Latest KFF Health News Stories
Off-Label Drug Communication Restrictions To Be Discussed At FDA Meetings
Pharmaceutical companies want regulators to loosen strict limits currently in place on what information they can provide to doctors about unapproved uses of prescription medications.
With Tough Warning Label, FDA Aims To Curb Fatal Overdoses From Mixing Opioids, Sedatives
The agency will require “black box warnings” — its strongest type — on more than 400 products. The move comes following criticism that it has not done enough to stem the rising tide of the opioid crisis.
First Edition: September 1, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Taxpayers Foot 70 Percent Of California’s Health Care Tab, Study Finds
The public spending on health care outpaces the nation.
How To Fight For Yourself At The Hospital — And Avoid Readmission
This new column explains what older adults and their families can do to avoid hospital readmission.
Trans And Adopted: Exploring Teen Identity
A Boston health clinic that treats transgender kids and teens finds that the percentage of its young patients who are adopted is higher than expected. These kids might need extra support, doctors say.
Mylan’s Generic EpiPen — A Price Break Or Marketing Maneuver?
As news that Mylan will make available a generic version of its own brand-name product, KHN answers key questions about how this development could affect consumers.
Viewpoints: An Insurance Industry Campaign; Doctor Shopping Will Be More Difficult In Mass.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news from Minnesota, California, Arkansas, Iowa, Texas, Georgia and Ohio.
Hospitals Increasingly Eye Patient-Centered Care
Also in the news, a North Dakota hospital reaches a settlement with victims in a Hepatitis C outbreak, CHI Franciscan Health wants to close its Bremerton, Wash., medical center and Dartmouth-Hitchcock in New Hampshire takes a $22 million earnings loss.
Pennsylvania, Maryland Pick Private Companies To Run Select Programs For Medicaid
The Pennsylvania contractors will manage long-term care for 420,000 low-income seniors and disabled enrollees, while in Maryland the companies are implementing a diabetes prevention program. Also in the news, a UnitedHealthcare official acknowledges that the company has lost money in its work helping run Iowa’s Medicaid managed care program.
N.Y. Officials Face Scrutiny During First Hearing Over Hoosick Falls Water Crisis
Residents of the small upstate New York village have been voicing frustrations for months over the water contamination plaguing the area. Meanwhile, state officials question the EPA’s response.
Ebola Virus Can Remain In Semen For Over A Year In Men Who Survived Infection
The longterm persistence of the virus is a key concern in understanding how the disease is transmitted. “Before this outbreak, scientists believed that Ebola virus could be found in semen for three months after recovery,” said Dr. Moses Soka of the Liberian Ministry of Health, who helped conduct the study. “With this study, we now know that virus may persist for a year or longer.”
In Race Against STDs’ Antibiotic Resistance, WHO Updates Treatment Guidelines
Gonorrhea, in particular, is a looming threat, with experts saying it’s only a matter of time before it becomes untreatable.
Trauma Nurses Train Philadelphia Residents In Emergency First-Aid For Gun Shot Victims
In other news related to gun violence, University of California Davis will open a center dedicated to informing public policy on preventing deaths and injuries from firearms.
Baltimore’s ‘Moonshot’: Cutting City’s Health Disparities In Half
Tentative targets include cutting youth homicides by 10 percent and disparities in obesity, smoking and heart-disease deaths by 15 percent — all by 2020.
Women 3 Times More Likely To Face Complications Since Ohio Passed Abortion Law
The legislation regulates that doctors must administer abortion medication based on outdated FDA protocols.
These Rumors About Candidates’ Health Are Nothing New
The allegations concerning the presidential candidates’ health are flying on both sides of the aisle, but those tactics have been around for a while. Stat looks at the other candidates who have faced such insinuations.
As Competition Dwindles On Marketplaces, Federal Officials Face Pressure To Fix Health Law
As insurers cut back on the number of exchanges in which they participate, pressure mounts for the federal government to help stabilize the system so that insurers have reduced risks and offer more plans to help cut costs for consumers.
Administration Pours Millions More Into Opioid Battle, Warns It’s Still Not Enough
Among other things, the grants will help states expand prescription drug monitoring programs and increase access to medication-assisted treatment.