Latest KFF Health News Stories
Gov. Chris Sununu is delaying the penalties tied into the legislation for 120 days as the state continues its outreach efforts to make people aware of the requirements. “Making sure we get this right is just absolutely paramount,” said Sununu. “So the idea of giving ourselves another 120 days to move forward on this and get the implementation where we need it to be, it’s not just fair to the system, but it’s fair to those individuals.” New Hampshire is just the latest state to struggle with the implementation of the work requirements.
‘Have We Become Too Careless?’: Alleged IVF Mix-Up Highlights Role Human Error Can Play In Medicine
A couple is suing a fertility clinic after the woman gave birth to twins who appear to be from different parents. “It’s this agonizing process to grow embryos. And it involves almost over 200 different steps and when you assume this happens to thousands of patients every year within that laboratory, all of a sudden you’ve got a lot of moving parts,” says IVF expert Jake Anderson.
Missouri’s 8-Week Abortion Ban Will Be Allowed To Go In Front Of Voters, Appeals Court Rules
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is “without authority” to reject referendum petitions against the state’s new abortion ban, a court panel ruled. Other news on abortion focuses on IVF, telehealth and the spreading of “Americanized” anti-abortion protests.
Citing cases of unmanaged pain, maggots, bed sores and other failures, the inspector general report takes Medicare to task for what it describes as weak oversight and enforcement of the growing number of hospice providers and recommends stronger safeguards “to protect Medicare hospice beneficiaries from harm.”
Juul Beefs Up Lobbying Efforts As It Braces For A Brutal All-Or-Nothing Fight Against Vaping Bans
Cities and counties across the country are starting to crack down on e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. Juul, which dominates the marketplace, is gearing up to battle those efforts while also trying to appease public health officials.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is unlikely to get the more liberal provisions that were dropped from a border aid package earlier this month past the Senate, but the announcement allows the speaker to acknowledge concerns of progressive members of the party who are upset that more has not been done for detainees.
Many legal experts across the political spectrum are dubious about the fate of the latest court case challenging the constitutionality of the health law. But should the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules against the ACA following oral arguments today, that all but guarantees it will end up in front of the Supreme Court — with its decision coming right before the 2020 elections. In the last election cycle, protecting the health law proved a winning issue for Democrats.
Trump Administration Lacks Legal Authority To Force Drugmakers To Include Prices In Ads, Judge Rules
“That policy very well could be an effective tool in halting the rising cost of prescription drugs,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta wrote. “But no matter how vexing the problem of spiraling drug costs may be, HHS cannot do more than what Congress has authorized. The responsibility rests with Congress to act in the first instance.” The rule was one of the administration’s signature proposals to tackle high drug prices, and comes as a blow to President Donald Trump.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on issues in the news about abortion.
Media outlets report on news from North Carolina, New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kansas, Michigan, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and Iowa.
As Rural Hospitals Continue To Close, Patients Are Turning To Telehealth For Desperately Needed Care
A recent NPR poll of rural Americans found that nearly a quarter have used some kind of telehealth service within the past few years. Meanwhile, homelessness is often considered an urban phenomenon but it’s a growing problem in rural areas as well.
In the state with the highest measles outbreak this year, a new law prevents religious exemptions. More than 25,000 New York children had religious exemptions in 2018. One parent says “our only option is home schooling.” While hundreds of parents are joining Facebook groups and going to seminars to learn how to homeschool their children, public health officials push for vaccinations and better public health eduction. In other public health news: inaccessible technology for blind and deaf people, genetic testing for newborns, dangers of giving reflux drugs to children, green ways to lowering carbon, being pregnant during the “sober-curious” movement, lessons for safe swimming, pets enriching teens emotional lives, and hunger’s twisted impact on one family, as well.
The company gets much of its advertising organically these days through young people’s social media accounts. “We’re at a point where young people are doing Juul’s job for them,” says Elizabeth Hair, a study co-author and senior vice president at the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute. Meanwhile, Netflix has vowed to curb smoking depictions going forward following criticism of “Stranger Things.”
While Trump Travels The World, Runs For Reelection, His Germaphobia Is Put To The Test
President Donald Trump’s aversion to germs is well-known. But as he begins to launch his reelection campaign, will he be successful in his attempts to avoid contagions that are an inherent part of travelling and touching others’ hands? Meanwhile, concern over superbugs continue to grow, but the funding on how to stop them hasn’t followed suit.
The proportion of new drugs receiving expedited approvals has been at least 60% for each of the past five years. The result is a rising proportion of new drugs for fatal diseases that lack extensive evidence they can prolong lives. Many continue to lack that proof years after entering the market.
The Steep Financial Toll Of Cancer Deaths: Lost Earnings Costs U.S. $94B
In 2015, 600,000 Americans died of cancer. Compounding the losses to loved ones, the country’s economy also took a hit from the estimated $94.4 billion in lost earnings that year. In other cancer-related news: scientists aim to use “nanobodies” as a potential new treatment against the disease; and new physical activity guidelines for breast cancer survivors.
Alzheimer’s Researchers Test Biomarkers To Advance Diagnosis And Treatment Methods
“For the future, we hope that we might be able to use these biomarkers in order to stop or delay the memory changes from ever happening,” Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, tells NPR. Meanwhile, other news on aging reports on a potential link between dementia and a prostrate cancer treatment as well as seniors’ retirement planning.
Scientists created a map of the roundworm’s brain, a goal that many researchers aspire to with humans, as well. Experts say maps such as these could help explain the biology of mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Judge To Hear Arguments Over Johnson & Johnson’s Motion To Dismiss Oklahoma Opioids Case
The drugmaker’s lawyers and prosecutors for the state of Oklahoma will each have an hour Monday to address Johnson & Johnson’s motion that the trial judge toss the case. “One would expect vigorous arguments, somewhat akin to a late July 4th fireworks display,” court spokesman Bob Burke said. Other news on the opioid epidemic comes out of New Hampshire and North Carolina.
