Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Official Suggests New Doctor Payment Formula Could Be Delayed
CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt tells a Senate hearing that administration officials are concerned the needs of small physician practices may not have been addressed yet. In other Medicare news: a study on what age groups spend more on end-of-life care, Sen. Orrin Hatch wants changes to the Stark Law and a hospice agrees to a penalty.
Even As Public Fury Mounts And Scrutiny Intensifies, Drugmakers Are Still Boosting Prices
U.S. manufacturers’ prices of pharmaceuticals rose 9.8 percent from May 2015 through May 2016, the second-highest increase among the 20 largest products and services tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index. Meanwhile, Valeant’s former CEO sells $100 million in stock, a look at how Gilead avoided paying $10 billion in U.S. taxes and Mark Cuban talks sky high drug prices.
CDC Risk Analysis: Olympics Won’t Be To Blame For Spread Of Zika
The estimated 350,000 to 500,000 people headed to Brazil for the Olympic and Paralympic Games represent less than 0.25 percent of the total who traveled to Zika-affected countries in 2015. “The relative contribution of the Olympics is really quite small,” said Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s division of global migration and quarantine.
Montana Officials Say 47,400 Residents Sign Up For Medicaid Expansion
The report to the legislature also notes that the program has brought in $75 million in federal funding. In North Carolina, the Democratic candidate for governor says he will push for Medicaid expansion.
Ohio Hospital A Microcosm Of Health Law Implementation Successes And Struggles
University Hospitals in Cleveland have had to adjust to a new way of life under the Affordable Care Act. In other health law news, IRS issues new opt-out payment rules and a look at the difference in premiums from 2016 to 2017 in the marketplaces where information is available.
Most Recent Closing Of Insurance Co-Op Leaves Some Customers In Illinois Facing Higher Costs
Customers switching plans may not be able to keep the same doctors and will not be credited for money that they’ve already paid toward their deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
House Passes Bill To Shield Insurers From Paying For Abortions In Largely Symbolic Vote
A California order requiring health insurance companies to pay for elective abortions was upheld by the Obama administration, so it is unlikely the House-passed “Conscience Protection Act” would become law during his presidency. In other news, a Democratic lawmaker proposes a bill that would protect information about workers’ birth control use.
Despite Discord Over Funding, Congress Sends Opioid Bill To President’s Desk
The legislation, which passed the Senate 92-2, focuses on treatment and recovery efforts but the authorized spending has not been appropriated. This is “the first time that we’ve treated addiction like the disease that it is,” says Sen. Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio.
National Health Spending Expected To Hit New High Of $10,000 Per Person
CMS estimates that the 5.5 percent increase in 2015 totals $3.2 trillion. After several years of lower growth, the acceleration is largely attributed to a stronger economy, an uptick in medical prices and an aging baby boomers, as well as specialty drug costs.
Note to readers: We would also love to hear your thoughts on our newsletters. Click here to take a short survey to tell us what you think. Here are today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Younger Seniors Amass More End-Of-Life Care Than Oldest Americans, Study Finds
A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis sheds new light on a widely-held belief about the costs of end-of-life care.
Hospital Finance Measure On California Ballot May Stump Voters
Proposition 52 would permanently enshrine a significant source of funding for hospitals and limit lawmakers’ ability to change it.
Palliative Care Sometimes Adds To Families’ Stress Burden, Study Finds
A study in JAMA finds palliative care counseling for families of chronically ill patients is not routinely needed by all and sometimes increases symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
Las vacunas no son sólo para los niños
La palabra “inmunización” evoca a la salud infantil. Ahora, los doctores de California están dirigiendo su atención a los adultos, quienes no han sido tan diligentes a la hora de recibir sus vacunas.
Seven Remaining Obamacare Co-Ops Prepare Survival Strategies
Two-thirds of the federally funded co-ops created by the health law to sell health insurance to individuals and small employers have folded and those that remain are diversifying to stay alive.
Viewpoints: The Public Option Returns; Medicaid’s Family Planning
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Drug Costs: It’s A Drugmaker’s World And We’re All Just Living In It
Editorial and opinion writers offer their takes on drug-cost issues.
How Big Pharma Dodged An Obamacare Overhaul
News outlets report on the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Outlets report on health news from Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Utah, California, Texas, Colorado and Massachusetts.
Study Of California Suicide Hotlines Finds Room For Improvement
Most of the hotlines studied follow best practices, but researchers point to areas — such as Increasing the availability of chat and text services — where services can be enhanced. In other news, the CDC releases recommendations for the California county that was struck by a pair of suicides clusters.