Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Virginia Senate Appears To Have Secured Enough Votes To End Stalemate, Pass Medicaid Expansion

Morning Briefing

Lawmakers are expected to meet Wednesday to take up the state budget plan, which includes expansion. The state has been entrenched in the debate over what to do with the program for years, with the topic most recently derailing negotiations over the budget.

Supreme Court Refuses Case On Arkansas Law Restricting Medication Abortions

Morning Briefing

The legislation requires providers of medication abortions to have contracts with doctors who have admitting privileges at a hospital in the state. The case will continue being litigated in the lower courts, but for now Arkansas is now the first state to essentially ban medication abortions.

‘They Deserve It’: In Foster Homes, Veterans Are Cared For Like Family

KFF Health News Original

With the motto “Where Heroes Meet Angels,” a small Veterans Affairs effort pairs vets in need of nursing home care with caregivers willing to share their homes. Medical foster homes save money, but it’s difficult to find enough spaces for all those who could benefit.

In Health Care Arena, The Prize For Calif. Insurance Commissioner Is A Bullhorn

KFF Health News Original

The California Department of Insurance, headed by the commissioner, regulates only a small fraction of the market. But the job comes with a bully pulpit that amplifies its impact. Three of the four candidates would use it to push for a statewide single-payer system.

N.H. Hospitals Await Governor’s Signature On Compromise Bill For Underpayments That Stretched Out For Years

Morning Briefing

“This will not cover all of the uncompensated care costs that hospitals incur in taking care of those patients, but it will certainly help to offset the loss they will incur providing those important services,” said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association.

Screening For Anxiety, Depression Cut Number Of Orthopedic Procedures Nearly In Half For One Doctor’s Practice

Morning Briefing

But the problem is that value-based purchasing hasn’t caught on in the behavioral health sector at nearly the same level as other medical specialties. Media outlets report on other cost and quality issues, such as paying for emergency room visits and a fight over dialysis.

Debate Over Bullying’s Link With School Shootings Re-Emerges After Santa Fe Incident

Morning Briefing

In many mass school-shooting cases in which the accused is a student, allegations have surfaced that the shooter was bullied. But whether there is a clear link between the two issues is the subject of contention.

What Is The Definition Of Death? Some Doctors Re-Evaluate After Recent High-Profile Cases Involving Brain Death

Morning Briefing

Legally, standards for determining brain death are largely left up to the medical community. But families have begun to challenge doctors’ determinations, leading to more questions around the murky topic. In other public health news: medical professionals and hand washing; Ebola; brain stimulation and diabetes; DNA testing; crowdfunding for scientific research; and much more.

When It Comes To Abortion, Both Sides Think They Have Upper Hand For The Midterms

Morning Briefing

Both anti-abortion and abortion rights groups are pouring money into campaigns for the 2018 midterms, which could prove to be a turning point for the divisive issue. In other women’s health news: hospital closures leave expectant mothers scrambling to find care; midwives mean healthier babies, so why aren’t they more common in the U.S.?; schizophrenia and unhealthy pregnancies; and untested rape kits.

‘We Have Heard The Message That Something Is Broken’: Following Gynecologist Scandal, USC President To Step Down

Morning Briefing

The decision followed a call from students, faculty and alumni for C. L. Max Nikias’ resignation after reports emerged that the university knew of allegations against campus gynecologist George Tyndall for years and failed to act on them.

Purdue Pharma Knew About And Concealed ‘Significant’ Abuse Of OxyContin In Drug’s Early Years, Report Shows

Morning Briefing

The drugmaker, under fire for its role in the opioid crisis, has maintained that it was unaware of the way its drug was being abused for years. But according to recently disclosed documents, that wasn’t the case. In other news on the epidemic: Philadelphia is working through the implications of closing its tent-camps; senators butt heads over an investigation into Teva; and more.