Latest KFF Health News Stories
“The soda industry has deep pockets and used them to push the legislature into a no-win situation,” said California state Sen. Bill Monning (D). Arizona and Michigan have also capitulated to the industry, which is backing a ballot initiative in California that would make it more difficult to raise taxes.
“If this study is able to demonstrate that getting people who test for HIV enrolled in coverage when they test, it could improve their health generally no matter their HIV test result,” said Jeffrey Crowley, who served under President Barack Obama as director of the Office of National AIDS policy. In other public health news: LGBTQ youth and homelessness, the Goldwater Rule, the mysterious illness in diplomats, exercise and more.
Dirty Irrigation Canal Water Tied To Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak That Spread To 36 States
While unable to link the largest outbreak since 2006 to a single farm in the Arizona’s Yuma region, the Food and Drug Administration did find a genetic match to the bacteria in canals serving the area. The harvest season there has ended.
If You Live To 105, Your Chance Of Dying Actually Goes Down. But Getting There Is Tough.
A new study raises new questions about how long humans can live.
In other news on the pharmaceutical industry, Acceleron experimental blood disease drug hits goal, conflicts of interest of top policy expert often goes undisclosed, and pharmacies face a shortage of more effective shingles vaccine through 2018.
Justice Department Announces Hundreds Of Charges Related To Health Care Fraud, Opioid Epidemic
Not all of the cases were related to the opioid crisis, but the Justice Department emphasized the crackdown on people it says are contributing to the epidemic, including doctors running “pill mills.”
The State Department report also cautioned that the practice can cause lasting psychological harm and should only be used as a temporary, last resort.
Amazon’s $1B Purchase Of PillPack Offers Another Hint At Company’s Ambitious Health Care Plans
Amazon announced that it is buying PillPack, which sells pre-sorted packets of prescriptions drugs, delivering them to customers in their homes. The news seemed to be a confirmation of the worst fears of some in the industry — that Amazon is going to make an aggressive play for a chunk of the pharmacy business. But actually disrupting the health care industry will be a challenge.
Supreme Court Agrees To Take Up Case On Product Warnings Related To Osteoporosis Drug
The pharmaceutical industry has argued that once the Food and Drug Administration approves product labeling, a drugmaker cannot be sued in state court for failing to warn about risks.
All Eyes Are On Collins And Murkowski As Fate Of Roe V. Wade Hinges On Who Fills Kennedy’s Seat
Abortion rights advocates are uniting behind a rallying cry of: “Remember Susan Collins! Remember Lisa Murkowski!” The two senators have a history of supporting abortions rights, and will be pivotal in the vote on whomever President Donald Trump chooses to fill Anthony Kennedy’s seat. Meanwhile, without a filibuster option, Democrats are scrambling to figure out how to have a say, and anti-abortion rights activists plot their strategy.
Trump’s Next High Court Pick Likely To Target Abortion. Is That What The Public Wants?
Findings from a new poll build on other recent surveys to suggest that Americans might not want the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, but opinions vary when examined by party affiliation.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Top Policy Expert’s Ties To Giant Drugmaker Often Go Unstated
Dr. Mark McClellan joined Johnson & Johnson’s board of directors after leaving the FDA, but the connection often isn’t mentioned in research papers or public events.
Readers And Tweeters Let Loose Over Kids Being Detained At The Border — And More
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Father’s And Son’s Injuries Lead To The Mother Of All Therapy Bills
A father and son suffered serious hand injuries nine days apart. They both needed surgery and lots of follow-up occupational therapy to rehab their hands. But insurance paid for just a fraction of those OT bills, and the family owed more than $8,500.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Podcast Turns 1. Justice Kennedy Retires. Now What?
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss the possible impact of the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy on health issues. Also, in honor of our first anniversary, the panelists offer up their thoughts on the biggest health policy stories of the past year.
Research Roundup: TV Ads And The Individual Market; Differences In Obesity By Demographics
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Opinion writers look at these and other health topics.
Editorial pages focus on the pivotal role Justice Anthony Kennedy played in protecting abortion rights, what the future holds for Roe v. Wade and other health issues.
Longer Looks: The Court Without Kennedy; The Neuroscience Of Pain; And Medicaid Work Requirements
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.