Latest KFF Health News Stories
CMS Offering States Millions To Create Holistic Approach To Maternal Health
Modern Healthcare reported that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will give up to $17 million over 10 years to as many as 15 states to create initiatives designed to tackle the maternal health crisis. Medicaid covers about 40% of childbirths, it noted.
Wandering Assisted-Living Residents Dying In ‘Alarming Numbers’: Report
An investigation by The Washington Post shines a spotlight on to the number of people dying after they wander away from assisted-living care facilities. In other health industry news: a call for life science postdocs to get a pay hike; the merger of Elevance Health and Blue Cross of Louisiana; and more.
‘Nightmare For A Pharmacist’: Current Conditions Set Stage For Mistakes
CNN takes a deeper look at the current situation facing pharmacists across the country, where staff shortages and increased demand stretch pharmacists thin, and where mistakes can have legal and deadly consequences. Other pharma news is on weight-loss drugs, gender-affirming care, and more.
Girls More Than Twice As Likely To Contract HIV, UNICEF Study Finds
The problem, the agency says, is gender inequality, limited access to health care, and poor educational programs that put girls at particular risk for HIV worldwide. Conversely, reports say an effort to boost health care for the homeless in Boston led to a drop in HIV rates among drug users.
Missouri Becomes Last State In US To Start Prescription Monitoring Service
The goal is to block drug-seeking behavior by some patients and to prevent cross-medication interactions. Professionals who dispense controlled substances now have to log patient and prescription data. Meanwhile, in New York City, efforts progress toward banning solitary confinement in prison.
Covid, Flu On Rise In Heart Of Holiday Season; RSV Likely Past Peak, CDC Says
With covid hospitalizations — a closely watched indicator of the state of transmissions — rising for the 5th straight week, some regions’ hospitals are starting to have capacity concerns. CDC data also shows an increase in flu activity.
First Edition: December 18, 2023
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on bias, the Smithsonian’s brain collection, Pfizer’s future, and more.
Editorial writers tackle issues including reproductive rights, obesity, drug prices, and more.
Attorneys Push For Judge To Rule On Abortion Pill Ban In Wyoming
AP explains that attorneys for both sides in a challenge to Wyoming’s abortion restrictions are pressing a judge to rule on the law without holding a trial. The restrictions include the United States’ first explicit ban on abortion medications. Meanwhile, in Idaho, a controversy unfolds over medical exemptions for abortion bans.
FDA Warns Makers Not To Sell Unapproved Animal Antibiotics
Concerned over rising drug-resistant superbugs, the FDA sent letters to nine companies, including e-commerce company Chewy, warning against selling or making unapproved antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs for animals. Separately, an insect study examined antimicrobial resistance passing via genes.
Study Finds ‘Hundreds’ Of Child Deaths From Playing With Guns Over 20 Years
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that of the hundreds of child deaths from unintentional shootings over the past two decades, the vast majority happened due to guns being stored unlocked and loaded — many in a nightstand or on a bed.
In A First Since Covid, California’s Deaths From All Causes Are Close To Normal
The number of deaths from all causes is expected to drop beneath 300,000 for the first time since covid hit — close to pre-pandemic levels, the Mercury News reports. The decline is primarily caused by fewer covid deaths. Also in the news: the opioid crisis in California.
Philadelphia Set To Become First City To Make Medical Deportations Illegal
In a 14-to-1 vote Thursday, the Philadelphia City Council approved a bill that makes it unlawful for a hospital in the city to send a noncitizen to their home country without consent. Meanwhile, in Ohio, a bill to block doctors from giving gender care to trans youth is headed to the governor’s desk.
Health Companies Sign On To White House Parameters For AI Development
White House officials announced Tuesday that 28 health care companies — including CVS, Oscar, Curai, Devoted Health, Duke Health, Emory Healthcare, and WellSpan Health — are joining the Biden administration’s voluntary commitments that aim for safer development of artificial intelligence.
Lead-Tainted Applesauce May Have Been Deliberate Act
Stressing that the FDA is still investigating, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones explained that the applesauce pouches linked to scores of sick children may have been intentionally contaminated. Also in the news: Product recalls more than doubled between 2018 and 2022.
Kansas Governor Offers Medicaid Expansion Plan With Work Requirement
In an effort to court Republican support, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is floating a Medicaid expansion plan that includes a work requirement, as well as funding sources from hospitals. In South Dakota, lawmakers are also considering a resolution that would add work requirements to its Medicaid expansion.
Mixed MRNA Vaccine Treatment Shows Long-Term Promise Against Melanoma
The experimental messenger RNA shot, when paired with Merck’s Keytruda treatment, halved the chance of recurrence or death from melanoma after three years. CBS News explains how this mRNA tech is custom-built for each patient based on an analysis of their tumors.
Not Just ‘Long Covid’: Researchers Find ‘Long Flu’ Can Cause Lingering Harm
A published study offers evidence that patients who contract the influenza virus can experience persistent symptoms or long-lasting health effects. Other infectious disease news reports on RSV, covid, mpox, and more.
Biden Says New Caps Will Save Seniors Money On Prescriptions Next Year
President Joe Biden touted savings that Medicare beneficiaries are expected to see next year on some prescriptions drugs. As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, starting Jan. 1 pharmaceutical companies can be penalized for raising prices faster than inflation.