Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
More Exchange Plans Offer Patients Easier Access To Some Expensive Drugs: Report
The analysis by Avalere examines changes in how silver plans on the insurance marketplaces handle coverage for high-cost specialty drugs.
What’s California’s Prescription For Rising Drug Costs?
How high-cost drugs are impacting California.
Some Firms Save Money By Offering Employees Free Surgery
The idea is this: Negotiate a flat price with a few hospitals to cover surgery, physical therapy and certain other post-op treatments. Companies save money and hospitals gain patients.
Using Novel Line-Item Veto, Ark. Governor Extends Medicaid Expansion
The unusual strategy helped the governor get around a small group of Republican senators who threatened to cancel the expansion, which has brought coverage to more than 267,000 state residents.
Viewpoints: Obamacare And Medical Debt; Zapping Zika
A selection of opinions from around the country.
Longer Looks: A Medical Mystery; Fentanyl; Preventive Medicine
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
News outlets report on health issues in California, Oklahoma, Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, Iowa and Virginia.
Alabama Medicaid Officials Offer Budget Details As They Press Lawmakers For More Money
The legislature’s budget came in $85 million short of what the governor and state officials requested. News outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Iowa, Ohio and Oklahoma.
A Flint employee and two state workers assigned to monitor water quality in cities are facing charges for their connection with Flint’s water crisis, including felonies that carry penalties of as much as five years in prison. But they not going to be the only ones facing repercussions, says Bill Schuette, Michigan’s attorney general. “These charges are only the beginning.”
House Legislation Aimed At Curbing Opioid Crisis Won’t Include New Funding
Republican leaders say they have already done their part by approving $6 million in opioid programs in last year’s omnibus spending bill. Elsewhere, media outlets offer coverage of the epidemic out of the states.
Medical Groups Alarmed By ‘Abortion Reversal’ Promises, Legislation
Anti-abortion groups are promoting bills that require doctors to tell patients who are taking pills to induce an abortion that if they have regrets, they can stop the procedure after taking the first pill. But many in the medical community warn that advice is based on a small anecdotal report and has no serious scientific standing. Meanwhile, the Alabama legislature is debating a ban on a common abortion method.
Novartis Profits Fall With Competition From Generic Cancer Drug
Meanwhile, GlaxoSmithKline is in search of a new CEO and the excitement surrounding a new cholesterol drug is turning into panic over price tag concerns.
Senators Hopeful Zika Funding Agreement Is In Sight
Top Appropriations Committee Democrat Barbara Mikulski of Maryland said the Zika issue is “in play” for a vote at the panel’s Thursday hearing. In other Zika news, a Los Angeles Times reporter takes readers to the frontline of the outbreak in Brazil, and Seattle experts talk about just how severe the birth defects caused by the virus are.
GOP Unveils Documents At Fetal Tissue Hearing, But Dems Say They’re Recycled And Misleading
Wednesday’s Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives hearing on the issue devolved into the two sides arguing whether the evidence was ground breaking or even valid.
Program Targets Residents’ Views And Stresses When It Comes To End-Of-Life Care
Rising doctors learn new skills in dealing with terminally ill patients and their families. Meanwhile, The Associated Press offers the key things to know for doctor-patient conversations on critical care options.
Release Of Hospital Quality Ratings Delayed By Medicare Amid Lawmaker, Lobbying Pressure
This week’s expected release of the latest star ratings by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is postponed until July following congressional and industry questions about the methodology.
Busy Week For Insurance Companies Highlights Evolving Landscape For The Industry
UnitedHealth is pulling out of all but a few Obamacare markets, Cigna is heading in the opposite direction with plans to expand, and Anthem is pursing a collaborative approach to working with hospitals. The changes show a fluid marketplace as companies race to find the best way to cut costs and improve care.
Ark. Senate Passes Bill That Would Allow Governor To Extend Medicaid Expansion
The legislation now goes to the House. Opponents warn that Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s controversial strategy for the bill could invoke lawsuits. Meanwhile, in Kansas, the hospitals and others are frustrated by the lack of progress for a bill to expand the program that provides health coverage to low-income residents.
Health Law Benefits Reaching Poor Americans’ Wallets, Study Finds
New research shows that many poor Americans’ financial woes have been eased by the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, but experts are unable to show if it has made low-income people any healthier.