Latest KFF Health News Stories
Government Still Separating Immigrant Children From Families At Border, Advocates Say
Even after the Trump administration said it ended its policy of breaking up families trying to cross into the U.S., a watchdog group says the actions still continue and without oversight of a child welfare expert. In other immigration news, the ACLU is back in court in Texas contesting the cases of children crossing with someone other than a parent and a Colorado congressman raises concerns about health issues at a detention facility.
There’s a new trend of diabetic patients having to ration insulin — a dangerous and sometimes fatal decision — because the price has gone up so much in recent years. Proposed legislation would allow people to import the drug from Canada, though the FDA would still be required to inspect all foreign exporters and patients would still need a prescription. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is thinking along similar lines, just more broadly than insulin.
More Than 20 Percent Of Rural Hospitals Are At A High Risk Of Closing
A new report breaks the stats down by state, revealing that half of Alabama’s rural hospitals are in financial distress, the highest percentage in the country. At least 36 percent of the hospitals in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Maine and Mississippi are also in financial jeopardy. In other hospital and costs news: a community wants to form a nonprofit to negotiate with hospitals; the health law hasn’t made as big of an impact as expected on Colorado hospital prices; Medicare payments threaten a hospital’s survival; and more.
CVS reported a net loss of $421 million in the fourth quarter and $596 million for the full year 2018, and the earnings expectations for 2019 are well below Wall Street forecasts. The companies financial health, or lack thereof, is raising questions about whether pursuing its $70 billion take-over of Aetna was the right call.
Testimony from Jack Stoddard, the venture’s chief operating officer, reveals a focus on market efficiency and cost transparency. In one response, Stoddard boiled the initiative’s mission down to this point: make health insurance intelligible. “It’s very difficult for the employees when we talk to them to be able to understand what’s covered, to afford their coverage.” The lawsuit highlights just how nervous traditional health industry mainstays are about the new project founded by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and J.P. Morgan Chase.
“Some states are engaging in such wide exemptions that they’re creating the opportunity for outbreaks on a scale that is going to have national implications,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said. Gottlieb, however, was vague on what that would actually look like. Meanwhile, the growing measles outbreak casts a spotlight on the recent rise in religious exemptions. And groups try to sway minds by taking a parent-to-parent approach.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says that the expenses of Darin Selnick, a top adviser for the agency, are “standard for federal employees who travel periodically to implement their responsibilities.” But some veterans groups are less than pleased that Selnick, who has been a vocal critic of how the VA spends money, is being reimbursed for frequently commuting from California to Washington.
A Reuters report in December revealed that the company knew for decades that small amounts of asbestos, a known carcinogen, had been occasionally found in its talc and powder products. Johnson & Johnson said that the federal inquiries “are related to news reports that included inaccurate statements and also withheld crucial information” that had already been made public.
A new CMS report projects that U.S. health care spending will surpass $5.9 trillion in 2027, growing to represent more than 19 percent of the economy. Rising prices for health care goods and services are expected to account for nearly half the spending growth, with the rest driven by a mix of factors, including an aging population and more intensive use of services. The spending report may give Democrats campaign fodder for the 2020 presidential election.
First Edition: February 21, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Maryland, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Ohio and New Hampshire.
Historically, psychiatrists didn’t consider medical diseases traumatic events, but parents of sick children can often have PTSD symptoms such as reliving the experience, avoiding reminders of the event or condition, feeling numb or detached from others, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and being constantly on the lookout for danger. In other public health news: a depression treatment, genetic testing, heart health, women’s safety and healthy diets.
Even though background checks are required to purchase guns, the overtaxed system doesn’t always work in a timely fashion. More weapons are getting into the hands of dangerous people, The Wall Street Journal reports. Then, understaffed federal and state agencies struggle with how to take away those guns. In other news on gun control efforts, some companies are installing gunshot detectors.
Have Questions About The Current Measles Outbreak? Facts About An Extremely Contagious Virus
As the number of people infected tops 120 in three states, the media looks at the seriousness of the disease and how it is transmitted. News about the outbreak comes out of Iowa, California and Washington, as well.
What Role Should Big Social Media Companies Play In Public Health Issues?
The recent attempts from social media companies to limit antivaccination posts highlights both the struggles of trying to monitor such content and the impact the tech leaders can have on the national conversation. In other health technology news: the limits of artificial intelligence, exposure of personal health information, and a mental health app that can help with loneliness.
Recent moves by red state Republicans to block voter-approved Medicaid expansion, as well as threats from some Republican governors to slash funding highlight the fact that both sides are still fighting the Medicaid expansion battle. Medicaid news comes out of Georgia and Texas, as well.
Maryland Law Designed To Curb Drug Price Gouging Dealt Fatal Blow As Supreme Court Refuses Case
The legislation had previously been ruled unconstitutional by an appeals court because it tried to regulate commerce beyond Maryland’s borders. The law, which was enacted following several high-profile drug hikes, prohibited what it termed “unconscionable” price increases for essential drugs no longer covered by patents or generic drugs that are sold in the state.
Human resource directors often rely on independent health insurance brokers to guide them through confusing benefit options offered by insurance companies. But what many don’t fully realize is how the health insurance industry steers the process through lucrative financial incentives and commissions, the cost of which are built into premiums. In other health industry and cost news: affordability, the business of specialty surgeries, health record costs, and more.
After reviewing thousands of pages of documents requested through the Freedom of Information Act, researchers also found that both the FDA and drug companies became aware of what was happening but took no action to stop it. “The whole purpose of this distribution system was to prevent exactly what we found,” said Caleb Alexander, co-director of the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness. In other news on the national opioid crisis: the Oklahoma court case, copycat drugs, marijuana and car crashes.
