Latest KFF Health News Stories
Oropouche Virus Lingers In Semen For Over 2 Weeks, Scientists Find
A new study discovered that live virus replication was detectable in semen in a patient infected with Oropouche virus some 16 days after symptom onset, suggesting a risk of sexual transmission. Separately, tickborne babesiosis is on the rise.
Insurers To Shift A Bit From Medicare Advantage To Special Needs Plans
Health insurance companies are expected to pull back slightly from Medicare Advantage investing in 2025. Instead, Modern Healthcare reports, they will focus on Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans, or D-SNPs, which cover people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Other industry news is on employer plans, executive jobs, and more.
Meth Use Cited As A Factor In 1 In 5 Heat-Related Deaths In US
In southwestern states that routinely see sweltering temperatures, the stimulant was found in a third of heat deaths in 2023. Also, the successes and setbacks of modern medicine.
Medicare To Announce Pilot Program That Offers Some Generic Drugs For $2
Axios reports the Biden administration today will release a preliminary list of generic drugs for Medicare recipients that would cost no more than $2 out of pocket. The pilot program aims to test drug adherence and health outcomes.
Lawsuit Triggered As FDA Declares End Of Mounjaro, Zepbound Shortage
Compounding pharmacies sued the FDA after its declaration, bringing an end to the sale of the “copycat” drugs they provide. Meanwhile, as demand soars for weight loss drugs, WeightWatchers eyes compound version of the drug for participants in its programs.
Mifepristone Maker To Seek FDA OK For Use Of Drug To Treat Miscarriages
The Wall Street Journal reports that Danco, the pharmaceutical company that makes mifepristone under the label Mifeprex, plans to apply for FDA approval for use of the drug in managing miscarriages. If approved the drug could become more widely available, when its use is already under legal challenge as part of a medication abortion protocol.
Harris Proposes Home Health Care Expansion Under Medicare
Vice President Kamala Harris says if elected president she will push for increased Medicare coverage of long-term care services in the home for aging patients. Her campaign also talked about drug prices and PBMs Tuesday; the New York Times compares the presidential candidates’ positions on the issue.
Baxter Restarts Shipping IV Products As Hospitals Cope With Shortage
The company is leaning on its global plants to help meet production demands after its Helene-damaged facility in North Carolina temporarily shut down. Meanwhile, hospitals, health care facilities, and workers in Florida prepare for Hurricane Milton’s direct hit.
GSK’s Widely Used RSV Shot Retains 43% Potency In Third Year, Data Show
Meanwhile, demand for vaccines targeting respiratory syncytial virus are down in the U.S. Also, if you are uncertain about whether you might have covid or the flu, the newly approved at-home Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test can give you results in 15 minutes.
First Edition: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
‘Silence In Sikeston’ Podcast Finale: How Do You Build Trust?
Our “Silence in Sikeston” project, a multimedia collaboration from KFF Health News, Retro Report, and WORLD, explores the impact of a 1942 lynching and a 2020 police shooting on a rural Missouri community. Today, Episode 4 of our podcast explores the promise of systemic change and structural fixes for racism.
As Humanity Reaches Peak Longevity, It’s Time To Rethink Retirement Age
Medical technology and research advances might not be giving the same boost they once did, a new study says. In other news, scientists take first images of waste-disposal mechanisms in living people’s brains, with Alzheimer’s treatment implications. Plus: the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
CVS Warns Of More Than 1,000 Layoffs Around New England Headquarters
In letters to the respective states warning of the upcoming layoffs, CVS signaled its plans to cut more than 630 jobs at it’s Woonsocket, Rhode Island, headquarters. Another 416 employees of the pharmacy giant’s Aetna subsidiary in Hartford, Connecticut, will also be laid off.
Chicago Concertgoers Urged To Seek Medical Care After Bat Exposure
Although not all bats carry rabies, the city’s health department wants people to seek post-exposure prophylaxis if they were bitten, scratched, or had contact with a bat. Meanwhile, travelers from Rwanda soon will have to be tested for the deadly Marburg virus, CDC officials say.
Harris To Roll Out Medicare Policy To Help Seniors Get Covered Care At Home
The Democratic presidential candidate hopes to make it possible for Americans to stay in their homes while receiving elder care. Separately, PolitiFact says Republican nominee Donald Trump’s statement that Harris ‘wants to legalize fentanyl’ is bunk.
EPA To Water Utilities: Replace All Lead Pipes Within A Decade
The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule also restricts the amount of lead allowed in U.S. drinking water. Also in the news: a cyberattack on the nation’s largest water utility, the benefit of outside time on kids’ vision, cancer risk in acne creams and cleansers, and more.
Hurricane Milton Sparks Hospital Evacuations, Affecting Thousands
As Florida braces for its second hurricane in two weeks, many health care facilities are preparing to evacuate patients and suspend services. Meanwhile, Politico reports that federal government disaster relief programs are near collapse.
Supreme Court Rebuffs Cases On Abortion, IVF; Georgia Reinstates Abortion Ban
Lower courts’ rulings are allowed to stand on whether EMTALA supersedes the Texas abortion law and whether Alabamans may seek redress for the wrongful death of an embryo.
First Edition: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
