Latest KFF Health News Stories
Politicians Continue To Play Blame Game As Localities Scrape Together Funds For Zika Fight
Discussions over how to pay for efforts to battle the mosquito-borne virus remain contentious.
EpiPen’s Price Hikes Draw Intense Scrutiny, Raise Ire Among Lawmakers
News outlets report on how the maker of the emergency allergy medicine came to raise the treatment’s price tag by so much, how this move fits into the broader story of U.S. drug pricing policy and how the ensuing controversy will now play out both in the marketplace and on Capitol Hill.
Five States Sue To Halt Obama Administration Rules On Transgender Health
The Department of Health and Human Services’ rules seek to keep insurers from blanket bans on coverage of gender reassignment services and ban health care providers from refusing to care for transgender patients. The states say the regulations could force doctors to perform gender transition procedures on children.
Approving Stiff Rate Hikes, Tenn. Insurance Chief Says Obamacare Exchange ‘Very Near Collapse’
Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said the increases in rates were necessary to ensure health care options throughout the state. News outlets also report on marketplace developments in Alabama, Georgia and Texas.
Insurance Startup Oscar Pulling Out Of Health Law Marketplaces In N.J. and Texas
The company says it has suffered significant losses on the Obamacare markets and is rethinking its approach.
First Edition: August 24, 2016
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
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.