Latest KFF Health News Stories
Perspectives: We Can’t Get Lost In Political Rhetoric Of High Drug Prices And Lose Sight Of Patients
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from California, Connecticut, Ohio, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and Missouri.
Apple claims its biggest contribution to society will be in health care and is making big hires to try to make that happen. Other news on technology is on a new wearable device designed to keep the chronically ill people out of the hospital.
The change redraws the map for how donated livers are distributed. United Network, a nonprofit that manages the U.S. organ transplant system and devised the new policy, said in a statement that the move “provides a fairer, more equitable system for all liver patients — no matter where they live — as they wait for a lifesaving transplant.” But hospitals say the policy fails to account for unique geographical needs. In other public health news: rape, representation, sedentary lifestyles, and phone-induced stress levels.
Despite Vocal Outcry From Parkland Students, Florida Poised To Allow Teachers To Be Armed At Schools
The bill doesn’t require school districts to arm teachers, but does authorize local school boards to decide. “What this bill does is provide the 67 school districts, the 67 different communities in this state, with the ability to do what they need to do to protect our kids,” said Republican state Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., chair of the Senate education committee. Opponents argued the bill could imperil students by adding more firearms on campuses and leading to dangerous mishaps.
As the measles outbreak continues to spread into one of the worst seen in this century, public health officials are turning their attention to colleges next. Meanwhile, Washington state lawmakers pass legislation to tighten vaccination exemptions.
Experts, however, say not to get distracted by quarter-to-quarter reports, but rather watch the themes that have been emerging over recent years.
The decision comes after the FDA says Walgreens had “racked up almost 1,800 violations” related to the sale of tobacco products to minors. Currently, about a dozen states have raised the tobacco buying age to 21, and even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been a loyal ally to the tobacco industry, is considering legislation that would raise the smoking age.
“We really felt like our added resources could really help,” said Carter Steger, vice president of state and local campaigns for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. The effort, titled “Medicaid Covers US,” will emphasize how Medicaid helps enrollees as well as communities. Meanwhile, Centene’s revenue and profits grew this year, helped by its Medicaid contracts in several states.
In particular, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the agency was considering boosting reimbursements for a customized approach called CAR T-cell therapy, which has revolutionized the treatment of hard-to-treat pediatric leukemia and adult lymphoma.
With Kansas Allowing Skimpy Farm Bureau Plans, Some Worry It’s Becoming A Trend
Now three states have passed laws to let their Farm Bureaus sell plans that don’t meet the health law’s strict consumer protections. “The only way the Farm Bureau can sell cheaper policies is by limiting benefits and only insuring people who are low risk. This could spread to other states,”said Sandy Praeger, a Republican and former Kansas insurance commissioner.
Planned Parenthood and the American Medical Association brought the case against the Trump administration in February after it finalized changes to the Title X family planning grant program that banned participating providers from referring women for abortions. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane was uncertain about the scope of his injunction, saying he was reluctant to set national health care policy.
Federal prosecutors say the former executives at Rochester Drug Cooperative ignored red flags and shipped tens of millions of oxycodone pills and fentanyl products to pharmacies they knew were distributing drugs illegally. Their sales soared, as did the compensation of the chief executive. “Why did they do it?” asked Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney in Manhattan. “Greed.” The criminal charges for drug distributors adds a new twist to officials’ efforts to combat the epidemic.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Kansas and Texas.
New Voice Analysis Technology May Take Tricky Guesswork Out Of Diagnosing PTSD
While some veterans try to hide their symptoms of PTSD, a new voice analysis algorithm might help doctors spot and diagnosis those people who need care. “We thought the telling features would reflect agitated speech. In point of fact, when we saw the data, the features are flatter, more atonal speech. We were capturing the numbness that is so typical of PTSD patients,” said Dr. Charles Marmar, a psychiatry professor at NYU. In other health and technology news: artificial intelligence, kids’ screen time, apps and personal data, and an email breach.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the new allegations “demonstrate the callous indifference” with which Stamford-based Purdue Pharma and its former president, Richard Sackler, approached their work. Other news on the opioid epidemic comes from Florida and Ohio, as well.
“This unwarranted legislation will create confusion and could be harmful to women’s health,” said Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. However, the Legislature seems to have the votes to override the veto if lawmakers want to once they return from break. Abortion and family planning news comes out of Tennessee and New Hampshire, as well.
