Latest KFF Health News Stories
What’s New With The Latest Apple Watch?
News outlets examine the various features of this watch, including a separate app released by Apple Thursday that will display the wearer’s heart rate when he or she puts a finger on the watch crown for 30 seconds.
Trump Administration Requests Additional Funding To Operate Immigrant Detention Centers
Meanwhile, in Texas, questions abound about the future of the Tornillo Immigration Center.
Some Minnesota Seniors Getting Extra Time To Choose A Medicare Plan
Minnesota residents losing their Cost plans will be eligible for a special enrollment period where they have until month’s end to buy replacement coverage that takes effect Jan. 1. For most other Medicare beneficiaries, the enrollment season ends today.
Health Law Sign-Ups Down 11% From Last Year With Two Weeks Left In Open Enrollment
In the first five weeks of the enrollment period, 3.2 million Americans signed up for health insurance coverage Obamacare plans. In the same period last year, 3.6 million enrolled.
Health Spending Growth Slows For Second Year In A Row
Although the nation spent $3.5 trillion on health last year, federal economists found that the increase in health expenses did not exceed the growth in the overall economy.
First Edition: December 7, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Longer Looks: Obamacare And Rent Payments, Lonely Cities & Juul
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from Oregon, Indiana, California, Ohio, Texas and Florida.
USC Gynecologist Charged With Sexual Abuse Is Now Center Of Grand Jury Investigation
While deputy district attorney Reinhold Mueller Jr. declined to comment on the grand jury examining evidence about Dr. George Tyndall, he said, “Our office is thoroughly reviewing all complaints that have been presented to us.” In other women’s health news, California universities might make abortion pills available, and Iowans are having to travel out of state for abortions.
Gov. Mike Parson is hopeful his proposal to allow doctors to see patients’ records will move ahead next year. Every other state has a state-wide drug monitoring database. Other opioid news focuses on illegal sales of fentanyl, disclosing lobbying efforts and a push for prescription heroin.
Flu Shot Still Left Off To-Do List For 40 Percent Of Adults Even After Last Year’s Deadly Season
At the heart of their decision are worries about the shot giving them the flu and suffering from other side effects. Public health officials warn about a repeat of last year when the virus killed 80,000 people, and they stress that side effects are mild. Other public health news focuses on the outcry over the first CRISPR babies; climate change and the rise of mosquito-born illnesses; a potential link between infections and mental illness; more raw beef recalls; the impact of childhood trauma on pain; the decrease in American life expectancy; and cuts to the SilverSneakers programs.
Shackling Women Prisoners During Childbirth Could Be Outlawed In New Federal Legislation
A criminal justice bill under consideration by Congress would stop the practice of using handcuffs, ankle chains or shackles on incarcerated women giving birth in a federal facility. News on prison health care also comes out of Ohio, California, Maryland and Arizona.
ProPublica, PBS’ Frontline and The New York Times investigate the project and find that for some residents, the sudden shift from an institution to independence has “proved perilous, and even deadly.”
Judge Considers Delaying CVS-Aetna Merger, Citing Potential Anti-Competitive Harms
But antitrust experts say it’s only possible for the Department of Justice to block the merger. DOJ approved the $70 billion deal in October. Meanwhile, CVS and Aetna are moving ahead with integration plans. Other industry news looks at CVS’ new prescription drug-price plans and rising costs of Pitocin and Ketamine.
Debt, ‘Ballooning’ Rents Lead Texas’ Biggest Nursing Home Provider To File For Bankruptcy
Senior Care Centers operates more than 100 facilities in Texas and a handful more in Louisiana. In other news out of Texas, Little River Healthcare closes facilities following apparent lab test billing scheme.
Nearly A Third Of Physicians Working In U.S. Born Abroad, Analysis Of Health Workers Finds
A new study breaks down the number of doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other health care experts working in the U.S. who are foreign-born or who are not U.S. citizens.
Hospitals Serving The Sickest And Poorest Patients Worry About New Federal Ratings
A new analysis of preliminary data by Modern Healthcare raises concerns.
HHS Says Reporting ‘Inaccurate’ About Potential Changes To Fetal Tissue Research Funding For UCSF
No decision has been made yet about federal funding for a University of California at San Francisco’s research laboratory, the Department of Health and Human Services says about a story yesterday from The Washington Post. The lab in question has been instrumental in testing virtually all HIV therapies subsequently approved by the Food and Drug Administration since the 1990s.
Medicaid Officials Allow N.H. To Implement The Latest Work Requirement For Some Beneficiaries
The federal waiver requires many adults who have joined Medicaid through the health law’s expansion to report at least 100 hours per month of work, job training, education or volunteer activities. The requirement in other states has been 80 hours. In Florida, some advocates are concerned about a change to the look-back period that applies to coverage for new Medicaid members.
