Latest KFF Health News Stories
More Than 400K Deaths A Year Can Be Attributed To Lead Poisoning
A new study highlights the dangers of lead beyond its effect on IQ. In other public health news: cancer, nausea and students with disabilities.
Hospitals Remain Quiet On Gun Control Debate In Contrast To Others In Medical Community
While many in the health industry are speaking out in favor of gun control, major hospital groups have avoided taking a firm stance in the debate, instead focusing on public health awareness in general.
When he was first diagnosed with the disease, Stephen Hawking was given two years to live. He went on to become one of the world’s most well-known scientists.
Large Majority Of Shareholders Support Plan For CVS To Purchase Aetna
Federal regulators still have to approve the deal between the nation’s largest pharmacy and the third-largest health insurer.
Why Aren’t Americans Getting Good Bang For Their Buck On Health Care? Blame High Salaries And Prices
A new study looks at why Americans are spending twice as much as other high-income countries on health care. And debunked some common myths along the way.
The White House advisory group suggested that pricing frameworks are needed for deciding the value of cancer medicines, a step that is already taken in many other countries.
Lawmakers May Scale Back Medicare Drug Changes In Spending Bill In A Win For Pharma Lobbyists
The original provision shifted a chunk of Medicare drug costs onto drugmakers and away from insurers’ responsibility.
House Fails To Pass Right-To-Try Bill In Surprising Defeat To Trump, Conservatives’ Agenda
The legislation, which critics said gave patients false hope, needed a two-thirds majority to pass. The House can still work on the Senate’s version, which would only require a simple majority vote, if lawmakers want to move forward with a bill.
Following Weeks Of Infighting And Scandal At VA, Trump Mulls Ousting Embattled Secretary
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, following a travel scandal, spoke about rousting political foes in the agency who he said were trying to undermine him. As President Donald Trump takes other steps to re-align his cabinet, Shulkin may be the next to go.
After Trying Nearly Everything Else To Protect Drug Profits, Pharma Tries Actually Cutting Prices
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opioid Maker Funds Efforts To Fight Addiction: Is It ‘Blood Money’ Or Charity?
Purdue Pharma, whose signature product helped fuel the opioid epidemic, now wants to help treat it — or at least salvage its own reputation.
California’s Tax On Millionaires Yields Big Benefits For People With Mental Illness, Study Finds
The research, focused on Los Angeles County, casts a positive light on a 2004 initiative that expanded mental health services statewide. A recent state audit, however, suggested hundreds of millions of dollars from the initiative were piling up, left unspent by counties.
Lifting Therapy Caps Is A Load Off Medicare Patients’ Shoulders
Last month’s budget deal means Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for physical and occupational therapy indefinitely. Plus, prescription drug costs will fall for more seniors.
Participants In Rogue Herpes Vaccine Research Take Legal Action
Three participants in unauthorized herpes vaccine research file a lawsuit against scientist’s company, alleging adverse side effects.
Patients Overpay For Prescriptions 23% Of The Time, Analysis Shows
Researchers at the University of Southern California analyzed millions of prescriptions and concluded that close to a quarter paid copays that exceeded the cost of the drugs.
Editorial pages focus on these and other health topics.
Media outlets report on news from California, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Oregon.
Small ‘Hungry’ Firm Goes Up Against Centene In Bidding War Over Iowa’s Privatized Medicaid Program
The two companies are bidding to replace AmeriHealth Caritas, which pulled out of Iowa’s privatized Medicaid program last fall after losing hundreds of millions of dollars on the project. Outlets report on Medicaid news out of Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio as well.