Latest KFF Health News Stories
The widening budget deficit announced in recent days has sparked conversation among Republicans of cutting budgets and look for trims to entitlement programs. The Democrats are seizing on the tone shift, and using the potential changes to Medicare, Medicaid and other safety net programs as talking points on the campaign trail.
First Edition: October 18, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health care topics and others.
Perspectives: Is Requiring Pharma to Include Prices In Ads Long Overdue Or Is It Ineffective?
Read recent commentaries about the Trump administration’s plan to require companies to include medications’ prices in their ads, along with other drug-cost issues.
One Option States Are Pursuing To Lower Drug Costs: Treat Pharma Like A Public Utility
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Florida, California, Louisiana, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, Minnesota and Massachusetts.
The inability to provide quick, inexpensive tests to diagnose the virus is hindering efforts in Angola to track the disease that can cause severe disabilities in babies, health experts say. In other news on Zika, mothers in Brazil give around-the-clock care for their disabled children.
Geneticists are alarmed that their research is being misinterpreted by white supremacy groups. “Studying human genetic diversity is easier in a society where diversity is clearly valued and celebrated — right now, that is very much on my mind,” said John Novembre, a University of Chicago evolutionary biologist. In other public health news: brain science, obesity, concussions, mental health, surgery centers and more.
Experts talk about why there isn’t as much public support when survivors talk about why they stayed as there is for women sharing their sexual harassment and abuse stories. Part of the reason, other than safety and stigma, is that while #MeToo exemplifies the strength of multiple accusations, domestic violence survivors are often the lone voice speaking up about their individual experience.
Active drug users are at a greater risk of dying than ever before because of fentanyl, and the illicit drug is not going away, according to Jay Butler, an Alaskan health official. Other news on the opioid epidemic focuses on rural American attitudes, newborns, life-saving naloxone and more.
The company, Devoted Health, was founded last year by Todd Park, a former chief technology officer for the Obama administration, and Ed Park, a former Athenahealth executive. In other health industry news: the ripple effects of Anthem’s privacy breach settlement; UnitedHealth earnings projections; and Catholic Health Initiatives’ merger with Dignity Health
California’s population of immigrants who do not qualify for plans under the health law could make it difficult to get the uninsured number any lower. News on health law plans comes out of Virginia, as well.
Joan Barry is a state legislator who has been a member of the Missouri Democratic Party for decades. She’s also stands against abortion, which has put her at odds with the majority of her own party. Midterm election news also comes out of Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Florida and Massachusetts.
CDC Stumped By Polio-Like Paralyzing Illness In Children As Cases Surge In 22 States
The condition striking kids in a growing number of states is called acute flaccid myelitis and it can cause paralysis, but health officials are unable to find a cause for the increased number of cases. The wave of illnesses seems to come in alternating years, and this one is similar to surges seen in 2014 and 2016.
The lawsuit alleges the insulin makers fraudulently set an artificially high “list” price but then negotiate lower prices by paying rebates and discounts to pharmacy benefit managers. Stories of patients dying because they weren’t able to pay for their insulin have brought attention to the issue in recent months. Minnesota is the first state to go to court over the prices.
Stat takes a look at what those five drugmakers are spending on ads right now and how they might be impacted by the Trump administration’s proposal to require prices to be included. Meanwhile, some families who have struggled with high drug costs are frustrated that the plan might not actually lower prices.
First Edition: October 17, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these and other health care issues.
Media outlets report on news from South Dakota, California, Iowa, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Kansas, New Hampshire and Minnesota.
The genome itself doesn’t change, but research about mutations and diseases linked to certain genes does update. And when that happens, there’s no good way to inform people who think they’re in the clear.
