Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial writers examine different aspects of the current debate surround the GOP repeal-and-replace measure in Congress and the status of Obamacare’s marketplaces.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Drugmakers Deploy Lobbyists As Battle Over High Prices Moves To State Level
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from New York, Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, California, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oregon.
Researchers say in vitro gametogenesis — creating babies from skin cells — is only a couple decades away from being possible. That means a gay couple could have a child genetically related to both parents, but it also means someone could for all intents and purposes clone themselves. In other public health news: teens and mental health, maternal age, superbugs in hospitals, knee pain and more.
Test Strips Allow People Using Opioids To Test Their Supply For Fentanyl
The synthetic drug is extremely powerful and is contributing to the high number of overdoses across the country. These kits could help people determine if what they are about to take is stronger than they thought it was. Meanwhile, IBM and MAP Health Management are teaming up to create software to help identify and treat addiction.
Taking Abortion Pills At Home Just As Safe As In A Clinic, Study Finds
Researchers studied the outcomes of people who turned to Women on Web — a website that provides counseling and abortion pills online — for help.
Administration Reportedly ‘Encouraged” Texas To Pursue Millions In Withheld Medicaid Funds
State officials will ask the Trump administration to hand over millions of dollars that the Obama administration withheld because the state cut Planned Parenthood centers from a family planning program.
Some States See Opening For Key Medicaid Changes With Trump Administration
At least six states have submitted waiver requests to make significant revisions to their Medicaid programs. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania announced it will expand Medicaid coverage for hepatitis C, and Oregon says it is checking to see if some enrollees got benefits without meeting income requirements for the program.
Hundreds Of Doctors Ask Administration To Let Displaced Haitians Stay In U.S.
They came to the United States following the 2010 earthquake. “Haiti reports some of the world’s worst health indicators, which continue to inhibit the country’s development,” the doctors wrote. “These deadly health threats jeopardize the safety and well-being of 50,000 Haitians.”
Health Care Providers Ask Congress To Expand Telemedicine Coverage In Medicare
The group is also seeking permission for Medicare Advantage plans to tailor coverage for some patients with special needs by offering services such as meal delivery for people with diabetes, rides to doctors’ appointments and home modifications. Under current law, any add-ons in Medicare Advantage have to be available to all plan members.
Troops Who Have Been Wounded Are Being Discharged For Misconduct At Increasingly High Rate
A Government Accountability Office report finds that the Army often failed to conduct required screenings for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries before discharging soldiers.
Montana’s Special Election May Be Early Litmus Test For Potential Fallout From Health Care Turmoil
President Donald Trump won the state by 20 points, but will all the shake-up over Republicans’ attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act sway voters?
6.3M People With Preexisting Conditions Could Face Higher Premiums Under GOP Health Plan
Republicans say the provision would not affect many people because insurers could only charge patients more if their coverage lapsed for 63 consecutive days. It turns out that’s not as rare as it may seem. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refuses to promise he’ll keep the House’s tax cuts in the upper chamber’s bill, the idea of more generous subsidies is in play, and a look at why Maine’s high-risk pool was actually successful while others have failed.
A Look At The Senator Leading The Shadow Group Of Moderates Working On Their Own Plan
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has extensive background in public health,and he — along with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) — also has a plan for a bipartisan measure that looks nothing like the bill that made it through the House.
Who’s To Blame For Premium Spikes This Year? Well, There’s Enough To Go Around
Insurers are still trying to overcome financial difficulties they’ve had under the Affordable Care Act, but uncertainty on the future of the marketplace due to turmoil in Washington, D.C., hasn’t helped either. Meanwhile, even if President Donald Trump follows through on his threats to stop the “insurer bailouts,” it could actually make plans more affordable.
Do Best-Selling Drugs That Calm Stomachs Damage Kidneys? The Answer’s Unclear.
With flawed systems for tracking the side effects of prescription drugs, a link between proton pump inhibitors and kidney disease suggested by research cannot be proven. Patients who swear by the drugs hope it won’t be.
Note To Readers: First Edition will not be published tomorrow while we conduct staff activity to allow us to improve KHN for our readers. We’ll be back in your inbox on May 19.
Secret Sauce In Maine’s Successful High-Risk Pool: Enough Money
Before the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges began, Maine had an “invisible high-risk pool” in place. Republican lawmakers are pointing to it as a success — but it was better funded by a vast margin than the high-risk pools in the House replacement bill.
Report: Congressional Ethics Office Probing Rep. Chris Collins’ Aussie Investment
The Buffalo News reports the Buffalo, N.Y.-area Republican has drawn inquiries from the Office of Congressional Ethics related to his investment in Australian biotech company Innate Immunotherapeutics.