Latest KFF Health News Stories
How Much Screen Time Is Too Much Screen Time For Kids?
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released its recommendations for how much children and teenagers should be exposed to TVs, computers and smartphones.
After Flood Of Reactions To Kentucky’s Medicaid Changes, CMS Extends Comment Period
Federal records show Kentucky is the first state to receive such an extension. Media outlets also report on other Medicaid developments in Louisiana and Florida.
Naming And Shaming Fails To Curb Hospitals’ Practice Of Overcharging Patients
“There’s nothing stopping them,” says Karoline Mortensen, one of the authors of a study that looked at charges before and after hospitals received negative publicity about the high costs. If anything, they got more expensive after being shamed publicly.
The Patients Behind Theranos’ Dubious, Unreliable Test Results
Theranos failed to maintain basic safeguards to ensure consistent results — according to regulators, independent lab directors and quality-control experts — and patients suffered.
Trump’s Claim About Abortions Taking Place Days Before Birth ‘Absurd,’ Expert Says
If, very late in pregnancy, a fetus was found to be nonviable the woman might continue the pregnancy and deliver a stillborn baby, or she might decide not to continue the pregnancy, says Dr. Aaron B. Caughey. “Would you call that an abortion? I think most of us wouldn’t use that language.”
Gilead Presses For Exclusivity On HIV Drug After Judge’s Ruling That FDA Policy Is ‘Capricious’
Gilead wants the agency to retroactively grant it five years of exclusive marketing. Meanwhile, groups say the gaps in Food and Drug Administration’s biosimilar policies are creating untenable situations.
Lawmakers Seek Explanation For ‘Staggering,’ ‘Outrageous’ Price Hikes
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Elijah Cummings wrote to Ariad Pharmaceuticals demanding data on their cancer treatment.
Watchdog: EPA Lacked Urgency On Flint, Failed In Oversight Role
The agency had sufficient authority to issue an emergency order as early as June 2015, but it didn’t take action until January 2016, the report finds.
Minnesota Residents Should Shop For Insurance Early To Avoid Enrollment Caps
Insurance analysts warn that some plans could fill up in a matter of weeks. In other regional insurance news, some Missouri companies are dropping domestic partner coverage, saying they are no longer necessary as same-sex couples can now legally wed.
Obama Urges Fixes To Signature Legislation: It Isn’t Perfect — But ‘No Law Is’
The president spoke of the law’s successes while also urging lawmakers and governors to make the changes necessary to make it better. “When one of these companies comes out with a new smartphone and it had a few bugs, what do they do? They fix it,” he said. “You don’t say, well, we’re repealing smartphones.”
En un estado diverso, médicos latinos de California impulsan por más de ellos mismos
Los latinos representan el 40 por ciento de la población de California, pero hay pocos doctores hispanos. Un grupo de profesionales busca cambiar esta realidad.
First Edition: October 21, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
California’s Latino Doctors Push For More Of Their Own
More than one-third of the state’s Latino physicians plan to retire within the next 10 years, according to a new survey.
Long-Term, Reversible Contraception Gains Traction With Young Women
Implants and intrauterine devices are endorsed by pediatricians, OB-GYNs and health officials as a way to help girls and women space their pregnancies and reduce the risk of having a premature baby.
To Curb Unintended Pregnancy, States Turn To IUDs — In The Delivery Room
States are contemplating whether access to IUD through post-delivery procedures could be an important step in curbing unintended pregnancies.
Researchers Unlock Mystery Of How Zika Spreads In Human Cells
Zika virus infection changes both viral and human RNA, affecting the body’s immune response, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego.
California Man Dies After Apparent Failure Of Artificial Heart Compressor
The FDA confirms it is looking into more than one problem with the compressor, which is used to power patients’ artificial hearts.
Viewpoints: Why Medicare Should Negotiate Drug Prices; What About That Cadillac Tax?
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: A Zika Experiment; Making Vaccines; The Big Soda Battle
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Outlets report on health news from California, Massachusetts, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Louisiana and Washington.