Latest KFF Health News Stories
Hidden Stroke Victims: The Young
The number of hospitalizations for stroke is rising quickly among young people, even as it drops across the U.S. population as a whole.
California Court Helps Kids By Healing Parents’ Addictions
The opioid epidemic may be fueling a rise in the number of children in foster care. But a special family court is trying to keep families together by treating parents with substance abuse problems.
As The For-Profit World Moves Into An Elder Care Program, Some Worry
PACE, a little-known Medicare program that helps keep older people in their own homes, is allowing for-profit companies in. Tech and venture capital have expressed interest.
Government-Protected ‘Monopolies’ Drive Drug Prices Higher, Study Says
Researchers at Harvard University examined thousands of studies to determine why drug prices have climbed and what might be done about it.
Viewpoints: Improve Medicare’s Drug Payment Test; Have Scientists Judge Biotech Patents
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Marketplace Debate: Can Exchanges Survive Aetna Withdrawal, Other Problems?
Commentators look at the issues surrounding the insurance marketplaces that are central to the federal health law.
State Highlights: Fla. Regulators Weigh Insurance Rate Hikes; Opioid Overdoses Rise In Ohio
Outlets report on health news from Florida, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Michigan.
Lower Vaccination Rates In Iowa Raise Concerns For State Health And School Officials
Other public health stories from the states cover dental care for kids, connecting low-income women with doulas, mental health services for trauma victims and the dangers of lead paint.
Critics Question NYC Mayor’s Staffing Plan To Fix Budget Crunch At Public Hospitals
State and federal aid for 11 New York City hospitals is projected to drop by almost $1 billion by fiscal year 2020. News organizations also report on developments at facilities in Texas and New Hampshire.
FDA Complains That Drugmakers Abuse Petition Process To Try To Hold Up Drug Approvals
Regulators tell Congress that many citizen petitions submitted do not raise valid health concerns and waste time because the Food and Drug Administration must review each one. FDA officials say pharmaceutical companies use them as a ruse “aimed at blocking generic or biosimilar competition.”
Zika’s Wide-Ranging Impact: From Mixing Up Abortion Debate To Creating Business Opportunities
In other Zika-related news, Miami-Dade Country receives $5 million from the state to help fund the fight against the virus. Also, Florida students return to classrooms within the Zika zone while Gov. Rick Scott is targeted by a consumer advocacy group for his response to pregnant women’s concerns.
Clinton To Propose Expanded Tax Credits To Help Small Businesses Provide Workers Health Insurance
According to The Wall Street Journal, the proposal would simplify an underused tax credit created by the Affordable Care Act and expand it to companies with up to 50 workers. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that some Republicans suggest that a Hillary Clinton presidency could shift the health care debate from efforts to kill it to those that would tweak it.
Iowa Governor Dismisses Criticism Of Private Medicaid Managed Care Firms
Gov. Terry Branstad says the state’s move this year to have three private firms run the Medicaid program is saving Iowa “significant” money, and he scoffs at concerns that the companies are not treating health care providers fairly.
Year-Long Study Leads Health-Services Company To Revamp Its Employee Wellness Program
Meanwhile, MedCity News details how hospitals are struggling to figure out how best to use social media to engage patients.
Senators Want Mylan To Justify 400-Percent Cost Increase For EpiPen Pack
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, asks Mylan labs for pricing data on the auto-injected devices used to reverse potentially deadly allergic reactions. Meanswhile, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., asked the Federal Trade Commission and Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the company’s “outrageous” price hike for the medication.
First Edition: August 23, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Geriatric ERs Reduce Stress, Medical Risks For Elderly Patients
Overcrowding and chaos in traditional emergency rooms can harm seniors’ health. That’s prompting some hospitals to open ERs designed specifically for the elderly.
Public Health Officials Struggle To Identify Sepsis Before It Becomes Deadly
Consumer campaigns, hospital rules and some new state laws seek to increase awareness about the lethal disease.
CMS Identifies Hospitals Paid Nearly $1.5B In 2015 Medicare Billing Settlement
A year after settling billing disputes with 2,022 hospitals for 68 cents on the dollar, the government has revealed who got paid and how much.
Who’s Affected By Insurers’ Pullbacks And What It Could Mean For The ACA’s Future
Health insurance giant Aetna will stop selling insurance through most state exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act. It’s the third major insurer to pull back from Obamacare. Who’s affected and what this means for the future of the ACA.