Latest KFF Health News Stories
“At this point, 127 staff employees and 71 student employees have been sent home under quarantine orders,” the university said in an emailed statement on Thursday evening.
Patents Taking A Leading Role In War Against High Drug Prices
There’s been more and more scrutiny over how pharma companies use patents to find loopholes in anti-competition laws. Now Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is going after a practice where companies make minor formula adjustments to prevent generic substitutions. In other pharmaceutical news: more kickback settlements, pharma-funded charities, first-quarter profits, copays and more.
As Myths About Fatherhood In Old-Age Are Debunked, Men Are Beginning To Freeze Their Sperm
It used to be thought that people could father healthy children into their 70s and 80s, but that’s no longer accepted as the case. Now companies are swooping in to capitalize on those fears. In other public health news: food poisoning, stress, cancer, cavities, psychedelics, and more.
FBI Raids Office, Homes Of Baltimore Mayor Amid ‘Healthy Holly’ Book Scandal
After the Thursday raids, pressure mounted for Mayor Catherine Pugh to resign as an investigation continues into her business relationship with a health care system that has financial ties to the city. She’s denied wrongdoing.
USC Medical Program Is Stripped Of National Accreditation Following Sexual Assault Scandal
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education gave no reason for its decision. USC’s medical school dean, Dr. Laura Mosqueda, said the decision was based on concerns about “resident safety and wellness processes.” The school and county were sued in 2017 by a former resident, alleging she was groped by a fellow in the program and that the incident was never properly investigated. Two other women later came forward with similar assault allegations.
Experts say that the market fluctuations aren’t going anywhere any time soon. In other health industry news: executives’ pay, refinancing, the dental care industry, and more.
EPA Significantly Weakens Proposal For Cleaning Up Groundwater Pollution Caused By Toxic Chemicals
The proposed guidelines that deal with cleaning up toxic chemicals in water could have the largest effect on the Defense Department. The Pentagon has used PFAS-related chemicals extensively as a firefighting tool, and it has confirmed the release or the possible release of the chemicals at 401 locations nationwide, in some cases contaminating known drinking water supplies.
861,000 Fewer Children Were Covered By Medicaid In 2018, Report Finds
While Trump administration officials say that employment gains play a large role, others attribute the declines to onerous state eligibility redetermination processes and cuts in funding for enrollment education and outreach.
Nationwide Injunction Issued Against Trump’s Policy Change On Family Planning Funding
Judge Stanley A. Bastian of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington state said in his order that the rule would cause family planning clinics “to face a Hobson’s choice that harms patients as well as the providers.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden formally confirmed speculation that he would be entering the 2020 race. He hasn’t yet spoken out about “Medicare for All,” but many are left wondering which path he’ll take–go with the progressives or stick to the legislation he famously called a big deal? Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office will release a new report on single-payer health care next week.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Newsom: California Leads On Prescription Drugs
California Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that his state is “leading the nation in holding drug companies accountable and fighting prescription drug prices.” Is that really the case?
Hospitals Chafe Under Medicare’s New Payment Rule For Off-Campus Clinics
Under the rule that took effect this year, Medicare will lower payments for clinic visits performed at hospital-owned facilities to a rate that is equivalent to what it pays an independent doctor. Federal officials expect the move will save the government $380 million this year.
Klobuchar Wants To Stop ‘Pay-For-Delay’ Deals That Keep Drug Prices High
It’s as shady as it sounds.
Patients Caught In Middle Of Fight Between Health Care Behemoths
A legal battle in Pennsylvania is testing the boundaries of health care competition and government action to oversee and regulate it.
Editorial pages focus on these health topics and others.
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from California, Louisiana, Florida, Minnesota, Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Oregon, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Iowa and Kansas.
Still, analysts at J.P. Morgan wrote in a note that “the modest ‘noise’ in the numbers pales in comparison to the political risk that has been discounted into the stock” so far this year. Other industry news focuses on Athenahealth and Humana.
Majorities in both parties also want the government to act on high drug prices as well, a new tracking poll finds. The poll also shows that the Trump administration is out of sync with Americans when it comes to overturning the health law. Just slightly more than one-fourth of the public overall say that Congress should repeal the ACA.