Latest KFF Health News Stories
Though California Pharmacists Can Now Prescribe Birth Control, It’s Hard To Find Ones That Do
In other women’s reproductive health news, the Florida Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over a state abortion law requiring women to see a doctor 24 hours after having the procedure. And the Gates Foundation donates over $1 billion to improving global family planning efforts.
Thousands Of Kids Are Hospitalized Because Of Widespread Availability Of Painkillers
A study looks at the toll the epidemic is taking on children who come into contact with their parents’ medication.
Strong Emotions Increase Risk For Suffering Heart Attack
New studies look at a variety of topics, including: emotions and heart attacks; Facebook’s impact on longevity; the soda industry and its ties to research; children’s sleep habits; and more.
Study Finds ‘Good’ Cholesterol May Be Misnomer For Fatty Substance Just Along For The Ride
For years, it was thought that “good” cholesterol cleansed the bloodstream of “bad” cholesterol and scrubbed the inner walls of blood vessels, but new data suggest that was giving it too much credit. Meanwhile, despite evidence to the contrary, Americans still say obese people are just lacking the willpower to lose weight.
One Thing Missing From Colombia’s Zika Outbreak: Babies Born With Microcephaly
In Brazil there have been 2,000 babies born with Zika-linked microcephaly. In Colombia there have been 47. Experts want to know why.
Use Of Telemedicine Grows As Tech Improves And Insurance Coverage Expands
In other health IT news, find out what you can do to guard against medical identity theft.
Advocates: Disabled Americans Being Stripped Of Voting Rights Because Of Archaic Laws
Americans who have appointed guardians automatically lose their voting rights in some states because of “mental incompetency.” Advocates say the laws are based on an outdated understanding of the abilities of disabled people.
California Cigarette Tax Fight Is More A Battle Of Equals Than David Vs. Goliath
In previous failed attempts, proponents weren’t able to match the powerful tobacco industry, but this year its different.
It Could Have Been A Fierce Rival To EpiPen, But Early Missteps Cut This Alternative Off At Knees
The Adrenaclick auto-injector checks all the necessary boxes: The government declared it safe, national pharmacies sell it and its list price is a third less than the EpiPen. But selling a drug takes far more than that. Meanwhile, the feds are turning their attention to Valeant’s former CEO and CFO in their fraud investigation.
Federal Appeals Court Sides With Opponents Of The Merger Of 2 Chicago Hospital Systems
The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Illinois are seeking an injunction to stop the merger of Advocate Health Care and NorthShort University HealthSystem. The appeals judges found flaws in the original district court decision and sent the case back for reconsideration.
The Cost-Benefit Calculation For High-Deductible Health Plans
‘Tis the season when consumers face the tough task of choosing among health insurance options. News outlets examine some of the options and the dread that comes along with the task.
Dialysis Provider To Halt Aid To Charity That Helps Patients Pay For Insurance
Payments by providers to help patients who might be eligible for Medicare or Medicaid coverage buy plans on the marketplaces have come under scrutiny following complaints by insurers and some consumer advocates.
House Dems: Republicans Using Court System To Hurl The Health Law Marketplace Into Chaos
The lawmakers filed a brief in federal court in the case being brought by Republicans over reimbursements made by the administration to insurers.
How Arizona Became The Poster Child For States’ Problems With The ACA
The Wall Street Journal looks at what went wrong in Arizona. Meanwhile, outlets report on the start of open enrollment out of Texas, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Florida and California.
First Edition: November 1, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
As Insurers Cut Brokers’ Commissions, Consumers May Have One Less Tool For Enrollment
Some major insurance companies are opting not to pay commissions for plans sold on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces. Will this decision make enrollment season more difficult for consumers?
Premature Births Rise Slightly, First Uptick In 8 Years, March Of Dimes Reports
In 2015, the number of babies born in the U.S. before the 37th week of pregnancy increased by about 2,000 over the previous year.
7 Tips To Help Avoid Costly Health Plan Enrollment Headaches
Despite fears of rising costs and fewer insurers on the health law’s marketplaces, consumers can find the best deals by carefully evaluating plans and checking out the fine print.
Study: ‘Ubiquitous’ Nature Of Painkillers Lands Kids — Even Toddlers — In The ER
New research tracks how the widespread availability of these high-powered medications is causing a high rate of hospitalizations for opioid poisoning among children.
Niños pequeños terminan en emergencias médicas por consumo de opioides y analgésicos
Un nuevo estudio destaca a un grupo de pacientes soprendente, que sufre de intoxicación por opioides en tasas que también han marcado un aumento dramático: adolescentes, niños e incluso niños pequeños.