Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, Ohio, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri.
The Department of Justice alleges that Sutter and its affiliates submitted diagnosis codes that inflated the risk scores for certain beneficiaries in their care. “With some one-third of people in Medicare now enrolled in managed care…plans, large health care systems such as Sutter can expect a thorough investigation of claimed enrollees’ health status,” said Steven J. Ryan, special agent in charge with the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Michael Abramoff, an ophthalmologist, spent years developing a computer algorithm that could scan retina images for early signs of diabetic retinopathy. It made better calls than he did, he said, but convincing the FDA that it was safe and effective took extra work. News on technology also looks at health breaches in government databases and a new online forum for innovation.
Within five to ten years, smoking may no longer be the top preventable cause for cancer. Being obese and overweight — long implicated in heart disease and diabetes — has been associated in recent years with an increased risk of getting at least 13 types of cancer. In other oncology news: multiple cancers in one patients, breast implants, miracle treatments and their complications, survivors helping others, and the HPV vaccine.
Modern Healthcare sat down with Patrick Kennedy, known for his advocacy work on mental health care, to talk about the problems facing the mental health care system in America.
Tightknit Communities Pose Unique Challenge To Public Health Officials During Outbreaks
Advocates say that it’s important to understand what’s driving the vaccination fears within the communities and acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to fly. Meanwhile, the New York measles outbreak has highlighted the complex relationship between NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and the conservative Orthodox Jewish community that critics say is his weak spot.
Sheer Scale Of Opioid Epidemic Challenges Southern States’ Resistance To Harm Reduction Strategies
The position of many Southern states on harm reduction strategies — such as needle exchanges and policy carrying anti-overdose medication — is that they encourage of drug use. However, as the crisis continues to ravage communities, there’s growing support in these usually hesitant locations. Other news on the drug epidemic focuses on treating addiction, a “hub and spoke program” gaining national attention, a legal battle over a proposed safe injection site and a campaign to help pregnant women who are addicted to opioids.
There’s a growing scrutiny over what to do about surprise medical bills, that may be more common than people think. Often times, faced with mountains of paperwork and an endless black hole of phone calls to insurers, patients just pay the charges. But that may eventually change as legislation is introduced to curb the practice.
There’s scads of legal precedent against so-called heartbeat bills, but they continue to be introduced by conservative states. That’s because they’re intended to force a court challenge. And with the current Supreme Court composition, anti-abortion advocates see a chance of toppling Roe v. Wade with such legislation. The approach, however, highlights some cracks in the anti-abortion movement.
Democrats’ High-Profile Tug-Of-War Between Progressives, Moderates Spills Into Drug Pricing Debate
Progressive Democrats are calling on their moderate colleagues to pursue more aggressive strategies on drug prices, despite the fact that any such legislation would face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate. The division is part of a larger fracture in the party about what direction to take on big health care issues.
Recent deaths highlight the fact that, despite a concerted effort to focus resources on the problem, little progress is being made to combat veteran suicides. That is due in part to the complex factors at play: About 70 percent of veterans don’t seek care through the VA, because of stigma and other issues. And for those who do reach out for help, staff can often lack proper training in suicide prevention. Other factors include the agency’s debilitating leadership turmoil in recent years and easy access to guns for vets.
The move is seen as part of an alarming trend by the Justice Department — only about once a decade since World War II has the agency declined to support a law enacted by Congress. “Imagine a world where an administration of one party passes a law and then a different president effectively invalidates it by having the Justice Department refuse to defend it in court,” said Joshua Geltzer, the executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law School. “You want elected lawmakers to draft laws, not lawyers at the Justice Department.”
Where The 2020 Hopefuls Stand On The Plethora Of Health Bills Circulating On Capitol Hill
Some of the Democratic presidential candidates back the traditional “Medicare for All” plan while others support a more moderate approach. The Hill offers a primer on both bills and the candidates who favor them. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s latest moves on health care unite infighting Democrats.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others.
Perspectives: Basing Drug Costs On Value Might Make Things Even Worse
Editorial writers weigh in on this week’s hearings on the rising costs of prescription medicines.
Opinion writers express views about threats to end the health law and about promisies for extending Medicare.
Longer Looks: Medicare-For-All, What Cancer Takes Away & The Measles Threat
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
State Highlights: Concerns Raised About Safety In Minn. Assisted Living Facilities
Media outlets report on news from Minnesota, MIchigan, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, North Carolina and Maryland.
