-level,” said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). “This certainly does not mean we’re done.” Chiu said he and his team would keep working on amendments to the bill that address the concerns of hospitals while maintaining protections for patients.
Actor Victor Garber–who has type 1 diabetes–as well as a sea of children turned up at the Senate hearing to beseech lawmakers to renew funding for research on the disease.
The three-year program, dubbed the Connected Care Pilot, would support a limited number of projects, focusing on pilots that help providers “defray” the broadband costs of bringing telemedicine to low-income Americans and veterans.
Family Races Against Ticking Clock To Get Coverage Approval For $2.1M Gene Therapy
A pricey treatment offered hope to a family with a daughter with a rare defective gene that causes spinal muscular atrophy. The therapy must be administered before the age of 2, but the family is locked in a fight with its insurance company over coverage. In other pharmaceutical news: the use of PrEP in the fight against AIDS, Massachusetts’ governor’s drug plan, clinical trial data, and more.
As conservative states move to put more and more abortion restrictions in place, the national trend is moving toward supporting the procedure as it stands. Meanwhile, lawmakers and advocates start reaching out to men to help join the fight.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The new shelter in Carrizo Springs, Texas opens following a fierce outcry over the quality of the facilities where detainees were held. But for some critics, the damage is bigger than just one building. “All of this is part of a morally bankrupt system,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas).
Border arrests are a metric used widely to estimate the number of illegal border crossings. Officials attribute the drop in part to Mexico’s efforts to large groups of people moving through the country. Meanwhile, nationwide raids by ICE are set to start this weekend.
Biden Calling ACA A ‘Breakthrough’ For Mental Health Parity Only Highlights Gaps
Did the Affordable Care Act create equal coverage of mental and physical health? Seems true on paper but not always in practice.
The study is observational and does not claim that drinking sugary drinks causes cancer. But after controlling for known variables, French researchers did find an association. The study is one of the first to find a connection between sweet drinks and cancer.
The wide-ranging executive order includes proposals to increase accessibility for at-home treatments, encourage kidney donations to address shortages, launch a public awareness campaign, develop artificial kidneys and more. President Donald Trump touted the plan as a “a first, second and third step” toward improving kidney care for Americans.
Yazmin Juarez, a mother whose toddler died weeks after they were released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in 2018, spoke of the girl’s death to the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at a hearing called “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border.” “Mariee was a healthy baby girl when she was taken into ICE custody. But 20 days later, she left with a life-threatening infection,” Juarez said. “The people who run these facilities are supposed to take care of these children – little angels who have done nothing wrong.”
Using Obamacare Authority, Trump Aims To Shift Dialysis Care To Patients’ Homes
Only about 12% of dialysis patients get their treatment at home and the initiative aims to dramatically increase that number and move patients out of costly dialysis centers. It would also add provisions to boost the annual number of kidneys available for transplants.
Medicare Going In ‘Right Direction’ On Opioid Epidemic
A new report by the inspector general for HHS shows prescriptions to treat opioid addiction are way up in recent years, while prescriptions for the painkillers have fallen.
Cómo tener una receta más barata antes de salir del consultorio
Una herramienta permite que los médicos informen a sus pacientes sobre los costos de los medicamentos, en base a sus planes de salud. E incluso pueden ofrecerles opciones más baratas.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Editorial pages focus on these health care issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Washington, Alaska, California, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Colorado, District of Columbia and Florida.
Membership-Based Primary Care Model Gets Boost As Advocate Aurora Expands System In Chicago Area
The model works by patients paying a certain amount annually for access to the physicians. Other health industry news focuses on acquisitions.