Latest KFF Health News Stories
Media outlets report on news from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California, Texas, North Dakota, Illinois, Washington, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Florida and Virginia.
News about state legislation comes out of Oklahoma, Georgia, Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas and Wisconsin.
It might be better to try a more adaptive, counterintuitive approach to the disease, some health experts are now saying. Earlier generations approached the disease with shame and frustration, which is “extremely unhelpful to families and their elders,” says geriatrician Bill Thomas. News on public health focuses on sepsis; sunscreen; black lung disease; food allergies; HIV wellness; health care at the drugstore and dietary supplements, as well.
In Chemical Tour De Force, Scientists Announce They’ve Essentially Doubled The Genetic Alphabet
Natural DNA is spelled out with four different letters known as bases — A, C, G and T. Chemist Steven A. Benner and his colleagues have built DNA with eight bases. The new model opens possibilities that the four-base DNA may not be the only chemistry that could support life. Other news looks at DNA being used to track people and genetic testing.
How Technology Is Playing A Crucial Role In Helping Curb Health Costs As Well As Improving Care
From artificial intelligence that can detect early signs for Alzheimer’s to a storage system that can cut down on wrong diagnoses, the field of health technology is advancing by leaps and bounds and becoming an integral part of patient treatment. Other health technology news focuses on apps for Medicare and mental health services.
The Defense Department admitted that it allowed a firefighting foam to slip into at least 55 drinking water systems at military bases around the globe, sometimes for generations. The military started an expensive cleanup effort that involves shifting entire municipalities to new water sources and assessing toxic plumes that continue to spread for miles, but many former and past military members are not satisfied. In other environmental and health news: uranium exposure at the Grand Canyon and a breakdown of talks over greenhouse gas emissions.
“When there’s an allegation of wrong on this scale, one of the most fundamental obligations of law is to determine the scope of the wrong,” U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw said. “It is important to recognize we are talking about human beings.” ACLU has asked Sabraw to expand the court order, citing an inspector general report that estimated the separations go far beyond the 2,700 already identified.
In Kentucky, PBMs Pocketed $123.5M In Hidden Fees From Plans That Cover The State’s Poor
The tactic the PBMs used are called spread pricing, which refers to the fees these companies pay pharmacies and then bill back to state Medicaid programs. The practice has gained attention among a growing number of states that are struggling to contain the cost of prescription drugs. In other pharmaceutical news, the Chamber of Commerce is launching ads against President Donald Trump’s plan to tie U.S. prices for drugs to what other countries pay.
The Farm Bureau plans wouldn’t be required to cover people with preexisting conditions. While its coverage might work like health insurance, the measure, like the Iowa law enacted last year, declares that the coverage “shall not be considered insurance,” which would effectively exempt it from federal mandates and most state insurance regulations.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to the Trump administration, citing the more than 18,000 people who have been kicked off the Medicaid rolls in Arkansas since the state added work requirements. Fifteen states, including Arkansas, have applied for waivers to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. Eight of those states have gained approval to move forward. Medicaid news comes out of Idaho and Georgia, as well.
Google says it partnered with agencies and companies including HHS, the Drug Enforcement Administration, CVS and Walgreens to identify drop-off locations across seven states. In a blog post, Google cited research that shows many users get their opioids from family or friends’ medicine cabinets and said the goal was to make sure people could safely remove those drugs from their home.
Secret Court Document Reveals Sackler Agreed With Plan To Downplay Potency Of OxyContin To Doctors
ProPublica and Stat obtained the sealed court deposition of Dr. Richard Sackler taken as part of a lawsuit by the state of Kentucky against Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. The deposition is believed to be the only time a member of the Sackler family has been questioned under oath about the marketing practices of OxyContin. Purdue has fought a three-year legal battle to keep the deposition and hundreds of other evidence secret, in a case brought by Stat. Through the documents, Sackler’s investment in the success of OxyContin is clear: “It is almost that I dedicated my life to it,” he wrote in an email cited by the court documents.
First Edition: February 22, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health topics and others.
Research Roundup: E-Prescriptions; Primary Care Physicians; And Medicare Advantage
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Arizona, Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, California and Minnesota.
State legislature news comes from Connecticut, Oregon, Georgia, California, Colorado, Utah, Maryland, Arizona and Florida.
The 18-member committee representing the World Health Organization will meet in March and begin to address calls for standards that scientists could adhere to. News on public health looks at an increase of heart attacks among young women; child flu deaths; a teen survey on mental health; sleep deprivation and health; a shortage of female surgeons; and HIV in rural America.
The Sackler family has given millions to philanthropic causes, but as more information comes out about how involved the family was in Purdue Pharma’s aggressive marketing tactics, institutions are starting to think about cutting ties. But experts in philanthropy and nonprofits said returning funds or removing the Sackler name may be difficult.
Those Old-School Hospital Bracelets May Be Getting An Upgrade
Traditional hospital bracelets can collect germs and be hard to read, which leads to mistakes. Experts say there’s tons of room for improvement, coming up with all kinds of high-tech replacements that they say would lead to better care.
