Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: September 5, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The Secret To Chronic Happiness As You Age
Happy doesn’t always mean healthy. These older adults are still finding joy in spite of their physical challenges.
Viewpoints: What About That War On Drugs? Updates And Adaptations For Medical Education
A selection of opinions on public health issues from around the country.
Policy Perspectives: Medicare For All? Single-Payer As The Democrats’ ‘Party Consensus’
Opinion writers offer their thoughts on some big-ticket health reform concepts that range from Medicare for all to drug costs.
Research Roundup: Health Debate’s Impact On Views Of ACA; Treating Opioid Addiction In Medicaid
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from California, Massachusetts, Texas, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, Georgia, Minnesota and Iowa.
Texas Law Banning Common Abortion Procedure Temporarily Blocked
Proponents of the state’s law say it would ensure the “humane termination” of the fetus, but opponents argued it would require women seeking abortions to undergo medically unnecessary and untested procedures. Meanwhile in Arkansas, three patients are asking an appeals court to review a decision to allow the state to block funding to Planned Parenthood.
Ohio Pharmacists Say Low Reimbursements May Force Them To Quit Serving Medicaid Patients
One pharmacists says that the largest Medicaid managed care firm pays his store $38 for a drug that costs the pharmacy $50. Meanwhile in Florida, members of Congress ask federal officials to check out Medicaid care for children in that state with some serious health problems, and Oregon officials finish their efforts to update Medicaid rolls and remove those ineligible.
End-Of-Life Talks Taking Backseat To Promises Of Immunotherapy Miracles
“In the oncology community, there’s this concept of ‘no one should die without a dose of immunotherapy,’” said Dr. Eric Roeland, an oncologist and palliative care specialist. “And it’s almost in lieu of having discussions about advance-care planning, so they’re kicking the can down the street.” In other public health news: prostate cancer, home visits for moms, later-in-life fatherhood, herpes vaccine tests and more.
Claims That ACA’s Medicaid Expansion Fueled Opioid Crisis Puzzle Experts
A new report shows that the overdose death rate rose nearly twice as much in states that expanded Medicaid compared with states that didn’t, but experts say the analysis misses some crucial facts and skips standard steps that researchers use to rule out coincidences. In other news on the epidemic: Advocates urge the Food and Drug Administration to pull high-dose opioids from the market, the administration still hasn’t officially declared a national emergency, Arizona files a lawsuit against a drugmaker for its marketing tactics and more.
Chemical Plant Explosion Adds To Long List Of Public Health Concerns Wrought By Harvey
Toxins and chemicals from the plant and other sites are contaminating the water that’s flooding Houston. Media outlets report on public health and other news from the city.
If Anyone Can Work Miracles To Get Bipartisan Solution On Health Care It May Be These Two Senators
In the current political atmosphere, it may seem like a long-shot to come up with something both sides can agree on. But Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have deep experience with working across the aisle on tough bills.
Hickenlooper, Kasich Unveil Bipartisan Health Plan Aimed At Shoring Up Marketplaces
Six other governors are backing the plan that Govs. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and John Kasich (R-Ohio) have worked on for months.
Administration Guts Health Law Ad Budget While Critics Call Sabotage
On top of the 90 percent cut to the advertising budget for the open enrollment period, grants to navigators who help people sign up for coverage were nearly halved.
First Edition: September 1, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Why One California County Went Surgery Shopping
Fed up with high hospital costs and limited competition, Santa Barbara County sends willing employees out of town for better bargains. Local governments are slowly joining private employers in aggressively seeking out the best care for the lowest price.
Trump Administration Whacks Millions From Budget Used To Push Obamacare
The federal government plans to spend millions of dollars less this year on advertising and outreach efforts to support the health law’s open enrollment period, which starts Nov. 1.
Rep. Chris Collins’ Australian Stock Bet Looks Bleaker
Innate Immunotherapeutics, the Australian biotech firm whose largest shareholder is Buffalo, N.Y.-area congressman Chris Collins, said it expects to close after its multiple sclerosis drug failed in trials.
Algunos pacientes con cáncer de tiroides pueden retrasar la cirugía
Alrededor de un tercio de los pacientes con un tumor de tiroides de crecimiento lento, llamado cáncer de tiroides papilar, son elegibles para retrasar el tratamiento, según un nuevo estudio.
St. Kitts Launches Probe Of Herpes Vaccine Tests On U.S. Patients
After a Kaiser Health News report on an offshore herpes vaccine trial that skirted FDA regulations, St. Kitts and Nevis officials claim they had no knowledge of the testing. An investigation is underway.