Latest KFF Health News Stories
Some Doctors, Patients Balk At Medicare’s ‘Flat Fee’ Payment Proposal
The Trump administration says its plan to overhaul the way Medicare pays doctors will save physicians time and paperwork. But critics worry the changes will hurt patients’ care and doctors’ income.
Missed Visits, Uncontrolled Pain And Fraud: Report Says Hospice Lacks Oversight
A new government watchdog report outlines vulnerabilities in Medicare’s $17 billion hospice program, pointing to inadequate services, inappropriate billing and outright fraud.
Viewpoints: Lessons On The Opioid Epidemic, Caesarean Risks
Opinion writers express views on these and other health topics.
Editorial pages focus on these and other health care cost issues.
Media outlets report on news from Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Colorado, California, Tennessee and Iowa.
While two-thirds of the voters support the proposal, the Mormon Church leaders joined a group of doctors to say the initiative “would compromise the health and safety of Utah communities.” News on marijuana comes from Washington, D.C. and Florida, also.
“There was this leap to opioids, either in perception of patient expectations or to meet patient expectations,” said a leader of the study, Kit Delgado of the University of Pennsylvania.
For some, the trial cemented the idea of a link between brain plaques and mental fortitude. But for others, there were enough confusing details in the study to undercut any findings.
While poverty and inadequate access to health care explain part of the racial disparity in maternal deaths, research has shown that the quality of care at hospitals where black women deliver plays a significant role as well. Meanwhile, states looking to improve their maternal deaths rates might want to look at California as a model.
An advocate group is running trials in states to try to prove that allowing women to take the pill at home is safe — under a virtual doctor’s supervision. The group hopes the FDA could eventually loosen restrictions to allow women to take pills mailed to them after the consult. News on abortions comes out of Oregon, Louisiana and Maryland, as well.
Work Requirements Hit The Political Sweet Spot To Allow Red States To Expand Medicaid Programs
Republicans were able to sell the plan to their base and Democrats were appeased by the idea of having more people get coverage. Medicaid news comes out of Arizona and Texas as well.
Politico talked to staffers inside HHS who say reports issued by the agency are so far off widely accepted belief that they’re being mocked and rated as false by independent watchdogs. “It’s just another example of how we’re moving to a post-fact era,” said one.
The Trump administration had worked up to its plan to separate immigrant children at the border, but HHS and DHS had to quickly develop a new one when President Donald Trump abruptly reversed course.
The Possible Price Tag For ‘Medicare For All’: $32.6 Trillion Over 10 Years
A libertarian-leaning policy center ran the numbers for the plan that is gaining momentum with liberal candidates stumping for midterms. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) fired back that the report was grossly misleading. “If every major country on earth can guarantee health care to all, and achieve better health outcomes, while spending substantially less per capita than we do, it is absurd for anyone to suggest that the United States cannot do the same,” he said.
The changes from the newly approved Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie would sideline much of agency’s interim leadership team under acting secretary Peter O’Rourke, who drew unfavorable reviews from lawmakers in both political parties following a dispute with the agency’s inspector general.
The Latest Culprit In The High Drug Price Blame-Game: The Pharmaceutical Rebate
The drug rebate is similar to any other rebate on a product you’re buying — but instead of you getting to keep the money, it’s the insurer or employers who usually reap the benefit. There’s been a lot of movement lately, both from the pharma industry and the White House to eliminate the system. Meanwhile, Democrats are eyeing an unusual ally in their fight to let Medicare negotiate drug prices.
The idea of syncing up the administration of drugs with the body’s circadian rhythms has been relegated to fringe science, but that could be changing. In other public health news: eating disorders, vocal pitch, Ebola, skin infections, dehydration and more.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Medicare Reconsiders Paying For Seniors’ Spine Operations At Surgery Centers
After a USA Today Network-Kaiser Health News investigation, Medicare announced last week that it is re-evaluating whether these procedures “pose a significant safety risk” to patients.
Mining A New Data Set To Pinpoint Critical Staffing Issues In Skilled Nursing Facilities
Low staffing is a root cause of many injuries in nursing homes. Kaiser Health News senior correspondent Jordan Rau explains how he connected the dots between manpower and risk at facilities nationwide, using a federal tool known as the Payroll-Based Journal.