Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Investigation Reveals Drugmakers’ Deep Influence On Nation’s Response To Opioid Crisis

Morning Briefing

The Associated Press and The Center for Public Integrity find that drugmakers set in place a strategy to continue to profit off of doctors’ aggressive overprescribing, even as they claim to play an important role in curbing the epidemic.

Health Law Expanded Coverage For Ex-Inmates, But Gaps Remain

KFF Health News Original

The health law’s Medicaid expansion and its requirement that employer medical plans cover dependents up to age 26 had a significant impact on coverage for this population. The portion of young adult ex-inmates without insurance fell from 40 percent to 32 percent.

Mass. Tweaks Marijuana Rules, Incorporating Lessons Learned From First 3 Years

Morning Briefing

Granting more power to nurse practitioners to decide if a patient should be given medical marijuana and stricter labeling of the products are among the handful of updated regulations. In other news, a judge in Florida says officials there broke their own rules when granting marijuana licenses and legalization supporters in Massachusetts net a big-name donor. Meanwhile, scientists wonder, does marijuana make us lazy?

Brain Cancer Takes Over As Leading Cause Of Cancer Deaths Of Children, Adolescents

Morning Briefing

Also in this public health roundup, a small federal agency that monitors biomedical research misconduct is in turmoil, the Food and Drug Administration cracks down on online sales by the E-cigarette industry and the number of railroad workers in the U.S. who test positive for drug use is on the rise.

When Used In Surgery, Robots Can Hasten Recovery; Biotech Startups See Promise In Sweat

Morning Briefing

Also in the news, a new breast cancer test — molecular breast imaging — when paired with traditional mammograms is effective in identifying cancer that otherwise would have be missed in women with dense breasts.

Mylan Orchestrating Movement To Address Patient Price Concerns But Keep Prices High

Morning Briefing

One solution to the EpiPen controversy, some advocates say, is classifying it as preventive care so consumers wouldn’t have to pay anything for the life-saving drug. But while the suggestions seems to favor consumers, a New York Times investigation finds Mylan is pulling the strings.