Latest KFF Health News Stories
In Face Of Skepticism, HHS Secretary Vows Trump’s Proposed Budget Really Would Lower Drug Prices
HHS Secretary Alex Azar pointed to two specific provisions as he defended the plan: how Medicare Part D recipients who have reached the “catastrophic coverage” phase would have more of the cost of their prescription drugs paid for by private insurance and how the administration has proposed changing the way in which out-of-pocket costs are calculated.
Travel Scandal Just Latest Spark In Fiery Infighting Between VA Secretary’s Supporters, Opponents
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, the only holdover from the Obama administration, thinks he’s being forced out by political rivals. Shulkin has come under fire this week for a European visit last summer that used taxpayer dollars for his wife’s travel. The secretary has promised to reimburse the government for the amount.
HHS Will Take Wait-And-See Approach To Idaho Going Rogue On Health Law Regulations
Facing questions from the Senate Finance Committee, HHS Secretary Alex Azar would not commit to stepping in to block Idaho’s move to allow insurers to sell plans that don’t meet the health law’s rules.
How Florida Shooter Slipped Through The Gaps Of A Fractured Mental Health System
There were several warning signs that could have potentially helped avert the mass school shooting in Florida, but were missed or written off. Meanwhile, news outlets look at the psychological toll events like this take on teens.
HHS Chief Wants CDC To Conduct Gun Research, Waving Off Congressional Restrictions
“We believe we’ve got a very important mission with our work with serious mental illness as well as our ability to do research on the causes of violence and the causes behind tragedies like this,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said. “So that is a priority for us.” Others spoke out about the longstanding policy that bars CDC from studying gun violence as a public health issue, as well.
As national focus turns to mental health after the mass shooting in Florida, advocates warn against making assumptions about violence and mental health. “It feels like mental illness is being used as a political football to deflect attention away from some other important issues,” said Ron Honberg, senior policy adviser at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Listen: Got A Sky-High Bill? Don’t Write The Check.
Have you gotten a medical bill that sounds way too expensive or is just downright confusing? Send it to us. KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal talks with NPR Morning Edition Host Steve Inskeep about the launch of “Bill Of The Month,” KHN and NPR’s new crowdsourced investigation.
First Edition: February 16, 2018
NOTE TO READERS: KHN’s First Edition will not be published Feb. 19. Look for it again in your inbox Feb. 20. Here’s today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Bill Of The Month: A College Student’s $17,850 Drug Test
Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with NPR, kicks off a series that will examine and decode your perplexing medical bills.
In An Effort To Curb Drug Costs, States Advance Bills To Prod Feds On Importation
Legislatures in blue and red states alike are considering proposals that would allow them to import prescription drugs from Canada.
Pain Hits After Surgery When A Doctor’s Daughter Is Stunned By $17,850 Urine Test
Elizabeth Moreno got hit with a $17,850 bill from a Texas lab after leaving a urine sample at her doctor’s office.
FDA Head Vows To Tackle High Drug Prices And Drugmakers ‘Gaming The System’
In an exclusive interview, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb describes what he’s doing to spur competition and bring down drug prices.
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Paige Winfield-Cunningham of The Washington Post discuss President Donald Trump’s budget plan and how some states are trying to stabilize the Affordable Care Act, while others are trying to violate it. Also, Rovner and KHN’s Sarah Jane Tribble interview Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Longer Looks: Feuding Sacklers; Expensive Procedures; And The Flu
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Opinion pages feature stories on these topics and other health care issues.
Editorial writers focus on the health policy topics of the day.
Media outlets report on news from New York, California, Maryland, Wisconsin, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, North Carolina, Texas and New Orleans.
N.H., Baltimore Want To Curb Soda Consumption For Kids At Restaurants
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has announced it is removing cheeseburgers as an option for kids’ meals. By 2022, McDonald’s aims to have at least half of its Happy Meals contain 600 calories or less.
Fecal Transplants Gaining Traction In Era Where Doctors Are Trying To Rein In Use Of Antibiotics
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is now recommending fecal transplants at least be considered for patients with C. diff. In other public health news: hysterectomies, yellow fever, breastfeeding, autism, HPV, medical records and more.
During A Nasty Flu Season, Promising Drug That Kills The Virus Is On Horizon
A Japanese company says its drug reduced influenza viral load to undetectable levels within 24 hours for more than half of the 414 participants in a study. Tamiflu similarly killed the virus, but only in 9 percent of its participants, the company said.