Latest KFF Health News Stories
According to the data, diagnoses of either suicidal ideation or suicidal attempt increased from 580,000 in 2007 to 1.12 million in 2015. Researchers also pointed out that 43.1% of either diagnoses were for children between 5-11 years. In other public health news: osteoporosis drugs, pregnancy-tracking apps, gun safety, STD risks, the harms of sitting all day, and more.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency that requires unvaccinated individuals living in parts of Brooklyn to have the measles vaccine. The mayor said the city would issue violations and possibly fines of $1,000 for those who did not comply. Although mandatory vaccinations are rare, it has been done before and upheld by the courts.
Federal prosecutors claim that Indivior, which makes Suboxone, bilked Medicare, Medicaid and other health care providers out of billions of dollars as they paid for a more expensive version of the drug, believing it to be safer. In other news, the CDC updates three-year-old guidelines on opioid prescriptions to clarify that the agency did not intend for them to restrict painkillers for patients who clinically need the drugs.
Trump May Delay Change That Could Cause Medicare Drug Premiums To Jump 19% Until After 2020 Election
The monthly cost to individual seniors from the Trump administration’s proposed change could rise by about $6. While that may not a large amount, it would not go unnoticed by seniors on fixed incomes. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging the president to sign a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
“We’re not looking to do that,” President Donald Trump said. “Once you don’t have it, that’s why you see many more people coming. They’re coming like it’s a picnic, because let’s go to Disneyland.” The possibility of the return of family separations, a policy that received fierce blow back from both lawmakers and the public, came amid 12 days of turmoil in the White House over immigration and the Department of Homeland Security. Media organizations pull back the curtain to offer a glimpse behind the scenes. Meanwhile Trump continues to say that the Obama administration was responsible for separating families and that he put a stop to it, but fact checkers show this claim to be false.
Economists Weigh In On True Cost Of ‘Medicare For All.’ Bottom Line: It Would Be Expensive.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 hopeful at the front of a crowded pack, is set to unveil an updated version of his “Medicare for All” legislation, a plan that has gained momentum with progressive Democrats. It’s difficult to put an actual price tag on one of the largest proposed domestic policy changes in a generation, but economists try providing an estimate. In the end, patients would probably pay less, and the government would pay a whole lot more.
“The [Justice] Department owes Congress and the public an explanation as to why it refuses to enforce the law,” chairmen of five House committees wrote. Meanwhile, Attorney General William Barr defended the decision at a hearing on Tuesday. “Do you think it’s likely that we are going to prevail?” he asked, in response to questions about the reversal. “If you think it’s such an outrageous position, then you have nothing to worry about. Let the courts do their job.”
Congressional action on emergency aid has been held up since December, due in large part to President Donald Trump’s insistence that Puerto Rico shouldn’t receive any more money. Victims of storms, the fall’s deadly wildfires and floods are also awaiting help from the legislation.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) made it abundantly clear at Tuesday’s high-profile hearing that he is not intent on regulating PBMs out of business. Even though PBMs have weathered much of the blame lately for high drug prices, most of the pointed questions at the hearing fell flat.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
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Media outlets report on news from Georgia, Texas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Louisiana, Kansas, Maryland, Iowa, California, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Florida.
Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh took a leave of absence last week when she came under fire for profiting from sales of her book “Healthy Holly” to the University Of Maryland Medical System and for other business dealings. Pugh has apologized and says she plans to return.
Louisiana Could Become Latest State To Ban Abortions Once Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected
Similar legislation has been blocked in courts, but red states continue to move forward with the strict measures. A total of 13 states including Florida and Texas have introduced bills that would outlaw abortions as soon as the fetal heartbeat is detectable.
“We have enough challenges finding healthcare providers that will come and stay as it is,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who said he talked to HHS Secretary Alex Azar about the issue. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in health care than in private industry.
Early Opioid Evangelist Now Helping Plaintiffs In Return For Charges Against Him Being Dropped
Dr. Russell Portenoy spent decades of his career touting the benefits of powerful prescription painkillers. Now, Portenoy will testify that companies “overstated the benefits of chronic-opioid therapy” and “understated the risks of opioids, particularly the risk of abuse, addiction and overdose,” according to a federal-court filing. In other news on the drug crisis: foster care and the epidemic, Purdue Pharma’s connection to Tufts Medical School, addiction treatment, and more.
Patient advocates say hospitals and health authorities are often slow to alert the public about drug-resistant germs, but hospital administrators and public health officials say the emphasis on greater transparency is misguided. In other public health news: fungus, weedkiller, supplements, and organs that are in the wrong spots.
Brief sessions of specialized brain stimulation can reverse decline in working memory by targeting key regions and synchronizing neural circuits in those areas. The method is appealing for several reasons, perhaps most of all because it is noninvasive.
A ‘Totally Unnecessary, Self-Inflicted Wound’: U.S. On Course To Shatter Measles Outbreak Records
The CDC reports the largest weekly increase in 2019, with more states confirming outbreaks. “We’re really concerned,” said Nancy Messonnier, acting director of the CDC’s Center for Preparedness and Response, and an expert on immunization and respiratory diseases.
Department Of Justice Files Motion To Expedite Oral Arguments In Health Law Case
The other parties involved are on board with the proposed timeline, the Department of Justice said in its filing.
