Latest KFF Health News Stories
To Grow Market Share, A Drugmaker Pitches Its Product To Judges
Some drug courts offer participants a full range of evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment. Others don’t allow addiction medications at all. And some permit just one: Vivitrol.
Florida Law Will Let Patients Get All Their Drug Renewals At The Same Time
The new law will help people with chronic conditions that require multiple prescriptions cut down on their shuttles to the drug store and could improve adherence to their drugs.
Under Trump, Hospitals Face Same Penalties Embraced By Obama
Federal records show that 2,573 hospitals around the country will have their Medicare payments reduced because they have too many patients readmitted.
Cuando las heridas no sanan, las terapias pueden costar hasta $5 mil millones
Cerca de 6,5 millones de personas en el país tienen heridas que tardan meses, y hasta años en sanar… si llegan a curarse. El costo, económico y psicológico, de estos padecimientos es astronómico.
EMS Delays In Rural Areas Leave First-Aid Gap For Bystanders To Fill
Response times for emergency medical service units are about twice as long in rural areas as in urban areas, researchers say, underscoring the need for trained lay people to provide first aid until professional help arrives.
Viewpoints: Genetic Editing Needs Careful Review; Falling Sperm Counts; Mental Health Costs
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
The Talk About Abortion: Should It Be A Defining Issue For Democrats?
The announcement this week that Democrats will help fund House candidates who are opposed to abortion has prompted some debate among op-ed writers.
Perspectives On Health Debate: Is Stabilizing The Market A Bailout?; Compromise And Sabotage
Opinion writers offer divergent views of the current moves on the health law.
Outlets report on news from Maine, California, Florida, Rhode Island, Maryland, Kansas, New Hampshire, Texas and Pennsylvania.
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Every day in the U.S., two to three women die from pregnancy, yet many of them either haven’t been told about common risks and dangers to watch out for or have their concerns written off as hormones or anxiety. ProPublica and NPR teamed up to get words of advice from the mothers who nearly died from childbirth. In other public health news: Antibiotics, the male pill, gender identity, gum disease, allergies and light therapy.
Prosecutors To Be Deployed To Cities Ravaged By Opioid Epidemic To Crack Down On Fraud, Scams
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the prosecutors will try to root out pill mills and track down doctors and other health care providers who illegally prescribe or distribute narcotics such as fentanyl and other powerful painkillers. Meanwhile, a review of studies shows that most patients have leftover painkillers after a surgery, which may be contributing to the abuse and misuse of the drugs.
Major Gene Editing Breakthrough Raises Concerns About Ethics Of ‘Designer Babies’
For the first time, scientists have edited genes in embryos to fix a disease-causing mutation. The milestone raises hopes for being able to correct serious problems, but also raises tricky ethical questions about modifying human DNA for the purpose of obtaining desired traits for a child.
Medical Malpractice Bill Shows Lobbyists’ New Power In Republican-Controlled Washington
The House recently passed a medical malpractice bill that was nearly identical to one crafted by lobbyists for doctors and their insurers.
Abortion Opponents Don’t See Health Bill Defeat As Knock-Out Blow For Their Cause
“I think what is important to note is that the pro-life elements were not the cause of failure for the bill,” said Mallory Quigley, spokeswoman for the antiabortion Susan B. Anthony List. “This was an area of unity for Republicans. So I do think that there are going to be more wins in the future.” Meanwhile, progressive groups want the Democratic Party to reject any pro-life candidates for 2018.
Republican Governors Starting To Take Matters Into Own Hands Over Medicaid
They have been working with the current administration to use waivers to customize the program far beyond what the Obama administration intended.
Californians Shaken By News Of Anthem’s Withdraw From Most Counties In State
“My wife and I came up with a new Covered California slogan,” quipped Santa Cruz County resident Chris Olsen. “Covered California: Nothing you can count on.” Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says she doesn’t understand the decision and is “deeply concerned” by it.
Citing Deep Losses, Molina Pulls Out Of ACA Marketplaces In Utah, Wisconsin
The insurer also plans to increase 2018 premiums for its remaining plans under the Affordable Care Act by 55 percent and to cut 1,500 jobs.
Gov. LePage Accuses Maine Senators Of Being ‘Out Of Touch’ After Voting Against GOP Health Bill
Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage wrote an op-ed chastising Republican Susan Collins and independent Angus King for their vote. But the senators defend themselves, saying they met with thousands of people to discuss improving the health care system, and concluded that the GOP proposals would’ve eliminated insurance for millions, raised premiums, hurt rural hospitals and shifted costs to states. Other lawmakers also face tough questions at home about the health care legislation.
The Courts May Have Just Checked Trump’s Ability To Sabotage Obamacare
In a ruling that states can sue the administration if insurer subsidies are cut off, the courts may have taken away a powerful negotiating tool President Donald Trump has been using during the health care debates. “We’re not going to wait to find out what Donald Trump wants to do,” says California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is helping steer the states’ involvement. “My team is ready to defend these subsidies in court.”