Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial writers and columnists focus on these and other health issues such as superbugs, Medicare, gun safety and more.
Opinion writers examine the complexities of abortion rights.
The expanded coverage would cost an estimated $14 million in the upcoming budget year. The House voted 98-0 for the proposal Monday, sending it to the Senate. Other news on Medicaid comes from New Hampshire and Connecticut, as well.
Federal agencies have since issued warnings that the guidance has been taken too far in some cases and that providers should be careful from completely cutting off patients’ medication. Other news on the crisis comes out of Tennessee and Minnesota.
40 Percent Of Rural Americans Financially Struggle With Routine Medical Bills, Housing And Food
Access to health care is also an issue a new poll finds. One-quarter of respondents said they have not been able to get medical services when they needed it at some point in recent years. “At a time when we thought we had made major progress in reducing barriers to needed health care, the fact that 1 in 4 still face these barriers is an issue of national concern,” Robert J. Blendon, co-director of the survey and professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, tells NPR.
Media outlets report on news from Oregon, Pennsylvania, California, Louisiana, Connecticut, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina and Minnesota.
California Governor, Legislature Headed For Showdown Over Coverage For Undocumented Immigrants
California lawmakers want to expand coverage to everyone in the state, regardless of immigration status, but Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) says that expanding Medi-Cal to all adults over 25, who typically have higher health care costs than the young, could be financially unsustainable. The disagreement between the governor and Assembly members from his party is a rare one.
Children and teens are regularly waiting days in emergency rooms before a bed opens up in hospital psychiatric units. Adult and child psychiatrists alike are in short supply because the field is one of the lowest-paying medical specialties. And depression among teens is only getting worse. In other public health news: CBD supplements, incompetence, PTSD, obesity, and more.
But the test does have pitfalls: It can miss tumors, or mistake benign spots for malignancies and push patients into invasive, risky procedures like lung biopsies or surgery.
Beyond The Anti-Vaccination Movement: Poverty Plays A Role In Kids Not Getting Their Shots
Although much of the outbreak conversation has focused around ideological and religious exemptions, doctors say a critical piece of the puzzle is being ignored. “We see large coverage gaps among children who are living below the poverty line compared to those at or above poverty and among children who have no insurance,” says Dr. Holly Hill, a medical officer and epidemiologist at the CDC. “The highest disparity is among the uninsured compared to those with private insurance.” Meanwhile, the number of measles cases continues to rise across the country.
The justices want a federal appeals court to reconsider its 2018 ruling that allowed the lawsuits to proceed. The ruling centers around accusations that Merck didn’t properly warn patients about thigh-bone fractures linked to one of its popular drugs. In other news from the Supreme Court, the justices decline to hear a military medical malpractice suit.
Advocates have been vocal in their criticism of the Trump administration’s failure to ensure the health and safety of the youth detainees, a point driven home by the fifth death of a child in the past several months. “We should all be outraged and demand that those responsible for his well-being be held accountable,” said Efrén Olivares, a lawyer with the Texas Civil Rights Project.
The Supreme Court has been deliberating for months over Indiana’s fetal-disposal and genetic-disorder law, and Monday’s silence marks the 14th time the court has deferred action, suggesting an unusual amount of internal wrangling. The move comes after a turbulent week in the states about the hot-button abortion issue. Other news on the topic comes out of Mississippi, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, a chain of faith-based clinics sues HHS over its family planning rules.
McConnell Vows To Make Legislation Raising Tobacco Age ‘One Of My Highest Priorities’
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a longtime ally of the tobacco industry, but he is now leading the charge on raising the national smoking age. While public health officials applaud the move, some worry it allows lawmakers to say they’re taking action while bypassing other measures that would be more effective than just raising the legal age to 21.
‘Medicare For All’ Plan’s Benefits Could Raise Overall Price Tag, But Also Make It More Popular
The “Medicare for All” plans being touted by progressive lawmakers and 2020 presidential candidates include benefits, such as no copays and long-term care coverage, that surpass those of other countries with universal health care. Experts say it raises questions about how realistic the legislation is, but others say they are needed to sway Americans who are happy with their insurance coverage.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Boys Are Still More Likely To Take Their Own Lives, But Girls Are Steadily Narrowing That Gap
Among people in the U.S. ages 10 to 19, suicide has become a leading cause of death. “We want to look at treatments, look at interventions and really take into account the unique needs of girls versus boys,” said Donna Ruch, a research scientist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Easily Accessible Dietary Supplement Could Help Those With Rare Genetic Mutation Stave Off Cancer
Those with the mutation have an 85 percent chance of developing some type of cancer. But a dietary supplement might help them beat those odds. In other public health news: ovarian cancer, autism, pain, masculinity, pancreas health, and more.
COO Departs From Billionaire’s Health Initiative Haven For ‘Family Reasons’
The company’s hires–and now departures–have been closely watched as many in the health industry are braced for the new and possibly fierce competition expected to come from the initiative founded by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase. Other news from the health industry focuses on the “app economy,” elder care home profits, the legacy of Uwe Reinhardt and violence in the workplace.
Managed Care Growth May Be Cause Of Health Insurance Inflation Rate Hitting Five-Year Peak
Experts also said the increase in the health insurance index could be driven by the fact that insurers’ medical loss ratios may be decreasing as high premiums, particularly in the individual health insurance exchanges, exceed anticipated claims. News on the insurance marketplace in the states comes out of California, Florida and North Carolina.
