Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

CVS-Aetna Merger Clears Crucial Hurdle With Justice Department Approval

Morning Briefing

The deal is one of several in recent years that has consolidated power among health care companies. Critics worry that the mergers will mean fewer choices and higher health care costs for consumers. “The combination of CVS and Aetna creates an enormous market force that we haven’t seen before,” said George Slover, a senior policy counsel for Consumers Union. CVS still needs to get approvals from several states.

Campaign Calls On People To Break ‘Code Of Silence’ Surrounding Domestic Violence

Morning Briefing

The campaign, Don’t Just Give A Damn, urges people to take an active stand in the fight against domestic violence. In other public health news: therapy dogs, intermittent fasting, women in science, blood cancer, end-of-life discussions, and more.

With Regulatory Threat From FDA Looming, Juul Beefs Up Lobbying Efforts

Morning Briefing

Last week, Juul brought in Josh Raffel, a former senior communications aide and crisis communications expert who has worked closely with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has taken steps in recent weeks to crack down on the e-cigarette company.

Dems Know What Immigration Policies They Don’t Like, But Struggle To Reach A Cohesive Path Forward

Morning Briefing

Democrats have expressed outrage over how the Trump administration has handled immigration problems, a fury that was amplified by the “zero tolerance” policy enacted this year. But the factions within the party are split about which direction they should move in. Meanwhile, drug-trafficking prosecutions plunge to the lowest level in years along the southwestern border.

Largest Open-Air Narcotics Market For Heroin On East Coast Draws ‘Drug Tourists’ On Hunt For Cheap, Pure Opioids

Morning Briefing

The neighborhood in Philadelphia has been dubbed “Walmart of heroin,” and efforts to curb opioid abuse stemming from that marketplace have largely failed. The New York Times offers a glimpse inside the lives of the people who reside there. Meanwhile, a program in Tennessee tries to break the cycle of incarceration and addiction by focusing on job training.

Both Sides Of Abortion Battle Preparing For Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Morning Briefing

Braced for the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood’s new strategy includes three major components: expanding access in states with laws favorable to reproductive rights; policy work aimed at strengthening reproductive rights; and efforts to reduce stigma surrounding abortion. Meanwhile, anti-abortion advocates are strategizing on the best cases to push forward.

Administration Asked To Focus On High Maternal Mortality Rates That Make U.S. Outlier Among Developed Countries

Morning Briefing

The Trump administration is being pressed by a group of bipartisan senators “to review existing data and provide us with recommendations about what can be done at the federal, state and local levels to reduce mortality and improve health outcomes for all mothers and their children, regardless of their racial and ethnic background, income level or educational attainment.”

Democrats Want To Force Vote To Make GOP Go On Record Against Preexisting Conditions Just Before Midterms

Morning Briefing

The legislation targets President Donald Trump’s newly expanded short-term plan coverage, which for the Democrats has become a proxy for the Republicans’ supposed willingness to roll back protections on preexisting conditions. Meanwhile, the administration announces its plans for maintenance downtime for the federal health law registration website, Healthcare.gov.

Once Upon A Time, Republicans Wanted Nothing More Than To Reform Medicare. A Look At How That’s Changed.

Morning Briefing

One of the main health care promises featured in Republican campaign ads this cycle is that theirs is the party that will protect Medicare as it is — even though entitlement program changes have long been desired by GOP leadership. News about the midterm elections comes out of Tennessee, Maine, Texas, California and Ohio, as well.