Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

After Coming Up Short On Funds For Cannabis-Themed-Resort, Firm Sells California City

Morning Briefing

Now, plans for the marijuana mecca are uncertain. American Green sold Nipton, once a booming mining town on the edge of the Mojave desert, to Delta International Oil & Gas, a company that’s previously focused on buying properties for exploratory drilling.

The Personal Health Toll Of Social Activism

Morning Briefing

Along with the long hours, constant confrontation and frequent heartbreak they experience, activists work for little or no pay and sometimes struggle for basic needs like food and shelter even as they push for societal change. In other news: HIV testing, strokes, hep C in baby boomers, ADHD, weight loss, and more.

Financial Burden Of Opioid Epidemic’s Smallest Victims Often Falling On Already Strained Hospitals

Morning Briefing

The typical cost in Illinois for a baby suffering from withdrawal is nearly $34,000 compared to just over $4,000 for a baby without it. In other news, a look at why Houston doesn’t want to become part of the suit that combines cases from all over the country against drugmakers; the American Dental Association releases new guidelines on opioids; and more.

‘We’ve Definitely Come To A Tipping Point’: States Scramble To Address Maternal Death Crisis

Morning Briefing

About 35 states have now established maternal mortality review committees or are in the process of doing so. Meanwhile, scientists and doctors are still trying to figure out the best guidelines for preventing sudden and unexpected infant deaths.

Democrats Ask Health Panel To Hold Hearing On Causes And Possible Solutions For Mass Shootings

Morning Briefing

The proposed hearing would include testimony from survivors of gun violence and those who have been affected by it, as well as experts on public health research. In other news, former Sen. Rick Santorum’s comments on CPR are criticized; New Jersey moves forward with a package of gun control bills; and a look at what Missouri does to protect its students.

Senator Blasts ‘Outrageous’ Drug Costs Following Report On Skyrocketing Prices

Morning Briefing

“Can you imagine if you went to an auto dealership and last year’s exact model was being sold at a 20 percent markup, and then you went back the next year and it had happened again?” said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

White House Dismisses Rumors About Trump Ousting Shulkin Amid Turmoil And Rebellion At The VA

Morning Briefing

Sources reported that President Donald Trump wants VA Secretary David Shulkin gone within the next week or two, but a White House spokesman said the secretary has the president’s confidence “at this point in time.”

When Deal-Making Duo Tackled Health Law, Many Hoped They’d Break Cycle Of Failure. Then It All Fell Apart.

Morning Briefing

Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), both known for their ability to craft bipartisan deals, have been working on health law stabilization measures for months. And then it turned sour. Politico looks at what happened. Meanwhile, Americans have ranked health care as one of their top concerns.

Without Context Or Cushion, Do Online Medical Results Make Sense?

KFF Health News Original

In some cases, information now available to people without talking to a doctor can be a source of confusion and alarm and the cause of more work for doctors because it comes without adequate guidance.

Tele-Monitoring Can Reduce Medical Appointments For Low-Risk Pregnancies

KFF Health News Original

In a program called OB Nest, Mayo has been using a telemedicine program in its obstetrics clinic in Rochester, Minn., that allows low-risk expectant mothers to forego some standard prenatal visits.

‘Peanut Butter Cup’ Vape: Is This Dessert Or An E-Cigarette Flavor?

KFF Health News Original

Research out Monday offers evidence that advertising for e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, which aren’t subject to the same restrictions that apply to the marketing traditional cigarettes, is stoking use among adolescents and young-adult smokers.

Debate Over Medicaid Rule Changes May Torpedo Mississippi’s Budget Talks

Morning Briefing

State House members have been seeking another opportunity for the state’s hospitals to bid on part of the Medicaid program’s managed care business, but the Senate is resisting that demand. Outlets report on Medicaid news out of Colorado, Texas and Maine, as well.