Latest KFF Health News Stories
NIH Updates Website About Link Between Alcohol, Cancer After Criticism That It Soft-Pedaled The Risk
Previously, the site warned that drinking “too much alcohol” could increase the risk, while research shows that almost any alcohol consumption a day is associated with an elevated chance of getting breast cancer. In other public health news: a look inside the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, genetic prospectors, virtual reality and phobias, ACL treatment, personality types, probiotics and more.
The Numbers Behind An Epidemic: More Than 2 Million Teens Have Used E-Cigarettes New Survey Finds
FDA officials are so concerned by the prevalence of vaping among teens that they’ve announced a crackdown on the devices. E-cigarettes were designed to be a healthier alternative to traditional smoking, but there’s been little research about the long-term health effects of using the devices.
“The way insurance is set up right now, no out-of-pocket costs means you go to the drugstore and you don’t have a copay,” said Adam Sonfield, a senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute. “There are systems for that that make sense. But we don’t have a system like that for Natural Cycles.” In other news on women’s reproductive health, pro-life advocates push for a 20-week abortion ban.
The National Quality Forum wants CMS to adopt measures that include patient experience ratings; the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections; and alcohol use screening.
The lawsuit claims that the administration’s military-readiness policy, which is meant to single out troops that for any reason can’t be deployed for 12 consecutive months, targets people with HIV.
Former Tennessee Governor Touts Deep Medicaid Cuts In Race For Senate Seat
While governor, Phil Bredesen (D-Tenn.) faced a budget that advisers said was the toughest they’d seen in their careers. In a new campaign ad, Bredesen says he “saved TennCare,” but those fixes came at a cost and proved controversial for many at the time. Bredesen is running for the Senate against Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Medicaid news comes out Iowa and Michigan, as well.
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, professor Christine Blasey Ford, will both testify publicly under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump are confident the nomination can be salvaged, while some Republicans are anxious that events could backfire on them in the upcoming midterms.
The companies say their merger would drive higher quality care and affordability by offering insurance and pharmacy services under one roof. The deal is just one in a string of acquisitions currently reshaping the health landscape as businesses struggle to survive in the ever-changing industry.
In The Wake Of A Hurricane: Public Health Threats Linger Long After Wind And Rain Dies Down
Residents have to worry about everything from bacteria in the standing water, illness at shelters, snakes and mold once a hurricane passes. “This is very much an ongoing disaster,” said Tom Cotter, a team leader for the relief group Americares. In other news about Hurricane Florence: pharmaceutical companies were braced for worst-case scenarios at East Coast plants, but emerged mostly unscathed; a tragic death leaves behind a grieving mother; the death toll from the storm rises; and homeless people are particularly hard hit by the disaster.
One New York City Resident Dies Every Six Hours From An Overdose
The number of people who died of a drug overdose in New York City rose to a record high in 2017, but the rate at which people die is slowing. News on the health crisis comes out of New Hampshire, Texas and Ohio, also.
Wide-Ranging Opioid Package Passed By Senate, But Advocates Say It Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Advocates say the bills do little to tackle the nationwide bed shortage at addiction treatment centers, fail to encourage more doctors to prescribe medication to treat addiction and lack long-term funding guarantees for new programs. Media outlets take a look at what made it in and what got cut.
Some companies are going so far as to officially forbid employees from bringing in sugary snacks for their co-workers.
First Edition: September 18, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages look at these health topics and others.
Perspectives: Serious Questions Remain About Kavanaugh’s Character And Integrity
Opinion writers weigh in on the confirmation process of Brett Kavanaugh
Media outlets report on news from Oregon, Minnesota, Kansas, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, California, Wisconsin, Ohio and Arizona.
Infant Walkers Are Leading To Skull Fractures And ‘Have No Benefit Whatsoever’
The products “should not be sold in the U.S.,” says pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Hoffman. In other children’s health news: psych drugs and foster kids; mental health at detention centers; concussions; and transgender care.
When Cancer Patients Need Support And Encouragement, Personal Coaches Can Be The Answer
But some say that if the health system was doing its job, the independent coaches shouldn’t actually be necessary. In other new: over-the-counter medication packaging, strep throat, Alzheimer’s, cartilage, back pain, marijuana and more.
Aspirin Study ‘Slays Beautiful Theory’ About Benefits Of Daily Dose For Healthy Adults
Researchers were expecting it to prevent heart attacks and strokes in patients, but taking a daily dose may actually cause more harm than good.
Aggressive Breast Cancer Surgeries For Elderly Women ‘Might Be Worse Than Breast Cancer Itself’
Because nursing home residents are often sick, there is a high mortality rate after surgeries, according to a recent study. In other news on breast health, the FDA announces plans to discuss implant safety.
