Latest KFF Health News Stories
Perspectives: Drug Companies Placing Higher Priority On Profits Than The Lives They Could Be Saving
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
NIH Needs To Look At Price Tags Of Drugs Created Using Taxpayer Money, Advocates Say
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from California, Missouri, New Jersey, Florida, Oregon, Texas, Michigan, Washington, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
Scientists Can Diagnose Diseases Just On People’s Behavior While Searching Internet
Markers such as repeated search inquires, scrolling velocity and tremors while using the mouse helped researchers identify patients with Parkinson’s. The study is part of a larger movement to use artificial intelligence to track symptoms in people’s normal, daily life. In other public health news: CAR-T therapy, doctors and airplanes, medical device oversight, paint strippers, and more.
Ebola Outbreak Still Not Contained, But Health Officials ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Vaccine
Meanwhile, various groups are maneuvering to introduce other experimental drugs during the deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite warnings from scientists because several have only been tested on animals.
Community Workers Strive To Keep Former Inmates Out Of Prison By Focusing On Their Health Needs
“We’ve always known incarceration is bad for health,” said Leah G. Pope, director of the substance use and mental health program at the Vera Institute of Justice, a research and advocacy group. “But in an age of increasing attention to justice reform and health care reform, the two are increasingly connected.”
Hurricane Maria’s Death Toll In Puerto Rico 70 Times Higher Than Official Government Estimate: Study
The devastating storm claimed 4,645 lives, according to a new study published in The New England Journal Of Medicine. The government’s estimate of 64 deaths was a dramatic undercount, said the researchers, who based their figures on a significantly higher death rate during the three months after the hurricane than in the previous year.
LAPD Asks For Patients To Come Forward As It Launches Sweeping Investigation Of USC Gynecologist
The Los Angeles police are already working with more than 50 women so far, but whether Dr. George Tyndall faces sexual abuse charges depends on if complaints about creepy comments, improper photos in the exam room and uncomfortable probing went beyond dubious doctoring and into the criminal realm. Tyndall, as a gynecologist, could argue his treatments were within the scope of his medical expertise.
Allergan Birth Control Packs Recalled Because Placebo Pills Were Placed Out Of Order
The mistake places users at a higher risk for unintended pregnancies.
WellCare Joins In Health Industry Merger Trend With $2.5B Deal To Acquire Meridian
The move is just the latest in an industry seeking to survive through consolidation and deals with other insurers, ambulatory care providers and pharmacy benefit managers.
States Need To Set Up Reinsurance Programs To Help Stabilize Marketplace, AHIP Urges
America’s Health Insurance Plans, a group that represents insurers, cited an Avalere analysis that found reinsurance could lower premiums by 4 percent to 12 percent depending on the design of the program and available funding. The trade association also advocated for Congress killing a much-hated health insurance tax.
Virginia Senate Appears To Have Secured Enough Votes To End Stalemate, Pass Medicaid Expansion
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.
Judge John Coughenour in Washington state, a Reagan appointee, was the fourth federal judge to rule against the Trump administration move to prematurely cut off funding for programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancy.
Supreme Court Refuses Case On Arkansas Law Restricting Medication Abortions
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.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Looking For Lower Medicare Drug Costs? Ask Your Pharmacist For The Cash Price.
Sometimes a drug plan’s copayment is higher than the cash price, and under a little-known federal rule, pharmacists have to tell Medicare beneficiaries that — but only if they ask.
‘They Deserve It’: In Foster Homes, Veterans Are Cared For Like Family
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
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.
Bebes prematuros: cámaras mantienen a la familia cerca, y a los gérmenes lejos
Las cámaras en las NICU ayudan a los padres a estar cerca de sus bebés en todo momento, y minimizan la posibilidad de infecciones.
Perspectives: Trump’s Anti-Abortion Policies Aside, He’s Not Really A Pro-Lifer
Opinion writers express views on President Donald Trump’s recent announcements about withholding funds for organizations that perform abortions or make referrals.