Latest KFF Health News Stories
Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli Is Diligently At Work On A Big Second Act From His Prison Cell
With the help of a contraband smartphone, disgraced pharma executive Martin Shkreli is still calling the shots at Phoenixus AG, the drug company that used to be called Turing Pharmaceuticals AG. The Wall Street Journal goes inside the prison walls to see just what kind of life Shkreli is leading. In other pharmaceutical news: in a drug pricing hearing, Republicans warn against lawmakers undermining innovation; FDA issues a draft on naming features for biosimilar medicines; Anthem promises more transparency with its new PBM; and more.
Health Experts Puzzled, Alarmed By Sharp Drop In Number Of Kids Enrolled In Medicaid, CHIP
Enrollment in the Medicaid and CHIP decreased by 599,000 children in the 48 states. While experts seem uncertain about the cause, they cite the possibility of the improving economy that might enable parents to leave government health plans. Other Medicaid news comes out of Kansas and Texas, as well.
‘Heartbeat Bill’ Similar To Others Already Struck Down In Courts Passes Tennessee House
The legislation would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, but advocates say that a lot of women don’t even know they’re pregnant by then. Although “heartbeat bills” have faced gubernatorial vetoes and court losses all across the country, they continue to be popular with the anti-abortion movement. Abortion news comes out of Texas and Georgia, as well.
Members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met to discuss ways to curb high drug prices in Medicare Part B, the portion of Medicare that pays for drugs administered in a doctor’s office. The commission, which is made up of economists, doctors, and various other health policy experts, is not well-known outside of D.C., but their suggestions carry a lot of weight with lawmakers who are looking to improve Medicare.
Anti-vaccination groups have flourished on Facebook, a point emphasized during testimony at a congressional hearing this week from the teenage son of parents who did to vaccinate him. Under Facebook’s new policy, groups and pages that spread misinformation about vaccines will have lower rankings and won’t be included in recommendations or predictions in search, the company said. Meanwhile, people who have gotten measles are speaking out about their nightmarish experiences.
Hospitals and insurers typically guard their negotiated prices for medical service, but the Trump administration is considering forcing those rates out into the open. “Our interest is on how can we empower the American public to shop for their care and control it,” said Dr. Don Rucker, national coordinator for health information technology at HHS.
Many public health advocates view departing FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb as an ally to their causes, especially the anti-tobacco movement. “We are at a fundamental crossroads and what happens in the next six to 12 months will have consequences for decades to come,” said Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. In other news from the Trump administration, the head of the Indian Health Services will speak to Congress about the agency’s failure to address sexual abuse allegations against an IHS doctor. And HHS asks the Department of Defense to house 5,000 immigrant children.
House Democratic Leadership Tries To Temper ‘Medicare For All’ Enthusiasm By Focusing On Price Tag
Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee head Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) spoke recently about concerns over the cost of “Medicare for All” legislation. Progressive Democrats, however, continue to push for a vote this year on the proposal, setting up a showdown between the two sides of the party. In other news from Capitol Hill: gun violence, disaster funding, and military housing.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health issues and others.
Opinion writers add to the on-going national conversation about childhood vaccinations.
Research Roundup: Surprise Medical Bills; Opioid Abuse; And Heart Health
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Maryland, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Washington, Missouri, Minnesota and California.
Under Threat From Competitors, Fitbit Launches Cheapest Smartwatch To Track Workouts, Heart Rate
Rivalries are heating up as tech companies elbow into the hot wearables field. In other health technology news, Epic Systems is sued over its electronic health record software.
Facing such sensitive issues as suicide, smoking, STDs and depression, teens need alone time to talk with their doctor about any concerns they have, advocates say. Although there are guidelines in place for such one-on-one consultations, they often are unevenly practiced. In other public health news: depression medication, heart health, environmental contamination, HIV, and more.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is targeting the health care of billions of people around the world and is promising a back-to-basics approach with focus on “universal health coverage.” But getting regional offices to follow has been problematic.
‘I’m Going To Fight This’: ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek Announces He Has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer
The disease has a particularly high fatality rate, but Alex Trebek said that he “plans to beat the low survival-rate statistics.” According to the American Cancer Society, for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20 percent, and the five-year rate is 7 percent.
Surgeon General Heads To Northwest Hinting At A New Push To Address Antivaccination Movement
During his visit, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said he cannot explicitly endorse state-level laws, but he voiced support for the idea behind bills in the Oregon and Washington legislatures that would eliminate widely used exemptions from mandatory vaccination.
Abortion rights groups said the decision sets a dangerous precedent at a time when the idea of “fetal rights” is gaining currency in state legislatures and courts. In other news on abortion, a “heartbeat” bill gains approval in a Georgia House panel.
Why Is So Much Less Research Done Into Pregnancy Than Into Much Less Common Conditions?
As soon as investors hear “sick, pregnant women” all the excitement dies. “There’s such a sense of liability,” said Melissa Moore, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
