Latest KFF Health News Stories
Small Increase In Social Security Checks Could Bring Higher Medicare Premiums For Some Seniors
Because the complex formula for Medicare costs holds many people harmless, about a third of higher-income beneficiaries could see a steep increase in their premiums. Also, federal auditors find Medicare spends millions on unnecessary chiropractic care.
Speculation Starts To Build Around Clinton’s Potential Choices For Top Health Jobs
Her choices for the administration positions will have their hands full immediately, if Hillary Clinton wins the White House. Meanwhile, experts criticize Donald Trump’s plan to fight the opioid crisis, and the WikiLeaks hack could raise questions about Clinton’s Medicare proposals.
The 27 Million People The Health Law Left Behind
A new analysis looks at why there are still millions of uninsured under the Affordable Care Act. In other news, the Obama administration says that steep rate increases don’t actually reflect what customers can expect to pay next year, experts are pessimistic about progress that can be made in 2017 to fix the law, top lobbyists reject the idea of a public option and more.
First Edition: October 19, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
New California Law Will More Finely Parse Health Data On Asians
Advocates hope better data will help ethnic communities.
Big Raises For Many Home Care Workers Won’t Necessarily Help Senior Citizens
A $15 minimum wage will almost double what many home care workers are paid but won’t solve other problems.
Organ Donation And The Opioid Epidemic: ‘An Unexpected Life-Saving Legacy’
So far this year, more than one in four donations in New England are from people who died after a drug overdose — a much higher rate than in the U.S. overall, though it’s not clear why.
Viewpoints: Obamacare, Narrow Networks And The Future; Health Insurance’s Zombie Marketing
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news from Massachusetts, California, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Kansas, New Hampshire, Florida and Ohio.
Looming Threat Of Tuberculosis: U.S. Is ‘Right At The Edge Of Cliff’
A small uptick in TB cases worries experts — and they say the current levels of funding and infrastructure can’t handle an outbreak. In other public health news, calcium supplements increase women’s risk for heart disease; depression often tags along with autoimmune diseases; a look at lupus and pregnancy; and more stories.
Pepsi Announces Plan To Reduce Sugar, Fat In Its Beverages
Pepsi is one of several companies that have started to make changes to their products as consumers’ appetite for healthier products grows.
Surprise Medical Bills Can Mean Financial Ruin For Some Patients
A new study finds that, although there’s a growing awareness of the problem, some patients can be hit with bills up to 20 times more than they expected to pay.
Report: ER Has Become ‘Dumping Ground’ For Psych Patients Abandoned By Health System
Researchers found that people with mental health conditions rely more on the emergency department, are more likely to be admitted when they show up, and tend to stay longer, too.
Medicare Payment Rule May Put Doctors In Alternative Medicaid Program At Disadvantage
Most of the medical homes serving Medicaid patients will not count as an alternative pay model under the new rules. Also in Medicaid news, Arkansas officials announce 7,000 people were added to the state’s program in September.
Low Inflation May Leave High Earners With Steep Rise In Medicare Premiums
Because inflation has been low, Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment for retirement benefits is widely expected to be small so most Medicare beneficiaries will not get a premium increase. That means, unless Congress intervenes, high earners will shoulder more of the cost. Also, federal officials announce encouraging results from a Medicare initiative to improve the quality of primary care, and an association of nursing homes files suit against the government over a new rule barring arbitration agreements.
Omnicare To Settle Kickback Allegations Case For $28M
The Justice Department investigated charges that the nursing home pharmacy accepted kickbacks from drugmaker Abbott Laboratories to prescribe an anti-seizure medication to senior patients.
Pfizer To Undercut J&J With New Remicade Biosimilar
Pfizer will sell its version of the drug at a 15 percent discount of Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster rheumatoid-arthritis treatment.
Senator Calls Mylan’s Settlement ‘Unacceptable,’ Urges Justice Department To Reject It
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) says the settlement contains no admission of wrongdoing. “DOJ must fulfill its responsibility to fully and fairly investigate the facts, establish intent, and punish wrongdoing to deter present and future bad actors,” he wrote in the letter to the agency.
Biden Strikes Hopeful Chord, While Acknowledging Challenges, In Final Moonshot Report
The vice president detailed improvements that have come from the cancer moonshot initiative so far and laid out ambitious projects for the upcoming years.
Simple Choice Option Lets ACA Shoppers Make Apples-To-Apples Comparisons Between Plans
Officials say the new option will simplify shopping under the Affordable Care Act by reducing variation among plans. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth adjusts its forecast following its decision to drop out of the marketplaces, and the Koch brothers launch a million dollar ad campaign using Obamacare to target competitive Senate seats.