Latest KFF Health News Stories
Recién cubiertos por el Medi-Cal, niños indocumentados también buscan atención dental
Algunas clínicas dentales están expandiendo sus horarios para cubrir la demanda, pero, ¿puede un sistema ya saturado satisfacer las necesidades de niños que no han visto a un dentista en años?
Viewpoints: McCain’s Effort To Hold Down Drug Prices; VA Needs To Do More To Stop Suicides
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Eye Care Follow-Up; The Health Law And Contraceptives; Medicaid Grants
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Outlets report on health news from Virginia, California, Kansas, Florida, Missouri, Maryland, Texas, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Ohio.
Hospital News: ‘Bedless Hospitals’ Follow Shift Toward Outpatient Care; Florida Readmissions Decline
Hospitals and medical centers in Ohio, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Kansas are in the news.
Mass. Tweaks Marijuana Rules, Incorporating Lessons Learned From First 3 Years
Granting more power to nurse practitioners to decide if a patient should be given medical marijuana and stricter labeling of the products are among the handful of updated regulations. In other news, a judge in Florida says officials there broke their own rules when granting marijuana licenses and legalization supporters in Massachusetts net a big-name donor. Meanwhile, scientists wonder, does marijuana make us lazy?
Brain Cancer Takes Over As Leading Cause Of Cancer Deaths Of Children, Adolescents
Also in this public health roundup, a small federal agency that monitors biomedical research misconduct is in turmoil, the Food and Drug Administration cracks down on online sales by the E-cigarette industry and the number of railroad workers in the U.S. who test positive for drug use is on the rise.
Veterans’ Choice Program – Designed To Make Health System Better – Complicates Matters In Alaska
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports on a program that connects dogs trained in the “puppies-behind-bars program” with veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Novavax Shares Fall After Respiratory Virus Vaccine Has Unfavorable Clinical Trial Results
Meanwhile, Peloton Therapeutics raised $52.4 million in venture capitol to support clinical trials for a new kidney cancer treatment.
When Used In Surgery, Robots Can Hasten Recovery; Biotech Startups See Promise In Sweat
Also in the news, a new breast cancer test — molecular breast imaging — when paired with traditional mammograms is effective in identifying cancer that otherwise would have be missed in women with dense breasts.
Mylan Orchestrating Movement To Address Patient Price Concerns But Keep Prices High
One solution to the EpiPen controversy, some advocates say, is classifying it as preventive care so consumers wouldn’t have to pay anything for the life-saving drug. But while the suggestions seems to favor consumers, a New York Times investigation finds Mylan is pulling the strings.
Kentucky Governor’s Plan To Reshape Medicaid Expansion Debated At Forum
In other Medicaid news, though the outcome is uncertain, some Texas lawmakers are revisiting the cuts to Medicaid payments for disabled children that were made in 2015.
Doctor’s Note Deems Trump In ‘Excellent Physical Health’
The one-page letter provides a partial view into Donald Trump’s medical records, showing that he takes cholesterol medication and is overweight while recent EKG, chest X-ray and a colonoscopy results are normal.
Donald Trump Takes Positions On Medicaid Expansion, Birth Control And Abortion
The Republican presidential nominee says he supports expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income people, access to over-the-counter birth control and permanently prohibiting federal funds from being used for abortion. He also names a new head to his anti-abortion coalition. Meanwhile, on the trail, Trump and Hillary Clinton trade health barbs. And KHN examines five reasons why drug pricing has emerged as a 2016 campaign issue.
Still Long Road Ahead For Cures Bill As Upton Tries To Revive Measure
The 21st Century Cures Act has stalled in the Senate, and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton wants to get it moving again. A revamped measure could be introduced as early as next week, but many say even that version would be nowhere near ready to pass. In other news from Capitol Hill, lawmakers introduce a bill to curb price gouging, MACRA’S close ties to the health law spell trouble, and the Senate approves funds for Flint.
Partisan Squabbling Intensifies Even As Aides Report Progress On Zika Funding
Republicans may be ready to relent on the Planned Parenthood provision at the center of the impasse over the bill, but this week alone has highlighted the sharp divide in Congress as the election draws closer.
Health Law’s Guarantees For Women On Breastfeeding Sometimes Fall Short
The law called for employers to provide “reasonable” time and private space for new mothers to express breast milk, but there are loopholes. Some Pennsylvania lawmakers would like to find a way for the state to buttress the provisions. Also, the effort to get young adults to buy insurance and to use the health care system is still stumbling.
Former Kansas Insurance Chief Says Health Law Could Be Fixed If Fellow Republicans Would Help
Sandy Praeger says, “There are some things that could be done if we could get Congress to be willing to come to the table to try to solve problems.” Meanwhile, another insurer is going on the marketplace in Maricopa County, Arizona, and Oregon settles a lawsuit related to problems initially getting its marketplace running.
Obama Redoubling Efforts To Shore Up Health Law As Concerns Grow About Marketplaces
The president met with insurers this week to press them to continue to support the effort, and the administration is preparing for a rocky opening of the fall enrollment period because of concerns about rising premiums and limited choices. Nonetheless, on one key measure the law is a marked success: the drop in the number of people without insurance.
First Edition: September 16, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.