Latest KFF Health News Stories
Supreme Court Rules That Obama-Era Rule On Medicare Payments For Hospitals Should Be Removed
The justices wrote that HHS did not provide enough warning to the public about the cuts. The case was highly technical, and hinged on dueling interpretations of agency activity on what constitutes a “substantive legal standard” in a payment policy change to Medicare.
After Months Of Back-And-Forth, Congress Sends $19.1 Billion Disaster Aid Legislation To President
The bill provides funds for relief efforts in areas across the country hit by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters in 2018 and 2019. The Senate voted on it last month, but it got held up in the House, which passed the legislation 354-58 yesterday.
Are The Days Of Eye-Popping Rate Hikes Over? Health Law Premium Increases Fairly Moderate For 2020
The first batch of proposed 2020 rate filings are in from insurers. The sampling indicates to experts that the marketplace is stabilizing. One big reason why: Insurers are now making lots of money on their Obamacare customers — the vast majority of which are heavily subsidized — after jacking up rates to account for higher-than-expected medical costs in the early years. Other health law related news comes out of California, Minnesota, Georgia and Wisconsin.
California, Hawaii, Maine and the District of Columbia join a slew of other states, cities and counties suing the maker of OxyContin. “Purdue and the Sacklers traded the health and well-being of Californians for profit and created an unprecedented national public health crisis in the process,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at a news conference announcing the legal action by his state.
11.9 Million Patients’ Personal, Medical Data May Have Been Exposed In Quest Breach
The breach came as a result of a cybersecurity incident at American Medical Collection Agency, a billing collections vendor. “Quest [Diagnostics] is taking this matter very seriously and is committed to the privacy and security of our patients’ personal information,” the medical testing company said. It indicated that plans are in the works to begin notifying individual patients but did not give a timeline.
Humana had long been seen as a potential acquirer of Centene, the biggest player in Medicaid managed care. Medicare-focused Humana has said it wants to grow in the Medicaid business. Yet Humana was also seen by analysts as unlikely to mount a hostile bid, an unusual move in the managed-care industry.
The FDA’s expanded access program is designed to help patients with immediate life-threatening or serious illnesses who don’t qualify for clinical trials and have no other treatment options. Officials say they want to make it easier for doctors to utilize.
Virginia’s Democratic Leadership To Push For Action On Gun Control Following Mass Shooting
Gov. Ralph Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark R. Herring, all Democrats, want lawmakers to tighten the state’s gun laws, which are among the most permissive in the nation. Over the weekend, several other Virginia Democrats took to social media to say that Friday’s shooting demonstrated the need to take control of the legislature this fall and pass restrictions on guns, as well, and a top Republican lawmaker said he is open to discussions.
Hearing To Determine Future Of Missouri’s Last Remaining Abortion Clinic Starts Today
St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer intervened in a standoff between the Planned Parenthood clinic and Missouri’s health department on Friday when the facility’s license was set to expire. He will now hear arguments for the case. In other news: the struggle to get abortion bans in front of voters, Stacey Abrams’ trip to Hollywood, a hearing over Indiana’s second-trimester ban, and more.
The judgment represents a victory for the government, which has increasingly tried to constrain the industry even as it rapidly expanded in recent years.
The list was provided by CMS and released by Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey. The 400 facilities have similar problems to a small list released by the government, but these were withheld from the public. “We’ve got to make sure any family member or any potential resident of a nursing home can get this information, not only ahead of time but on an ongoing basis,” Casey, a Democrat, and Toomey, a Republican, said in their report.
Health care proved to be a winning issue for Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections, and they are likely to play it up again in 2020. A group looking to unseat Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said its strategy is to use McConnell’s own words to “spotlight his disturbing record” on health care. In other news from the trail: Medicaid takes center stage in the Kentucky gubernatorial race and The Washington Post fact checks an alarming statistic on infant mortality from an Ohio lawmaker in the presidential race.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from North Carolina, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona and Missouri.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health issues and others.
News from state legislatures comes from California, Connecticut, Texas and Florida.
‘You Cannot Put A Price On Your Child’s Life’: Families Push Back On Criticism Over $2.1M Drug
Once the FDA approved the treatment of the world’s priciest drug, the conversation over the cost of “miracle” treatments reignited. But for those who will benefit, there is no debate. In other pharmaceutical news: a look at this year’s big bioconference, President Donald Trump’s drug pricing agenda, CVS’ defense of its Aetna deal, and more.
The debate over whether terrorism suspects should be brought to the U.S. for treatment is being shoved to the front-burner as the Guantanamo Bay facility struggles to handle its aging population.
More States Are Eyeing Public Options, But The Model Comes With Its Own Set Of Problems
Modern Healthcare takes a look at the nuances and complexities states will have to deal with as they move toward public options.
