Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: October 27, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Study Offers Young Doctors Strategies To Deal With Discrimination
A survey of experienced physicians offer interns and residents suggestions about how to handle patients who are prejudiced.
How To Enroll In Medicare And Avoid Costly Mistakes
Enrolling in Medicare is confusing and mind-boggling if you don’t act at the right time and avoid costly mistakes.
Drug Prices, Not The Health Law, Top Voters’ Health Priorities For 2017
Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents support making sure high-cost drugs for chronic conditions are affordable.
Clinton Took More Conciliatory Tone With Health Care Industry In Paid Speeches
WikiLeaks documents show a cautious speaker who tried to avoid compromises on policy.
Video: How Obamacare Premium Hikes Affect Politics And Your Wallet
PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff talks to Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News and Reid Wilson of The Hill.
Viewpoints: Obamacare’s Premium Increases, Accountability And How It Could Be Fixed
A selection of opinions on the Affordable Care Act from around the country.
Thoughts On Mental Health, Medicare And Other Issues
Opinion and editorial writers offer their thoughts on a range of health policy topics.
Perspectives: Ariad’s Actions Spotlight Pharma’s Warped Logic On Drug Pricing
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Investors With Ties To Religious Groups Jump Into Fray On High Drug Prices
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical drug pricing.
Pharma Goes All In Against California’s Ballot Initiative To Curb Drug Prices
“We’re fighting that tooth and nail,” said John Lechleiter, chief executive officer of Eli Lilly & Co.
Outlets report on health news from Florida, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, California, Georgia, Ohio, Maryland, New Hampshire and Washington.
Kansas Jail And Prison Officials Work To Meet Inmates’ Mental Health Needs
Although high numbers of inmates struggle with mental health problems, some county and state officials are looking for innovative ways to deal with the issues.
Home Health Agency To Pay $1.8 Million In Kickback Settlement
The whistleblower at the center of the case will receive part of the settlement, even though he also received some of the kickbacks. Also, California officials are planning to mark the 50th anniversary of the state’s Medicaid program.
And news organizations also report on the latest developments related to breastfeeding, concussions, Halloween sugar dangers, male breast cancer, Lou Gehrig’s Disease and polio.
Surge In Oral Cancer Rates Explained By Differences In Sexual Behavior Across Generations
In past generations, oral cancer was mostly linked to smoking, alcohol use or a combination of the two, but now researchers are attributing cases to HPV.
OxyContin-Maker Deliberately Undermined W.Va.’s Efforts To Head Off Opioid Crisis
Back in 2001, West Virginia officials noticed people were dying because of oxycodone and moved to control the start of an epidemic. Purdue Pharma had other plans.
Medicare Pilot Project Allows Patients To Have Hospice Care While Also Seeking Cures
The experiment is designed to encourage more beneficiaries with terminal diseases to use hospice care, which has been shown to improve the quality of life, even if they don’t want to give up on fighting their disease. Also, HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell says Medicare will expand some of its alternative payment models.
Despite Health Care Costs Actually Slowing Down, Americans Still Feeling The Pinch
Although the rise in health insurance premiums moderated from 2010 to 2015, compared with the previous five years, wages did not keep pace with the increases so it still feels like a burden to many Americans.
How ACA Premium Costs Play Out In Different States
News outlets report on how individual insurance market customers may experience sticker shock as they shop for their 2017 health coverage. However, some also note that subsidies may soothe some of the pain.