Latest KFF Health News Stories
On Campaign Trail, Joe Biden Highlights Nation’s Lack Of School Psychologists
School psychologists provide the first line of treatment for children with mental health issues. Quantifying the shortage depends on who’s counting.
¿Es legal que cancelen tu cobertura de salud sin previo aviso?
Como le ocurrió a ésta, muchas familias olvidan el pago de una prima y son removidas de sus planes de salud sin recibir un alerta previa o claras notificaciones.
Editorial pages focus on these health care topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Alaska, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Ohio, Florida, Arizona, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, North Carolina and Maryland
A law created in the 1970s to protect Native American children from being taken from their homes and given to white families is raising ethical and legal questions on its likely path to the Supreme Court. In other public health news: deadly falls in seniors, walking, climate change, food and sleep, and more.
News from state legislatures comes from Connecticut, Maine, Virginia, New Hampshire, Texas, Massachusetts and Florida.
The question of how long digital devices can help patients is one many digital startups want to answer. Results weren’t as strong as Year One’s of Virta’s five-year study, but don’t rush to judgement said Dr. Ethan Weiss, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. “They’re still doing really well,” he said. Other news on digital medicine looks at the creation of DiMe .
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan told reporters Friday that illegal crossings along the southwest border are overwhelming his department’s resources and that federal immigration authorities now have more than 80,000 people in custody, “a record level that is beyond sustainable capacity with current resources.” Meanwhile, Mark Morgan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, say the agency will step up deportation efforts.
Despite billions spent on research, Alzheimer’s remains a stubbornly prevalent disease with no effective prevention or treatment. But documents obtained by The Washington Post reveal a discovery by Pfizer researchers that its blockbuster arthritis drug may have potential against dementia. The company never shared the data, nor did it launch a trial to test the results.
How A Group Of Small-Town Locals In Colorado Banded Together To Successfully Fight High Premiums
Residents of Summit County, Colorado, were fed-up with high health care costs, so they formed an alliance that might actually lower their premiums 20 percent for next year. The Colorado Sun has their story. Other news from the health industry focuses on who will take a hit from automation in the industry.
The health hub format includes an employee with the title of “care concierge” who directs customers to health services such as a nutritionist or nurse practitioner. Other services include screenings for sleep apnea and opthalmology issues related to diabetes. In other news, CVS is facing the skeptical U.S. District Judge Richard Leon for a hearing over its deal with Aetna.
The ethical question received attention in recent months following the announcement that a Chinese scientist had gene-edited human embryos. A study this week found that the work he did would have a chance of shortening the twins’ life-span.
Veterans Are Warned That ‘A Few Hiccups’ Are Expected As VA Implements Expanded Privatized Care
The VA rolls out changes this week from the MISSION Act, which expands the number of veterans who qualify for private care that is eligible for reimbursement. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie promises that, while there might be some glitches, his team is ready for the challenges of implementing the expansion.
Media outlets report on congressional moves on issues as wide-ranging as community health centers and doctor training programs and pandemics.
Only three Republican delegates who supported Medicaid expansion will face challengers in upcoming primaries, despite a fierce campaign by a conservative group to oust them. Other Medicaid news comes out of Iowa and Wisconsin, as well.
Former CDC Chief Pleads Guilty To Disorderly Conduct Violation
The charge against Dr. Thomas Frieden stems from accusations that he grabbed an acquaintance’s buttocks in his Brooklyn home. The violation to which he pleaded guilty is not considered a crime. He did not admit guilt in the groping allegation.
There was little action expected out of a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing, but lawmakers debated recent abortion laws in both red and blue states.
Doctors From Missouri’s Last-Remaining Abortion Clinic Won’t Have To Testify At Trial, Judge Rules
On Saturday, the state served subpoenas to four doctors and physician trainees who worked at the Planned Parenthood clinic, compelling their testimony in court. In his ruling, Judge Michael Stelzer said because of the limited scope of the hearing the testimony of the four doctors would not be relevant to the issues before the court. The hearing starts this morning.
House’s ‘Medicare For All’ Plan Picks Up Its Highest-Ranking Democrat Yet
Assistant House Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) is the No. 4 House Democrat and a close ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “Despite the incredible progress we’ve made because of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, we continue to see Americans crushed by the health insurance industry, and health care remains a right that far too many New Mexicans and far too many Americans struggle to gain,” Luján said in support of the “Medicare for All” plan. Meanwhile, the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on the proposal next week.