Latest KFF Health News Stories
“What we do know is that these patients had fever and respiratory symptoms three to 10 days before their limb weakness,” CDC’s Dr. Nancy Messonnier said. “And we know that it’s the season where lots of people have fever and respiratory symptoms. What we need to sort out is what is the trigger for the [acute flaccid myelitis].”
NRA Tweet Opens Floodgate Of Doctors Sharing First-Hand Experience With Gun Violence
“I see no one from the @nra next to me in the trauma bay as I have cared for victims of gun violence for the past 25 years,” one doctor wrote in response to NRA’s suggestion. “THAT must be MY lane. COME INTO MY LANE. Tell one mother her child is dead with me, then we can talk.”
A ProPublica investigation shines a light on Oregon’s unique process of reviewing the cases of defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity. About 35 percent of the people in that category were charged with new crimes within three years of being freed by state officials.
Hundreds Of Californians Still Missing As Death Toll Rises To 48 In State’s Most Destructive Fire
“It’s just earthshaking for all of us, you know?” said Chico resident Tammy Mezera. Other news on the fires report on the searches for victims, the technology being used to identify the dead, closures caused by poor air quality and the expected impact on everyone’s pocketbooks.
Local Ties In Suit Against Opioid Manufacturer Makes Case Personal For New Jersey Officials
The Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that New Jersey says minimized the risks of opioid addiction in its marketing messages is based in the state. “It is especially troubling that so much of the alleged misconduct took place right here in our own backyard,”said Gurbir Grewal, the New Jersey attorney general, at a news conference announcing the legal action. “New Jersey’s pharmaceutical industry is the envy of the world, with a long history of developing vital, lifesaving drugs. But we cannot turn a blind eye when a New Jersey company like Janssen violates our laws and threatens the lives of our residents.” Meanwhile, Naloxone can be a lifesaving drug, but not all pharmacies are on board with offering it. News on the epidemic comes out of Oregon, Kansas, New Hampshire and California, as well.
The Brockton VA nursing home is a one-star facility, the lowest rating in the agency’s quality ranking system of its 133 nursing homes.
A New York Times analysis looks at the financial impact of hospital consolidation. The new research confirms growing skepticism among consumer health groups and lawmakers about the enormous clout of such hospital groups.
HHS To Relax Outdated Restrictions On Medicaid Funding For Mental Health Inpatient Treatment
The initial exclusion was meant to phase out the use of psychiatric wards by preventing Medicaid from paying for treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds, but this rule ended up leaving many vulnerable patients without care. The expanded waivers would let Medicaid pay for patients for an average of 30 days.
HHS is planning a series of listening sessions with groups that officials consider to be important stakeholders in the discussion on fetal tissue research. At stake is more than $100 million for projects. The sessions are part of a larger audit that started back in September after HHS abruptly terminated one longstanding contract with a fetal tissue provider.
The company’s move gets ahead of the FDA, which is expected later this week to announce a ban on sales of flavored e-cigarettes in convenience stores and gas stations and strengthen the requirements for age verification of online sales of e-cigarettes. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has taken a forceful stance against what he calls an epidemic of teenage vaping.
With Congressional Gridlock Expected For Foreseeable Future, Look To States For Health Care Action
While Medicaid expansion was the big winner in the midterms, states have been taking up the reins on other issues such as prescription drug prices, as well. With a split Congress, that might be where most of the movement is in the next two year. Meanwhile, Gov.-elect Laura Kelly’s decisive five-point win in Kansas has made longtime Medicaid expansion advocates optimistic that they can get it signed into law during the 2019 legislative session after years of opposition from Kelly’s Republican predecessors. News comes out of Louisiana, as well.
Health Industry Groups Eye Narrow Window Of Lame Duck Session To Try To Rack Up Wins
The industry is hopeful lawmakers might be open to some changes in the last few weeks of the year, including an effort to repeal or further delay the implementation of certain taxes on medical device companies and health insurers, as well as a tax on high-cost health plans known as the “Cadillac” tax.
Lawmakers Campaigned On Promises To Curb High Drug Prices. Now This Coalition Is Holding Them To It.
The initial ads from Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing will focus on insulin costs, and feature a man with diabetes penning a letter pleading with his congressman to follow through on a pledge to lower drug costs. “In your campaign, you said you would act,” the man reads aloud to an unspecified lawmaker. “You said you would do something about drug prices. Keep your commitment: hold Big Pharma accountable.”
In America, Demand For Organ Donations Will Likely Always Outpace Supply. So Are Pigs The Answer?
It turns out that a 150-pound pig is uncannily humanlike in organ size and function. In other public health news: the future of medical treatments, the placebo effect, exercise, suicide and more.
First Edition: November 14, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health topics and others.
Opinion pages focus on how to help bring about an end to gun violence.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, New York, New Hampshire, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio.
Cancer Is On Cusp Of Overtaking Heart Disease As America’s No. 1 Killer
Scientists are warning that Americans should undergo all recommended cancer screenings and adopt lifestyle prevention practices, such as healthy diet and exercise, which are beneficial in lowering both cancer and heart disease mortality. In other public health news: fecal transplants, a rare polio-like illness, concussions, microbes, contraception, and conversion camps.
“One kid in every classroom has some sort of food allergy,” said Dr. Scott Commins, an allergist and immunologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “You put it on that sort of scale, you realize that we’re dealing with a huge issue that doesn’t seem to be going away.” Meanwhile, the FDA is considering adding sesame to the list of possible allergens that labels have to carry.
