Latest KFF Health News Stories
Advocates Vow To Defend Covered California: ‘What We Have Is Too Important To Lose’
In Covered California’s first meeting since Donald Trump’s win, lawmakers and health care experts promised to stand by the marketplace in these uncertain times.
Poll: Health Care Should Be Trump’s Top Priority During First 100 Days
Americans sound off on what they want Donald Trump to focus on when he first gets into office. Meanwhile, The Washington Post offers a primer on the health law and the president-elect.
Victims Seek Payments As ‘Dr. Death’ Declares Innocence
While hundreds of his former patients submit claims for restitution, a Detroit cancer doctor convicted of making millions by purposefully poisoning them with drugs they didn’t need vows to prove his innocence.
First Edition: November 18, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Study Finds Nearby Retail Clinics Don’t Drive Down ER Visits
The results suggest that retail clinics may not provide a solution for reducing unnecessary emergency department visits, researchers say.
‘A Huge Improvement’: Study Finds Inmates Benefit From Much Shorter TB Treatment
A three-month drug regimen to treat latent TB in a California jail system was just as effective as the standard nine-month approach — and the patients were far more likely to finish treatment.
Could Legalizing Pot Diminish California’s Gains Against Smoking?
Some experts worry that smoking pot could lead to use of tobacco, but proponents of marijuana legalization argue that the two products are different and should not be conflated.
Surgeon General Murthy Wants America To Face Up To Addiction
More people struggle with alcohol or drugs than have cancer, and 1 in 5 Americans binge drink. It all costs the nation $420 billion a year. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says we know how to help.
Longer Looks: Health Law Repeal, A Zika Guide And Identifying Disease Outbreaks
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Viewpoints: The Surgeon General On Addiction; How Trump Could Change Medicare
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Outlets report on health news from Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia and Kansas.
In Kansas, Disabled Adults Can Wait 7 Years To Get Medicaid Coverage
Advocates for people with disabilities say Gov. Sam Brownback’s decision to move the management of Medicaid services to private companies has not improved services. Meanwhile, in Florida, officials are looking at plans to reimburse similar private companies if they find residential placements for people with severe mental illness or substance use disorders.
Texans Brace For Mental Health Cuts In Trump Administration
The mental health benefits of an estimated 2.6 million Texans — coverage resulting from the Affordable Care Act — could be at risk. Meanwhile, in Kansas, community mental health systems are preparing ambitious plans to address the state’s gaps in care. Also on the topic of mental health, one Boston public school is attempting to help students deal with post-election stress.
Medical Research’s Future Murky Under Trump, But Many See Newt Gingrich As Beacon Of Hope
Donald Trump has said very little on medical research, but Newt Gingrich has a strong reputation in the community. Meanwhile, the Trump bump for biotech stocks may not last.
America Ranks Last Among High-Income Countries In Health Care Survey
A study of 10 other high-income countries reveals that Americans are more likely to be sicker, skip care and have trouble affording care when they do seek it out.
New Extended-Release Pill May Finally Outwit Stomach’s Defense Mechanisms
The star-shaped pill can stay in the stomach, withstand its corrosive forces and deliver medicine to the patient for weeks.
Intrigue At Glaxo: Private Investigators Accuse Drugmaker Of Setup In Alleged Bribery Scheme
In other industry news, a former FDA employee pleads guilty to securities fraud charges and biotech startups in Cambridge, Mass. make headlines.
Number Of Providers Prescribing Millions Of Dollars’ Worth Of Pills Surges
The new data on high-spending prescribers is the latest indication of the toll escalating drug prices are taking on the health system. Experts say that it should not reflect badly on the doctors themselves.
The Man Who First Blew The Whistle On Theranos
Tyler Shultz wanted to protect patients’ health and his grandfather’s reputation. What followed was the downfall of one of the most anticipated startups in Silicon Valley.
ER Patients Have One In Four Chance Of Getting Out-Of-Network Doctor
A new study looks at how patients are being blind-sided by thousands of dollars worth of surprise medical bills after emergency care. “It’s the equivalent of going to a restaurant, paying the check and getting a bill six months later from one of the cooks,” says Zack Cooper, the study’s co-author.