Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
While it’s tempting to blame social media and gaming for mental health problems among teens, that is a mistake, says Dr. Michael Rich, an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. “What we need to do is look at the whole picture around these young people; we need to look at how kids and how we all are using social media,” he said. Other news on technology looks at a debate over the term “screen time” and pornography on YouTube.
New Drugs Substantially Improving Outcomes For People With Hard-To-Treat Forms Of Cancer
Experts say there have been some “wonderful” strides made in drugs to help those battling previously hard-to-treat cancers. But, they say, cost and side effects remain an issue. In other public health news: liquid biopsies, vaccines, doctor burn out, hunger, protection against mosquitoes, and more.
Generation O: The Kids Growing Up In Families That Are Ravaged By The Opioid Crisis
“My biggest fear is I’m going to get home and she’ll be dead,” said Cadence Nance, 12, of her mother. Across a country held in the grips of an opioid crisis, chaos, trauma and grief is the norm for children whose parents are addicted to the drugs. In other news on the crisis: painkillers for new moms, Johnson & Johnson’s track record of weathering trouble, an upcoming lawsuit, and more.
Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless launched the agency’s first hearing on CBD products Friday with a laundry of list of questions about cannabidiol. During the 10 hours of testimony that followed, hemp growers, start-up businesses, academic researchers and consumer advocates argued about how FDA should regulate the already booming CBD industry.
With More Flexibility, States Can Become More Nimble In Operating Medicaid Program, CMS Chief Says
CMS Administrator talks with CQ about the ways she wants to grant states more flexibility in operating their Medicaid programs. “I like to think about the future in Medicaid where we can say if this is the amount of money we have, these are the flexibilities, and we’re going to hold you accountable for health outcomes,” she said. “If we move to that different type of paradigm, we may see better results from the program in terms of the growth of the program, the costs of the program, and the quality of the program.” Medicaid news comes out of Utah, Illinois and Iowa, as well.
Health Law’s Medicaid Expansion Helped States Reduce Racial Disparities In Cancer Treatments
Before the health law went into effect, African Americans with advanced cancer were 4.8 percentage points less likely to start treatment for their disease within 30 days of being given a diagnosis. But today, black adults in states that expanded Medicaid have almost entirely caught up with white patients in getting timely treatment, researchers said.
Records Indicate Abuse Complaints Rarely Result In Discipline For Workers Caring For Migrant Kids
There have been hundreds of allegations of abuse or mistreatment, yet only one Department of Homeland Security employee was disciplined. A federal judge found the records disturbing and ordered the names of the accused agents made public. The government is trying to fight the decision.
2020 hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) unveiled the plan at the start of Pride Month. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump receives blowback for his administration’s attempts to chip away at protections for transgender patients.
