Latest KFF Health News Stories
FDA Plan To Remove Generic Status From ADHD Medication Faces Opposition From Drugmakers
Meanwhile, news outlets cover other pharmaceutical news from Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck.
Medicare Temporarily Stops More Insurers From Automatically Enrolling Beneficiaries
In the “seamless conversion” process, insurers switch marketplace customers to Medicare Advantage plans as the customers reach the age of 65 and become eligible for Medicare. But advocates complain that some seniors would rather be in traditional Medicare or may not know that they have been switched. Also in Medicare news, a federal audit finds problems in payments to chiropractors, Iowa officials say two Medicare supplement companies misled potential customers and federal officials find problems with Medicare Advantage online directories.
Obama Administration Asks Appeals Court To Overturn Health Law Ruling
Also in news related to the health law’s implementation, marketplace reports on how accountable care organizations have led to changes in how care is delivered.
States Face Double-Digit Premium Increases
Media outlets report on insurance rate news out of Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Tennessee and Connecticut.
Obamacare Premiums To Spike 25% On Average, But HHS Says Subsidies, Shopping Will Help
The Obama administration says customers buying insurance from the exchanges will still be able to find plans for less than $100 a month with help from federal subsidies. Republicans, however, pounce on the news of the premium increases as another sign the Affordable Care Act is failing.
First Edition: October 25, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Will A Study Save Victims Of Violence Or Gamble With Their Lives?
A major study in Philadelphia will look at whether it is better for people with gunshot or stab wounds to get basic care from paramedics or more advanced care before going to the hospital, as most do now.
VA Shifts To Clinical Pharmacists To Help Ease Patients’ Long Waits
Some Veterans Affairs’ hospitals are cutting vets’ long waits for outpatient care appointments by authorizing specially-trained pharmacists to treat certain patients with chronic care needs.
For Seniors, Teeth Need Care — But Insurance Coverage Is Rare
Traditional Medicare does not cover most dental needs and the private Medicare Advantage plans often have limited coverage, leaving most seniors struggling to pay for dental care out of pocket.
Feds Find Doctor Listings Often Wrong In Medicare Advantage Directories
The federal government’s first in-depth review reveals errors such as wrong addresses and incorrect phone numbers riddle many directories used by Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
Viewpoints: Obamacare Product Problems; Health Care’s Costs And Disparities
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news from Michigan, New York, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Ohio, Washington, Louisiana, Virginia, Florida and California.
The Missing Element In Tennessee’s Executive Health Care Landscape: Women
Women — often nurses, health aides and administrators — comprise about 80 percent of the national health care workforce, but the presence of women dwindles on the higher rungs of the corporate ladder.
Legal, Ethical Questions Arise Over Patients Who Stop Eating, Drinking To Speed Death
Sometimes patients aren’t willing to go through the process of securing aid in dying legally, or they live in a state where it is not allowed. Instead, they decide to just stop eating and drinking. In other public health news, a warmer ocean is leading to the spread of a flesh-eating bacteria, experts warn that letting dogs lick their owners face is dangerous, hydration therapy comes under scrutiny from skeptics and more.
Sharp Lines Drawn Over Hospitals’ Decision To Not Sell Sugary Beverages
Some say it’s practicing what they preach, while others cry, “Just give ’em a Coke.”
Researcher At National Cancer Institute Was Late Notifying Authorities About Deaths In Study
The delay in reporting the problems in a study of drugs to treat lymphoma is troubling, said National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins. In other news, a look at the racial disparities in breast cancer survival rates and issues surrounding the HPV vaccine recommendations.
Extremely Early Intervention: Scientists Try To Prevent Mental Illness Prenatally
Researchers gave the B vitamin choline to pregnant women, and found it successful in reducing pre-markers for schizophrenia after the child was born. In other news on children’s health, a mother hunts down the mysterious cause of her son’s paralysis, doctors turn away unvaccinated patients, the American Academy of Pediatrics updates its recommendations on SIDS and a doctor’s drug warning.
Examination Of 130 Shootings Offers Panoramic View Of Key Problems With Guns In America
The New York Times investigates the circumstances of 130 cases in which four or more people were shot, at least one fatally, and investigators identified at least one attacker. The results offer a look at fundamental cracks in the system, including how mental health issues play a role.
VA Refuses To Disclose Internal Rankings For Its Medical Centers
The Department of Veterans Affairs says that patient satisfaction surveys should be used as a true measure of improving care. But it’s unclear if such surveys exist or how those satisfaction scores would compare to non-VA facilities.
Administration’s Tough Campaign Against Medicare Fraud Busts Some Major Scams
The Justice Department reports that since 2010 the administration’s task force has arrested and prosecuted 1,200 people for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.