Latest KFF Health News Stories
Longer Looks: Child Abuse; Social Media And Loneliness; And The Enduring Power Of Asperger’s
Each week, KHN finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Leapfrog Issues Semi-Annual Hospital Safety Ratings Report
Media outlets take a look at what area hospitals rated on the closely watched Leapfrog Group report, which bases its rankings on preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections that occur in hospitals.
Media outlets report on news from New York, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, Louisiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Texas, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.
HSAs Can Be A Powerful Savings Tool–But You Have To Know How To Utilize Them Right
Health savings accounts are unique in the triple tax advantage they offer, but many people can overlook them or find them too confusing to use.
The stations that are equipped with tools like blood pressure cuffs and could help people deal with minor health issues like colds can potentially be set up just about anywhere people might need them like airports. Currently, some medical centers and drug stores are testing them out. News on health technology is on data breaches involving 300,000 patients in October, as well.
The decision to offer contraception at the pregnancy centers would be a huge cultural shift, but it reflects a growing demand from some in the anti-abortion rights movement for the centers to rebrand themselves amid attacks on Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, a second judge has struck down the Trump administration’s conscience rules that would make it easier for health care providers to deny care to patients based on moral beliefs.
Red States Go Back To The Drawing Board As Roadblocks Derail Medicaid Work Requirements
Legal rulings have made red states more hesitant to try to implement work requirements, but Republicans aren’t throwing in the towel yet. Work requirements “are not dead, but they’re certainly on life support,” said Joan Alker, of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. “The reasons for states not to go down this path are piling up.” Medicaid news comes out of Missouri, Wyoming and Maine, as well.
How A Thriving, Armed White Supremacist Group Operates In Plain Sight
ProPublica spent several months examining the makeup and operations of Patriot Front, a group that was formed in the aftermath of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. In other public health news: childbirth, meth addiction, hygiene, walking, toxic chemicals and more.
An analysis of court documents show that, at the height of the crisis, Walgreens handled one in five pills getting shipped out across America. While most chain and independent pharmacies relied heavily on wholesalers to supply their prescription opioids, Walgreens obtained 97 percent of its pain pills directly from drug manufacturers, putting it in a unique position to be able to see red flags where they might be missed by others.
The company’s decision also follows the release of a study that shows mint is a favored flavor among young vapers. Meanwhile, more than 2,000 cases have now been reported in the mysterious vaping-related lung diseases outbreak.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) knows the road to universal coverage is full of bumps and potholes. But he sees a way forward through the conservative tenet of granting states more flexibility over their health funding. Meanwhile, “Medicare for All” continues to dominate the conversation in the 2020 presidential race.
First Edition: November 8, 2019
Note to Readers: This weekend is a great time to binge listen to the first two seasons of An Arm And A Leg: A Podcast About The Cost Of Health Care. And you can preview Season 3 too. It drops Thursday, Nov. 14.
Editorial pages focus on proposals for health care reform.
Viewpoints: Lessons On Learning To Seek Help, Assistance For Strong Mental Health
Opinion writers weigh in o these health issues and others.
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from California, Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland, Georgia, District of Columbia, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and North Carolina.
Researchers are pushing for more understanding about the nuance that exists under the umbrella term of transgender as a way to better address the mental health needs of the vulnerable population. Other mental health news looks at provider deserts, millennial health, and burnout at work.
With Frontotemporal Dementia Parts Of The Brain Associated With Personality Are Often Affected First
Loved ones will notice changes to a person’s behavior rather than notice slips in memory like one would see in Alzheimer’s. Because of this, a frontotemporal dementia can be extremely hard on the families who don’t understand why their loved one is so different. In other public health news: a new HIV strain, insomnia, “femicide,” the practice of dopamine starvation, and more.
Google Takes Steps Into Health Market With Fitbit; Both Companies Say Data Won’t Be Used For Ads
Fitbit, which has been pushing aggressively into health care, is a good fit for Google. It terminated Google Health in 2011 over lack of interest but many changes have occurred since then and tech companies are racing to make inroads. Other health technology news is on a data breach at Veritas Genetics.
CVS Touts Health Hubs, Acquisition Of Aetna After Posting Higher-Than-Expected Third Quarter Profits
The health hubs have performed so well, CVS wants to roll out 1,500 by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the unit that includes Aetna posted sales of $17.18 billion, helped by lower-than-expected medical costs.
