Latest KFF Health News Stories
Pandemic Waivers Of Nursing Home Regulations Ending
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will phase out pandemic-related temporary waivers of nursing home regulations. In other health care industry news, states are giving hospitals billions of dollars in federal aid to retain and recruit nurses and other professionals.
US Life Expectancy Falls Further To 76.6 Years
In a clear sign of a public health failure, the life expectancy of an American dropped for the second year in a row. In other news: opioids, food safety, mental health and a better way to measure BMI.
Court Strikes Down Military’s HIV Policy
A federal court ended a Pentagon policy forbidding enlisted military service members from deploying outside the U.S. and being commissioned as officers if they have HIV.
Medicare Finalizes Plan To Pay For Alzheimer’s Drug For Those In Studies
The drug, Aduhelm, received conditional approval from the FDA, but doctors and others have questioned whether studies showed it was effective and raised concerns about serious side effects and the high cost. Medicare officials said they would cover the drug only if patients were enrolled in a clinical trial.
Pelosi, Senators, DC Mayor Test Positive For Covid
Another day, another wave of government officials announcing new covid infections: Joining the growing list Thursday were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Sens. Susan Collins and Raphael Warnock. The White House says that President Joe Biden has not yet had close contact with anyone who has tested positive.
Federal Worker Vaccine Mandate Reinstated By Federal Appeals Court
The Biden administration’s covid shot requirement had been overturned by a Texas federal judge in January, but a new ruling has reinstated the mandate. In other news, the Health and Human Services Department is looking for input on new environmental health proposals.
A Fall Covid Surge Likely Coming, Fauci Forecasts
Dr. Anthony Fauci says that probable conditions in the U.S. next fall — like waning immunity, fewer precautions, and variants — could offer up a favorable environment for another covid wave.
Jackson Confirmed To Court Poised To Shape Health Policy
In a historic vote, the Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, and will swell the ranks to four women for the first time. The incoming cases the conservative-leaning court faces — many of which will influence the health landscape for years — may be the “most controversial” in American politics, media outlets note.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: How To Get More Children Vaccinated Against Covid; Covid.gov Is A Failure
Opinion writers tackle these covid topics.
Viewpoints: Failure To Expand Medicaid Hurts Tennesseans; How To Tackle Racism In Organ Procurement
Editorial writers delve into these public health topics.
Research Roundup: Covid; Antibiotic Use; Acute Stroke; More
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
New York To Allow Electronic Voting For People With Disabilities
A report in The New York Times covers a lawsuit settlement made by the New York State Board of Elections, under the terms of which the state will create a system to allow voters with disabilities like blindness or paralysis to vote. Also: HIV rates in Florida, transgender laws in Kentucky, and more.
India Reports First Case Of Omicron XE
The patient with the new subvariant infection had traveled to Mumbai from South Africa. Meanwhile, overseas airlines are canceling hundreds of flights because of staffing shortages caused by covid, an outburst from an epidemiologist against China’s covid policies, and more.
Study: Subsidies Sway Many With Low Incomes To Fill Costly Prescriptions
A study showed people with low incomes but with government subsidies were nearly twice as likely to fill a prescription when medications were expensive than those without subsidies. In other drug pricing news, biosimilar and generic drugs are expected to slow price rises this year.
When Rural Veterans Get Meds From VA, They Need ERs Less: Study
The study tracked more than 13,000 veterans with a mental health history and found they made fewer visits to Emergency Departments for any health reason when meds were available from the VA. Meanwhile, the high suicide rate of active-duty soldiers in Alaska is causing concern.
Care Crisis In Rural Iowa As EMTs Retire With No Replacements
Also: CVS is selling its PayFlex division to a financial services company; providers are being given a change to request extra Provider Relief Fund reporting time; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed an indefinite delay to its radiation oncology payment model, and more.
Missouri Bill Would Strongly Restrict Abortions, Including Pill-Based
The House bill includes a plethora of restrictions, including barring out-of-state pharmacies from delivering drugs meant to induce an abortion to patients in Missouri. A separate report says the “wave” of anti-abortion rules in Missouri is pushing more people to seek help in Illinois.
Fentanyl-Laced Pills Could Injure, Kill People En Masse, DEA Warns
The Drug Enforcement Administration used the phrase “mass-overdose events” in a news release, underlining the perceived threat. Other reports note that in one Bay Area county, more people died of fentanyl last year than from covid.
Time To Fix Dangerous Care Flaws At Nursing Homes: US Report
A sobering report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also suggests solutions for the “broken” U.S. nursing home health industry. The panel cited major problems around health care, staffing and facility finances that impact the 1.3 million Americans living and 3 million working in such facilities.