Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Self-Care Doesn’t Appear To Be Working; Alabama Will Try Cruel New Execution Method
Editorial writers delve into self-care, death penalty methods, cancer, and more.
Drugmaker Mallinckrodt May Be Considering Exiting Opioid Business
The pharmaceutical maker is one of the largest U.S. producers of prescription opioids, the Wall Street Journal reminds us, and it’s in talks with its investors about selling a portion or all of its business units. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, fentanyl overdose deaths are rising again.
Research Shows Obesity As A Cardiac Death Factor Has Been Rising
Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds the number of adult American deaths from heart disease with obesity cited as a factor soared between 1999 and 2020. Meanwhile, CNN reports on WHO efforts to promote proper treatment for hypertension.
Judge Blocks California Youth Online Safety Law On Constitutional Grounds
The temporary block happened because the California Age-Appropriate Design Code probably violates the First Amendment, the Washington Post explains. Modeled after UK legislation, it would require digital platforms to verify, before launch, if their products could harm young people.
House GOP’s Stopgap Funding Plan Opposed By Own Members, Senate Dems
A Republican House bill to extend federal government funding for an additional 30 days past the Sept. 30 deadline faces stiff opposition from a handful of House conservatives. Even if it passed, Senate Democrats say they do not support such a measure.
‘Historic’ Health Care Worker Strike At Kaiser Permanente Looms After Vote
Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Kaiser Permanente employees voted to authorize a strike against unfair labor practices, after recent votes by 68,000 staff members in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Southwest Washington. Also in the news: hospital mergers, environmental sustainability, and more. (Note: KFF Health News is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)
Med Dosage Errors Among Young People With ADHD Have Soared: Study
The study warns that over the past two decades, errors involving ADHD medications rose by almost 300% in people under 20 — mostly in cases of taking a medication twice. Separately, a study on MDMA as a treatment for PTSD could result in consideration for FDA approval by 2024.
Despite Warnings, New Covid Shot Prices Are Surprising Some
Covid vaccines were free until the pandemic public health emergency ended. Even though some pharmacies have signs for “free” shots, insurers and patients are being billed for them. Meanwhile, Pfizer expects 1 in 4 in the U.S. will get shots this year.
Covid BA.2.86 Spreads Across States, But Outnumbered By Other Variants
The variant is a “highly mutated” version of covid and has now been found in 10 states. It remains a rare source of covid cases, though, being outnumbered by other dominant variants. Meanwhile, the CDC has updated its map showing where covid is spreading through the U.S. population.
Lobbying Push Targets CMS Plan To Cut Physician Pay For Some Providers
CMS faces pressure from some health care providers to revise its proposed rule that would reduce Medicare physician fees for some specialists in order to boost payments for primary care physicians. Other Medicare news relates to savings programs, drug price negotiations, scams, and more.
Abortions Restart In Wisconsin — And Appointments Are Fully Booked
The state halted abortions 15 months ago when Roe v. Wade was struck down. Planned Parenthood offered abortions Monday at clinics in Madison and Milwaukee; every appointment was filled within 24 hours of announcing the news, AP reported. Other abortion news is from Florida and Indiana.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: More Steps Backward In Women’s Reproductive Rights; Did Your Brain Forget On Purpose?
Editorial writers discuss reproductive rights, brain function, covid and more.
There Have Been Over 500 Mass Shootings In the US So Far In 2023
It’s just over 250 days into 2023. As of Saturday night there has been more than 500 mass shootings, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, equating to around two per day. Separately, a new survey finds that Americans do want gun restrictions on those convicted of domestic violence.
Kansas Stops Allowing Gender Changes On Birth Certificates
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment is citing a new law preventing the state from legally recognizing recognizing modified gender identities. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s first openly transgender political official has been elected.
Trump Calls Florida’s Six-Week Abortion Ban ‘A Terrible Mistake,’ Says He Wouldn’t Sign 15-Week Ban
In an interview that aired Sunday, former President Donald Trump refused to say what time frame he would support but said he would “negotiate something” with Democrats so that “both sides are going to like me.” It was unclear how or if his statement would affect conservative voters.
Making An Appointment For The New Covid Shot? It Has A New Nickname
The word “booster” is missing from pharmacy websites now: The new shot is being called the “2023-2024 covid-19 vaccine” or simply the “updated covid-19 vaccine.” Meanwhile, covid symptoms are getting harder to tell apart from allergy symptoms.
Study Finds Most Rural Residents’ End-Of-Life Wishes Go Unfulfilled
Data from the St. David’s Foundation offers some insight into how people’s end-of-life health care wishes are fulfilled. A little over a third of people’s wishes actually are — but for rural residents, it’s worse. In other news, rural Pennsylvania hospital uses GoFundMe to try to financially survive.
Chamber Of Commerce Argues Against Drug Price Negotiations In Legal Battle
The first oral arguments in the landmark case were heard Friday in the Southern District Court of Ohio. The event included a lawyer for the Chamber of Commerce urging a federal judge to block the Biden administration’s plans for negotiating Medicare drug pricing with pharmaceutical companies.
Health Programs On Verge Of Expiring Amid Congressional Gridlock
A number of federal health programs are caught up in lawmakers’ disarray surrounding spending bills that is threatening to shut down the government. Axios rounds up the list, while other news outlets report on the funding negotiations.