Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: November 26, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health care topics and others.
Editorial pages focus on these health issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from California, Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Iowa, Georgia, Connecticut, Louisiana and Texas.
The chemical, HaloSan, is typically used to treat pools or spas but is not approved by the EPA to disinfect drinking water. Other environmental health news comes out of North Carolina, Louisiana and California.
Planning To Take Part In A Turkey Trot? How Running Became A Healthy Tradition Before The Big Meal
“It’s become the thing to do on Thanksgiving,” says Anne Reif, organizer of the event in Buffalo, where Turkey Trots got their start in 1896. Thanksgiving is the most popular day of the year to run with more than 1,000 races scheduled, but experts say the calories you burn won’t come close to matching what you consume. Other public health news focuses on older exercisers’ younger muscles, banks keeping a watch on seniors, the best way to breathe, and more.
Officials Warn That Chickenpox Outbreak In North Carolina Could Spread To Neighboring Communities
The school where more than three dozen children have been struck with the chickenpox virus has one of the state’s highest rates of religious exemptions for the vaccination. During the 2017-2018 school year, about two-thirds of the 28 kindergartners at Asheville Waldorf School received a religious exemption from the required vaccinations.
In the past week, physicians flooded social media with stories about their first-hand experiences with gun violence after an NRA tweet directed them to stay out of the debate. The shooting at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago made it even more personal because a doctor was among the victims killed. Meanwhile, the hospital’s leaders are citing the active-shooter training done in the months prior to the incident as the reason there wasn’t more loss of life.
Insurers Are Deploying Host Of Tactics That Can Price Already-Expensive Sleep Apnea Aid Out Of Reach
Patients have been required to rent CPAPs at rates that total much more than the retail price of the devices, or they’ve discovered that the supplies would be substantially cheaper if they didn’t have insurance at all.
The companies already have a partnership, but the wide-ranging talks may lead to expanded ventures. It’s the latest move in a flurry of health care mergers, as drugstores and other health providers look for ways to diversify, bulk up and insulate themselves against external threats, including from Amazon.
Internal VA Watchdog Finds Widespread Errors In Benefits Claims From Veterans Who Have ALS
Of 960 claims that were examined, 430 contained errors. Of those, 230 claimants were awarded the wrong benefits, and most received no money or were underpaid. In other news, Apple is in talks with the VA to create software allowing veterans to transfer health records to iPhones.
Mississippi’s 15-Week Abortion Ban ‘Unequivocally’ Unconstitutional, Judge Rules
The Mississippi law and the responding lawsuit set up a confrontation sought by abortion opponents, who are hoping federal courts will ultimately prohibit abortions even before a fetus is viable outside the womb, which has been the dividing line the U.S. Supreme Court set.
Doctors Should Be Urged To Offer PrEP To All Patients At High Risk Of HIV, Task Force Recommends
If new guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force are approved, it would expand access to the medication that’s effective against preventing HIV since most private health plans are required under the Affordable Care Act to cover the full cost of services recommended by the panel. “This is definitely fantastic news and validates everything science has been saying all along,” said Dr. Aaron Lord, a physician at New York University School of Medicine. “When taken daily, there’s very good evidence that the chance of acquiring H.I.V. is essentially zero.”
The total amount spent so far breaks down to about $30,000 per child, which went toward shelter, food, education, medical needs and more. Meanwhile, the number of unaccompanied immigrant kids held in Texas shelters reached a new high in November.
Republicans Use John McCain’s ‘No’ Vote On Repeal As All-Purpose Excuse. But What Are The Facts?
Even if the late-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had voted “yes” to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the House still would have had to pass the Senate’s bill, which had contentious differences to the lower chamber’s version.
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb suggested the agency was taking quick action to try to prevent more illnesses, particularly before the Thanksgiving holiday. The E. coli outbreak comes on top of a widespread salmonella outbreak in turkeys, so people should be careful when preparing food for any celebrations.
Kentucky’s Medicaid Work Requirements Approved Once Again By Trump Administration
Earlier this year, a federal judge blocked Kentucky’s work requirements waiver ruling the government did not adequately consider how the plan would impact people who receive coverage. The judge’s ruling restarted the application process, which was completed Tuesday. Work requirement proposals have drawn criticism as advocates worry poor families will lose their health care. In Arkansas, thousands have been dropped from the Medicaid rolls in the months since the rules were enacted.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Plan To Curb High Drug Prices Piggybacks Off Trump’s Proposals
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a new drug prices plan with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) which, at first glance, seems fairly similar to President Donald Trump’s proposals to curb high costs. But a close look finds that while the Sanders vision echoes portions of the president’s blueprint, it is vastly different in other areas.
