Latest KFF Health News Stories
Raising Hospital Prices Hurts The Local Economy, Study Shows
“Employers that face increases in health care spending respond by laying off workers who they can no longer afford to retain,” said one of the University of Chicago researchers responsible for the study. Meanwhile, Sutter Health gets a legal reprieve after a court found it didn’t double-bill patients.
Politico’s analysis finds that Medicaid expenditures for undocumented immigrants in Florida have dropped dramatically since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law directing hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial workers tackle these issues and more.
Democrats Eye Comstock Act Repeal In Effort To Protect Reproductive Rights
The fear is Republicans will revive the 150-year-old law to further curtail abortion rights, despite assurances from the Biden administration that the law won’t have an impact.
WHO and Eli Lilly Issue Global Warning About Phony Weight Loss Drugs
Eli Lilly says it is “deeply concerned” over the spread of fake or compounded versions of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound. As AP reported, Eli Lilly is the only lawful supplier of those drugs, and it does not provide tirzepatide to compounding pharmacies or online retailers.
Despite Staff Opposition, FDA Official OKs Sarepta’s Duchenne Gene Therapy
Elevidys, which failed a large phase 3 trial last year, is now approved to cover nearly all patients, regardless of age or wheelchair status. Also in the news: biosimilars, covid vaccine recommendations, antibiotics, and more.
Gen Xers More Likely To Have Cancer Than Baby Boomers, Study Finds
The rate increases “appeared in all racial and ethnic groups except Asian or Pacific Islander men,” researchers found. Also in the news: depression, migraines, and food insecurity.
Feds Blast State Of Missouri For Putting Mentally Ill Patients in Nursing Homes
It’s a violation of federal disability law, the Department of Justice has now said. Also in the news: a nursing home Medicaid fraud suit in New York, California aims to protect workers from indoor heat, and more.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on PBMs, special education, the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, gender transition, more.
UnitedHealth Ponies Up $1 Million After Denying Access To Birth Control
The settlement with New York effectively ends the probe into the insurer’s violation of the state’s Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, which mandates all FDA-approved contraceptives without copays, restrictions or delays.
Judge Knocks Down HHS Guidance Against Hospital Web Trackers
A federal district court judge in Texas ruled that HHS did not have the authority to warn hospitals that website trackers are a violation of health privacy rules. The American Hospital Association challenged the guidance.
Government Pauses Processing Of International Nurse Visas
The pause will be in place until fiscal year 2025, which Modern Healthcare says will leave “thousands” of qualified nurses in limbo even as health system staffing gaps remain. Apprenticeships, AI warnings for patients’ deteriorating conditions, and more are also in the news.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Preventive Task Force Urges More Intervention For Kids With High BMI
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is shifting its guidance on childhood obesity. The panel now recommends that physicians take behavioral interventions—though not with new GLP-1 drugs—for kids 6 or older with a high body mass index.
Novant Health Ends Effort To Purchase Two North Carolina Hospitals
A federal appellate court backed an FTC push to block Novant Health’s planned $320 million purchase from Community Health Systems. Meanwhile, Steward Health Care has pushed back its planned auction of eight of its Massachusetts hospitals by three weeks.
FDA Warns Dollar Tree, Says Retailer Didn’t Remove Tainted Applesauce
Lead-contaminated applesauce pouches, linked to over 500 cases of illness in children, remained on some Dollar Tree shelves even after they’d been recalled, the FDA says. Meanwhile, scientists have detected microplastics in human penises for the first time, highlighting the spread of the material.
Bipartisan House Group Aims To Halt Chinese Supply Sources For Fentanyl
They will seek to boost sanctions, target money launderers, and explore trade reforms to cut off supply from China in an attempt to impact the opioid epidemic. Also in the news: limited military health care on Guam, a rise of streptococcal toxic shock in Japan, and more.
Editorial writers discuss H5N1, weight-loss drugs, pharmaceutical advertising, and more.
Haven’t Had Covid? Scientists Find How Nasal Cells Help In Dodging Infections
Specialized immune cells may help some people reliably avoid catching covid. Separately, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that although initially closing schools during the pandemic was a good move, the shutdowns shouldn’t have lasted so long.