Latest KFF Health News Stories
The overall numbers are grim — 72,000 Americans died from a fatal overdose last year. But deaths in some states that had already adjusted to the addition of more deadly, synthetic opioids to the drug supply overdoses are going down.
The beneficiaries have to log hours through other programs, so officials know that they’re meeting them and simply just not reporting them. Critics warned of this scenario before work requirements were instituted because, according to analysts, one in three Medicaid adults never use a computer or the internet and four in ten do not use email. Medicaid news comes out of Ohio, as well.
‘Deficiencies Persist’ In Government’s Treatment Of Migrant Children, Bipartisan Senate Report Finds
The report faults the government for not having a single agency that is taking responsibility for the safety of the children, which makes them vulnerable to abuse and human trafficking. Agencies fired back, saying that the report didn’t address congressional failures over the crisis. Meanwhile, a group of Democrats is demanding the government immediately reunite the children who are still in custody because of the zero tolerance policy with their families.
First Edition: August 16, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Shortage Of Insurance Fraud Cops Sparks Campaign Debate
About a quarter of fraud investigator positions at the state Department of Insurance are open, and Steve Poizner has made the vacancies a focus of his campaign for insurance commissioner. His opponent, Ricardo Lara, says chasing criminals isn’t the only solution to rising health care costs.
Energy-Hog Hospitals: When They Start Thinking Green, They See Green
Some hospitals have taken steps to be more energy-efficient. Though at times these changes barely represent rounding errors in their budgets, comprehensive efforts are beginning to make a difference.
Financial Ties That Bind: Studies Often Fall Short On Conflict-Of-Interest Disclosures
A new study in JAMA Surgery finds that a large sample of published medical research failed to disclose details on the financial relationships between medical device makers and physicians. Changes in the disclosure process could close this loop.
Editorial pages focus on these health topics and others.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, D.C., Ohio, California, Tennessee, Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona, Louisiana, Georgia, New Hampshire, Minnesota and North Dakota.
There’s Been Few Breakthroughs In Alzheimer’s Drugs In Decades. Where’s The Demand For Progress?
In other diseases, loud and outraged patient advocates have played a crucial role in getting experimental treatments and drugs to trial. When it comes to Alzheimer’s, though, experts say there isn’t that energy to push for a cure. In other public health news: cancer and elephants, brain injuries, female doctors, race, Ebola and tainted blood pressure meds.
From the sites of one of the top-ranked hospitals in the country to Harvard University, ProPublica finds errors and misleading information about preeclampsia, an extremely dangerous condition for pregnant women. ProPublica’s “Lost Mothers” series looks at why the country has such a high maternal mortality rate. In other news on women’s health: pregnancy prevention apps and abortion clinics.
New York Sues Purdue Pharma, Accuses Opioid Maker Of Widespread Fraud
New York joins dozens of other states suing the manufacturer of OxyContin. “The opioid epidemic was manufactured by unscrupulous distributors who developed a $400 billion industry pumping human misery into our communities,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) said.
Officials say it’s reducing the patients’ exposure to harmful overprescribing practices, but critics warn that it will cause people to seek out opioids by any means necessary. In other news on the epidemic: the dangers of overdose for postpartum women who have been addicted to opioids; a look at grieving families on the frontlines of the crisis; how the issue could be a winning topic for Democrats; and more.
In the midst of criticism that pharmacy benefits managers are not doing enough to drive down costs, CVS has announced that it will let its clients exclude from their formularies any new drugs that exceed the threshold of $100,000 per quality-of-life years.
Just Months Before Midterms, Oral Arguments Set In Case Trying To Strike Down Health Law
Democrats are likely to highlight the case as Republicans trying to eliminate popular provisions, like protections for preexisting conditions.
Oscar’s focus is on health plans and helping consumers pick out the right coverage for them. The company announced that the investment will help it expand into Medicare Advantage space in the coming years.
New Suit Claims Administration’s Approval Of Arkansas’ Medicaid Work Requirement Is Unconstitutional
The advocacy groups suing the Trump administration had previous success blocking Kentucky’s Medicaid work requirement in court. In June, Arkansas became the first state where Medicaid work requirements took effect.
First Edition: August 15, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.