Latest KFF Health News Stories
In Effort To Cut Down On Veterans’ Suicides, Trump Expands Access To Mental Health Benefits
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that is geared toward helping new veterans transition to civilian life, which can be a particularly vulnerable time.
There Are No ‘Banned’ Words, Merely Suggestions, CDC Chief Fires Back In Face Of Criticism
Last month, a report that officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weren’t allowed to use certain words in their budget proposals sparked a firestorm over the alleged censorship.
Presidential Physicals: There’s No Template For What Information Is Released
What results President Donald Trump divulges from his Jan. 12 medical exam will be up to him. Meanwhile, despite increased talk about the president’s mental well-being, it’s unlikely this physical will reveal any information about the state of his cognitive health.
HHS Nominee Sticks To Conservative Talking Points On Drug Prices: ‘There’s No Silver Bullet Here’
At his second Senate hearing, Alex Azar was grilled by Democrats on the Finance Committee questioning his commitment to bringing down high drug costs because of his ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Azar shied away from endorsing the idea of the government to negotiating prices, a concept touted by President Donald Trump.
El estado les da a los beneficiarios de Medi-Cal algo para sonreir
En enero, más de 7 millones de adultos californianos inscriptos en Medi-Cal recuperaron la cobertura para atención dental crítica, incluidas coronas y dentaduras parciales.
First Edition: January 10, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A Poor Neighborhood In Chicago Looks To Cuba To Fight Infant Mortality
Infant mortality in some of the poorest ZIP codes in the United States rivals that of countries like war-torn Syria. Cuba, meanwhile, does a good job of keeping babies healthy on a tight budget. A team of Cuban health professionals recently spent time in Chicago helping peers there tackle the daunting problem.
Listen: How A ‘Hippie Clinic’ In San Francisco Inspired A Medical Philosophy
The Haight Ashbury Free Clinic still serves people living on the fringes in San Francisco. This radio story recounts its 51-year history.
Giving Medicaid Enrollees Something To Smile About
More than 7 million California adults enrolled in Medi-Cal regained coverage for critical dental care, including crowns and partial dentures, this month.
HHS Nominee Vows To Tackle High Drug Costs, Despite His Ties To Industry
Alex M. Azar II, the former president of the U.S. division of Eli Lilly, says the U.S. drug system encourages price increases — but he intends to work on that problem.
Defendiéndose de la mortal temporada de gripe: 5 cosas que hay que saber ahora
El virus se ha expandido en 46 estados y los síntomas son más feroces. La vacuna ayuda pero no protege ciento por ciento, dicen expertos.
Viewpoints: The Power Of The Flu, Other Infectious Diseases; Smartphone Addiction
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
Opinion writers offer strong thoughts, advice on a number of health policy issues now in the news.
Media outlets report on news from New Hampshire, Georgia, Minnesota, Maryland, Kansas, Colorado and California.
Maryland Gets OK From Feds To Extend Program Aimed At Reducing Medicare Costs
The approval is critical to maintaining Maryland’s unique all-payer insurance model under which Medicare and private insurers pay the same rates for services at hospitals.
Conn. Lawmakers Restore Medicaid Program For Seniors, Disabled
The special session vote adds back $54 million for a program that uses Medicaid funding to help low-income residents pay their Medicare premiums and other expenses. However, the governor is threatening to veto the bill. Also, Iowa’s governor says savings from the Medicaid managed care program there are still substantial, even though they don’t come close to what was promised, and South Dakota’s program was able to shift some costs to the federal government.
It’s Like Having ‘Superman Eyes’: New Video Microscope Could Revolutionize Brain Surgery
The device produces magnified, high-resolution, three-dimensional digital images of surgical sites, and lets everyone in the room see exactly what the surgeon is seeing. Doctors also see the video microscope’s benefits as a teach tool.
Up to one in five Americans have perilously high levels of the particle in their blood, and it can’t be controlled by diet and exercise. Even drugs have little effect on it. In other public health news: dry January, the effects of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention banning words, child mortality, CRISPR, doctors’ offices at work, burn injuries, and more.
Everyone’s Talking About Trump’s Mental Health. But How Do You Actually Detect Cognitive Decline?
Experts say it isn’t what a lot of people talk about when discussing the president’s mental health–like turning the wrong way or forgetting something. However, a deterioration of language, which was one of the first things that sparked chatter about Trump’s mental well-being, can be a tip-off.
An Imperfect Vaccine, A ‘Bad Strain’, And Cold Weather Combining To Trigger Rough Flu Season
But Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, actually expects fewer deaths than in 2014-15, the last time the U.S. saw a “moderately severe” flu season.