Latest KFF Health News Stories
Media outlets report on news from Texas, California, Minnesota, Florida, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Missouri.
Massachusetts Approves Beth Israel-Lahey Health Merger With Price-Cap, Other Conditions
The new hospital system, including more than a dozen facilities, is the most recent merger in the state since Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals merged in 1994 to form Partners, the state’s biggest hospital system.
Vaccination Exemptions Threaten ‘Decades Of Progress’ As Measles Cases Surge Worldwide
The number of officially reported measles cases in 2017 totaled 173,330, the report said, 31 percent higher than levels in 2016. In other public health news: suicide, depression, shingles, schizophrenia, stomach bugs, strokes, palliative care, and more.
Shootings on school grounds resonate with everyone, said Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminology professor who researches mass shootings. “By law you have to send your kids to school,” he said. “People can say to themselves, ‘Well I don’t go to nightclubs,’ but everyone’s kids go to school. … Same thing with Vegas. A lot of people don’t go to concerts on the Vegas strip. That’s a different world to them. But everyone can relate to the school situation.” Meanwhile, doctors who have been outraged over NRA’s suggestion to “stay in their lane” are taking their fight to Congress.
Ruling Expected In Case Over Insurer Coverage Limits On Mental Health Care Services
The impact of the ruling in the consolidated cases of Wit v. United Behavioral Health and Alexander v. United Behavioral Health could ripple across the country as many providers and patients say that, despite laws requiring insurers to cover behavioral care on parity with care for physical conditions, they often encounter significant problems getting carriers to pay for needed treatment.
Judge Richard Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia raised the prospect of not deciding on the deal until the summer, or perhaps rejecting it, before setting another hearing for Monday. CVS, meanwhile, countered that “it’s commonplace for acquisitions to close before this final step in the process is complete.”
Pennsylvania, which suffered 5,388 drug overdose deaths in 2017, more than any other state, will receive the first grant, expected to total more than $10 million over three years. The announcement comes the same week as new CDC numbers show that Americans’ life spans are shortening, in part due to the opioid crisis. Meanwhile, drugmakers voice their objection over a proposal to separate infants’ cases from the massive lawsuit being heard in an Ohio court. News on the drug epidemic comes from Florida, Massachusetts and Ohio, as well.
CNN investigates the disturbing trend that has flown quietly under the radar, while public attention has been focused on rape kits languishing in backlogs. “Each one of these kits represents a victim,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy, of Wayne County, Michigan. “What you are doing when you destroy a rape kit is destroying the chance that they are ever going to see justice.”
Anti-Abortion Groups Gear Up To Switch Tactics Now That Democrats Are Taking The Reins In The House
A major goal for the movement was defunding Planned Parenthood through efforts pushed in the House. But the lower chamber is no longer a reliable ally for the groups, so they’re setting their sights on the White House instead.
The plan to tie prices of drugs to what other countries pay is a lightning rod in the debate over high drug costs. “The countries in the reference pricing have longer life expectancy, better health outcomes, and spend about half of what we on health care,” says David Mitchell, the president of Patients for Affordable Drugs. On the other side, is PhRMA’s Jenny Bryant, who calls the proposal “draconian” and believes it will stifle innovation. Meanwhile, Republicans are siding with the latter position.
Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, also said the research done by He Jiankui highlights the need for binding, international guidance on gene-editing on humans. Meanwhile, some scientists worry that the intense negative reaction to the gene-editing will have a chilling effect on innovation.
HHS Pledges To Fingerprint Workers At Immigration Detention Facility, But Warns It Could Take Awhile
The promise comes after a report that background screenings to check employees’ history for child abuse or neglect were waived. Lawmakers joined the public outcry over the news. “These are children who are in our trust,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “The United States of America has a legal responsibility for the safety.”
Under the examples outlined by CMS Administrator Seema Verma, a state could create an entirely new subsidy program, basing aid on age, rather than income, or set income limits higher or lower than the federal requirements. But uncertainty about the validity of the guidance may mean few states will be interested in the new flexibility offered by CMS, because any state looking to implement the ideas could be sued even if the CMS approved its 1332 waiver.
First Edition: November 30, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages express views on these health care topics and others.
Opinion writers weigh in on the importance of getting vaccines.
Longer Looks: STD Treatment; Nancy Pelosi And The Health Law; And California’s Wildfires
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from California, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Wyoming and Minnesota.
Indiana Health Department Backs Rejection Of License For Proposed Abortion Clinic
The health panel stated that the nonprofit failed to meet requirements of having “reputable and responsible character” and that it didn’t disclose necessary information on its application. News on abortion also comes out of Kansas and Ohio.
Going to different hospitals only a few miles away from each other can make a profound difference on the chances of a patient recovering from a stroke. But sometimes local, state and regional rules dictate that ambulance drivers bring patients first to hospitals that don’t do the procedure before they can be transferred. Because the success of thrombectomies are dependent on how fast they are performed in relation to the stroke, that delay can mean a huge difference. Other hospitals news focuses on rural care, EHR improvements, surprise billing, and more.
