Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers consider what’s behind the current buzz words in the debate over the Affordable Care Act’s future.
Contemplating The Ups And Downs Of The NIH Budget; The Link Between Politics And The Measles
News outlets take on a range of public health topics.
Media outlets report on news from Maryland, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, California, Colorado and Texas.
Hospitals In 10 States Cut Staff Amid Fears Driven By Financial And Political Uncertainty
Stat reports on the pressures felt by the hospital industry. And the financial difficulties faced by hospitals in Texas, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., are also in the news today.
Florida Congresswoman Proposes Grants For Treating Police With Post-Traumatic Shock
Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) wants local police departments to get federal money for peer-to-peer counseling and other mental health aid for officers with PTSD. Elsewhere, New Hampshire Public Radio examines data on police shootings and finds they often involve people who are severely mentally ill.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Wis. Law That Can Force Pregnant Women Into Addiction Treatment
A spokesman for Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said the office was still reviewing the decision and had no immediate comment.
To Beat Opioid Crisis, Prevention Work Has To Start In Schools, Massachusetts AG says
The state’s Youth Opioid Prevention Grant Program, which will dole out the funds to schools, was established with money that Walgreens and CVS paid to settle charges of improper dispensing of opioids. Media outlets also report on news related to the epidemic from Florida and Virginia.
Twins May Hold The Key To Unlocking Mysteries Surrounding Zika
Determining why one twin became infected in the womb while the other did not may illuminate how Zika crosses the placenta, how it enters the brain, and whether any genetic mutations make a fetus more resistant or susceptible to Zika infection. In other public health news: chronic fatigue syndrome, fasting, gender identity, hunger, premature babies and back pain.
This Technology May Allow Computers To Sniff Out Diseases
Patients give off a unique odor that can hold clues to any medical problems going on in their bodies, but it can’t be detected easily by humans. Also in technology news, doctors ponder the future of artificial intelligence and the role it has to play in medicine, and a look at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s roll out of its new electronic health record system.
Drug Offers Alzheimer’s Researchers A Glimmer Of Hope After Years Of Brutal Failures
Instead of targeting a protein that most of the industry has focused on, this new drug tries to stop the destruction of brain synapses and neurons in the first place.
Lawmakers In Ohio And Arkansas Give Preliminary Approval To Medicaid Changes
Republicans in the Ohio House turned down efforts by conservatives to freeze enrollment in the state’s Medicaid expansion program but a committee approved several restrictions on spending. In Arkansas, Senate and House committees approve changes to Medicaid sought by the governor.
Cancer, Alzheimer’s And The Other Areas Of Medical Research That Won Big In Spending Bill
The Washington Post digs into the National Institutes of Health budget to find out what the money will go toward.
Trump Administration Relaxes School Nutrition Guidelines That Were A Michelle Obama Legacy
The School Nutrition Association, which represents companies that sell food to schools, has been lobbying against the standards on federally funded program.
In Drive To Secure A Health Deal, Trump Reveals Lack Of Understanding On Nitty-Gritty Details
President Donald Trump is pressing Congress to close the deal on health law negotiations but, as his recent comments show, he may not know the full extent of what is in the legislation he’s championing.
Tax Credit Provision In GOP’s Health Bill At Odds With Some States’ Abortion Coverage Requirements
The GOP bill prohibits its new tax credits from being used to purchase plans that cover abortion, but California and New York require essentially all insurance plans in the state to cover abortion, meaning that there might not be any options for people in those states receiving the tax credits. Meanwhile, a poll shows that defunding Planned Parenthood is unpopular even in Republican districts.
GOP Plan A Political Hot Potato, But House Leaders Aim To Get Votes Needed To Toss It To Senate
Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), a surprise Republican defector, is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, but the lack of protections for preexisting conditions has him and others spooked. Media outlets report on the state of play on Capitol Hill and where members stand on the vote.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Federal Money For State-Level Zika Tracking, Prevention May End This Summer
California has reported more than 500 travel-related Zika infections, and five babies have been born in the state with birth defects related to the mosquito-borne disease.
Urgent Care Sites Cater To Cancer Patients, Letting Them Check Some Worries At Door
Hospitals and oncology practices are setting up urgent care services aimed specifically at cancer patients to help keep them out of the hospital.
Volunteers Help Ombudsmen Give Nursing Home Residents ‘A Voice’ In Their Care
Ombudsman’s offices represent long-term care residents on issues such as admissions and discharges, food, physical environment and abuse.