Latest KFF Health News Stories
News outlets report on health issues in Oregon, Kansas, California, Wisconsin, Colorado and Puerto Rico.
Mass. Community Hospitals Struggle With Low Payments
In other Massachusetts hospital news, a heated debate is taking place in the statehouse regarding how hospitals can press insurers to cover virtual visits. Elsewhere, Marketplace reports that hospital mergers within state borders may drive up treatment prices and the CEO of Chicago’s Presence has diagnosed the hospital chain’s financial ills. In Dallas, Parkland Hospital is experimenting with how patients with complex conditions can care for themselves at home.
Ala. Governor Threatens Budget Veto Over Medicaid Appropriation
Gov. Robert Bentley says the budget, which lawmakers are expected to approve this weekend, falls far short of the amount necessary for the program. Meanwhile, Bentley told health workers at a Monroe Country hospital that a lottery might be the most realistic option to raise adequate funding for the health insurance program for low-income people. And, in Mississippi, the Senate approved a bill calling for regular audits of the state’s electronic records system and program beneficiaries.
Even With Universal Lead Testing Some Baltimore Children Fall Through The Cracks
Despite an 86 percent decrease in lead poisoning cases since 2002, hundreds of Baltimore children are still poisoned every year. The city is taking more steps, but some say its not enough. In other news, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder releases goals to help Flint recover from its lead crisis.
Houston Health Officials’ Message: Zika Virus Is Coming, We’d Better Get Ready
Several elements — its location as a “gateway city,” the fact that it is home to the mosquitoes that carry Zika and its economic struggles — combine to create a fertile ground for the virus. In other news, during President Barack Obama’s historic visit with Cuban President Raul Castro, the two leaders discussed the countries’ collaboration over Zika research, among other health care related topics.
Sickle Cell Adults Find Health Care System Not Ready For Them
Before advances in care, patients with sickle cell anemia died in childhood or adolescence. But now that they are living to make the switch from pediatric to adult care, they’re finding an inadequate supply of physicians who have expertise with the condition and a dearth of infusion centers that could help reduce hospitalizations and the lengths of crises, among other struggles.
One City’s Plan To Fight Its Heroin Crisis: Supervised Injection Centers
The mayor knew the idea would spark backlash, but he also knew he had to do something drastic to battle the crisis that held his city in its grip. Meanwhile, STAT offers an interactive graph that shows how the epidemic has spiked in the past 15 years.
Health Care Industry Braces For Its Enemy No. 1: The Republican Front-Runners
With both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz promising to repeal the health law, hospitals, insurers, consulting firms and others whose businesses have boomed see headaches ahead. In other news, Hillary Clinton talks about how she would expand health care of undocumented immigrants.
FDA Proposes Ban On Powdered Surgical Gloves
The Food and Drug Administration said the powder added to some latex gloves can cause breathing problems, wound inflammation and scar tissue on internal organs when used during surgery. It would only be the second time the agency banned a device on the market.
Anthem Files Lawsuit Against Express Scripts Over Prescription Drug Prices
Anthem’s suit said it determined that it was paying “massively excessive prices” to Express Scripts, generating “an obscene profit windfall” for the pharmacy-benefit manager. Express Scripts President Tim Wentworth, who will take over as CEO in May, said he doesn’t intend to lose Anthem as a customer.
Secret Drug Coverage Deals May Increase Consumers’ Costs
Meanwhile, Walgreens continues efforts to strengthen its relationship with the drug wholesaler, AmerisourceBergen; and investors fret over Gilead’s next steps.
Valeant Shake-Up: CEO Out, CFO Denies Accusations Of ‘Improper Conduct’
The company also announced hedge-fund manager William Ackman will be added to its board. Valeant has been plagued with troubles since last August, enduring stock-price stumbles, questions about its accounting practices, attacks on its strategy of raising drug prices, a lengthy medical leave by CEO Michael Pearson and the internal review that delayed the filing of its annual report.
The administration might have an advantage in front of the Supreme Court in its defense of the contraception mandate for not-for-profit groups, but it also faces questions about whether it has shown a compelling interest in making sure all women get contraception coverage.
As Increasing Numbers Gain Coverage Under Obamacare, GOP Faces Dilemma
The Associated Press looks at the difficult choice for Republicans who oppose the president’s health program but haven’t offered much to replace it for the millions of people who would be uninsured without it. Other health law news includes reports on broadening transgender rights, administration efforts to promote the law and possible changes to a program to help insurers deal with outsized risks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Debate Arises Over HHS Plans For Privacy Rules On Addiction Treatment
The current guidelines, last updated in 1987, require patients to specify exactly who gets information about their care. But advocates of change say the new rule will fit in better in the era of sharing patient data through electronic medical records.
More Sickle Cell Patients Survive, But Care Is Hard To Find For Adults
For many years, most people with sickle cell died in childhood or adolescence, and the condition remained in the province of pediatrics. During the past two decades, advances in routine care have allowed many people to live into middle age and beyond, but barriers to care remain.
A selection of opinions from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in California, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts.
Christie Proposes Moratorium On Nonprofit Hospitals’ Property Taxes
The plan faces an uphill battle in the state’s legislature though. Media outlets report on other hospital developments in Florida; Washington, D.C., and Illinois.