Latest KFF Health News Stories
Free Gyms Help Those Recovering From Addiction Create Drug-Free Social Network
In the midst of the opioid epidemic, new strategies of coping with the crisis are emerging as advocates recognize the need for a multi-pronged recovery plan. In other news: homeless outreach teams take the fight to the streets; a new product allows users to test their drugs for deadly contaminants; California lawmakers target prescriptions practices with potential database requirements; and more.
Few Regulations Exist To Protect Elderly And Ill From Potentially Predatory Personal Care Aides
Unlike nurses — or even hairdressers or manicurists — home aides don’t need a state license in Massachusetts, which can leave those in need vulnerable to crime.
Dr. H. Gilbert Welch disputes Dartmouth University’s findings that one of his published papers includes a plagiarized graph. Meanwhile, the New England Journal of Medicine’s decision to leave the article is angering some researchers.
It’s No Longer Just About Medical Care: Social Factors Are Targeted More And More To Improve Health
“We’ve placed a high value and have invested heavily in building our care-delivery system,” says Paul Roth, head of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. “We’ve shortchanged our health outcomes by neglect of these other factors.”
FDA’s Efforts To Halt Epidemic Use Of E-Cigs Among Teens Get Full Support From HHS Secretary
As a father of teens, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says he’s seen the pervasiveness of the devices. In other news on e-cigarettes, Camel’s Snus also comes under scrutiny and UCSF gets a grant to study the health effects of smokeless products.
It’s been a struggle to prompt pharma companies to develop new antibiotics because there’s not a lot of financial incentive for them. But FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is trying to think new strategies as superbugs become stronger and more prevalent.
Members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission say Arkansas should press pause on the state’s new work requirements until officials figure out why people aren’t responding to them. Medicaid news comes out of California, as well.
Health care is a hot topic during the final stretch before the midterm elections. In a shift from years past, Democrats are trying to use the health law as a weapon against Republicans. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is promising to protect Medicare — just like he did when campaigning for 2016. But this time around he has a record show that he supports cuts to Medicare and other safety net programs.
CDC emergency response teams know what patterns to look for, but it’s still a monumental task keeping those in the path of a hurricane healthy. Meanwhile, the death toll from Hurricane Florence continues to climb.
The plans will have much lower premiums than health law-compliant ones because they can turn away customers due to preexisting conditions or charge more based on age, health status and gender, with no out-of-pocket caps, among other things.
Professor Christine Blasey Ford spoke out over the weekend about her allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which involve an incident that allegedly occurred when they were in high school. Following the revelation, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who sits on the Judiciary Committee and is crucial to moving Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full floor, said he’s not comfortable voting “yes” until lawmakers hear from Ford. Other Republican senators also echoed the sentiment.
First Edition: September 17, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these health issues and others.
Opinion writers express views on a variety of health topics.
Opinion writers look at these health issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Texas, Massachusetts, Oregon, Minnesota and Kansas.
Research Roundup: Work Requirements; Reference Pricing; And Medicare Beneficiaries
Editorial pages express views on reproductive issues.
So, Just How Accurate Will New Apple Watch Be When It Comes To Catching Irregular Heart Rhythms?
Experts weigh in on the studies that were done on the new product, which Apple launched this week. In other public health news: alcohol research, birth control, transgender suicide, egg nutrition, and more.
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Launches $2B Fund To Help The Homeless, Build Preschools For Low-Income Families
The world’s richest man has been coming under pressure to help with the growing homeless problems. He tweeted about his philanthropic plans writing he wants “to be helping people in the here and now—short term—at the intersection of urgent need and lasting impact.”
Cuban Scientists Dismiss Claims That Mysterious Symptoms In Diplomats Were The Result Of An Attack
American and Cuban officials gathered to discuss the illness that U.S. scientists theorize was a result of a microwave weapon. “If you’re going to try to explain why donkeys fly, you’re first going to have to see a flying donkey,” said Dr. Mitchell Joseph Valdés Sosa, the director general of the Cuban Center for Neurosciences. “And we haven’t seen a flying donkey.”
