Latest KFF Health News Stories
As Baby Boomers Age, Concerns About The Strain On Family Caregivers Deepen
About 40 million U.S. family caregivers provided unpaid care, valued at $470 billion, to an adult with limitations on daily activities in 2013. And those numbers are only going to increase. In other public health news, a needle-stealing scare highlights health system vulnerabilities and young people are not being tested for STDs.
A Stigma With Life And Death Consequences: Doctors Not Looking Past Patients’ Weight
Even when obese patients turn to their provider for concerns not related to their weight, it can seem that’s all the doctor cares about. Eventually, tired of hearing the same advice, they stop going to the appointments. And that can have fatal consequences.
Dems On Zika Funding: ‘We’re Not Going To Stop Talking About It Until We Get Some Money’
They will try to force a vote in the Senate next week, Sen. Harry Reid says. In other news, researchers say it is possible for Zika to be transferred via oral sex, the surgeon general talks about the need for proper funding to curb the spread of the virus, and an American athlete considers pulling out of the Olympics.
Prince Died From Fentanyl Overdose
The music icon’s death shines a spotlight on an epidemic that’s ravaging the country.
A Silver Lining In Lower ACA Exchange Enrollment?
In other health law news, The Hill reports on a Commonwealth Fund study concluding that many insurers still see opportunities in the marketplace. News outlets also report on related developments in Florida, North Carolina and Delaware.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Details On Death Certificates Offer Layers Of Clues To Opioid Epidemic
Deaths from opioid overdoses are on the rise, and we know that because of data on death certificates. States determine who fills them out and what information they record. And that can vary widely.
Young People At Risk For STDs Often Don’t Get Tested: Study
A CDC survey of teens and young adults finds that nearly half who have had sex but not been tested for disease believe they are not at risk. Yet young people account for half of all new sexually transmitted infections.
Prince Died Of Accidental Fentanyl Overdose, Medical Examiner Says
The day before his death, Prince was treated by a local doctor for withdrawal symptoms from opioid addiction.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Experimental Marijuana Treatments; Assisted Dying; The Burden On Patients
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Outlets report on health news from Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oregon.
Florida Changes Medicaid Policy To Provide Costly Hepatitis Drugs To Patients Earlier
The change comes after three groups filed suit alleging that the old policy violated patient rights. Also in the news, North Carolina sends its proposal for revamping its Medicaid program to federal officials for review and a shortfall in Kansas tax receipts raises fears of more cuts to Medicaid.
Smartphone App Empowers ‘Citizen Responders’ To Report Cardiac Emergencies In Seattle
Local medical and fire department officials want 15,000 to download the PulsePoint CPR app that allows bystanders to report a cardiac arrest happening nearby. In other information technology news, Politico interviews Karen DeSalvo, the White House’s point person on digitizing health care.
Med Student Finds Strength In Not Hiding Her Mental Illness
Medical schools often struggle with finding the balance when it comes to mental health. One woman, when applying, was advised not to show “any kind of weakness,” but instead she chose to be upfront about her struggles.
Teen Pregnancy Rate Drops To Historic Low
Experts cite a range of factors, including less sex, positive peer influence and more consistent use of birth control. In other public health news, NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health poll, 1 in 4 Americans reports having had a concussion.
Why 2016 Has Anti-Abortion Advocates Celebrating For Fifth Year In A Row
This year, 14 states have passed about 30 laws adding limitations to women trying to obtain abortions. But this success isn’t new. In total, the past five years account for a quarter of all abortion restrictions enacted since the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973.
Bon Secours Launches Richmond Insurance Network; Georgia Network In Dispute With UnitedHealthcare
News outlets also report on the progress health insurance mega-mergers are having with state and federal regulators, what human resources executives think about the future of employer-sponsored insurance and a move by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield to expand the reach of its Omnia plans.
Will One Nonprofit Hospital’s Move To Stop Suing Poor Patients For Unpaid Bills Start A Trend?
In other news, The Wall Street Journal reports National Institutes of Health doctors are protesting a shake-up at the agency’s renowned hospital and the Los Angeles Times reports on scope-related deaths at a Pasadena hospital.
From $4.5 Billion To $0: Theranos Founder’s Net Worth Bottoms Out, Forbes Estimates
Forbes magazine estimates that Elizabeth Holmes’ stake in her own company is “essentially worth nothing.” The blood-testing startup has been plagued with difficulties in the past year, which have caused the value to drop.