Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

1 Dead, 17 People Sickened In Four States By Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Empire Kosher Chicken

Morning Briefing

While federal food safety officials have issued a public safety alert, no chicken has been recalled, and a spokesman for Empire Kosher said, “We continue to very aggressively work to ensure the quality and safety of our products.”

Superintendent Of Detroit Schools Cuts Off All Drinking Fountains As Some Show Unsafe Levels of Lead, Copper

Morning Briefing

Because water quality results from more than 100 schools aren’t expected until after they reopen, the superintendent says the district is being extra cautious. A task force is being put together to investigate infrastructure issues, but in the meantime bottled water will be provided for students and faculty.

Outcry Sparked By Alcohol Industry-Funded Campaign Suggesting Ambiguity About Safety Of Drinking While Pregnant

Morning Briefing

“It’s not known if alcohol is safe to drink when you are pregnant,” reads the poster from Drinkwise, an Australian organization. Public health groups are outraged that the ads could create confusion when the science is clear about the harmful effects of alcohol on a fetus.

Even As Senate Is Poised To Pass Opioid Package, Many Controversial Issues Involving The Crisis Left Untouched

Morning Briefing

More contentious policies — like protecting patient privacy and Medicaid funding — are likely to be kicked down the road until the lame-duck session following the midterm elections. Meanwhile, the FDA wants to encourage the drug industry to develop nonaddictive alternatives to opioids, and the company that makes Narcan eyes schools as an untapped market.

Hospitals Have A Long-Standing Gripe That Ranking Sites Don’t Give Full Picture Of Quality. Would Patients’ Input Help?

Morning Briefing

Hospitals say that the fixed methodologies used by ranking sites, such as U.S. News & World Report, are unfair because each patient has unique needs. Researchers now argue that allowing patients in on the process would help correct for that.

Intellectual Property Provision In U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal Sets Off Alarms For Generics Companies, Consumer Groups

Morning Briefing

The provision in the trade pact would require a company to wait at least a decade before relying on data generated by a brand-name rival to then obtain regulatory approval and sell its own similar medicine. “The U.S. government is working in favor of the pharma lobby and against health,” said Peter Maybarduk, who heads the access to medicines campaign for Public Citizen. In other pharmaceutical news: Pfizer’s problems at its manufacturing plant, digital pills, recalls and more.

Administration Shortens Title X Funding Period In A Move That Suggests Abortion-Related Regulation Is Coming

Morning Briefing

The proposed regulation would ban recipients of Title X funds from referring women for abortions. Groups fired back at the change that issues grants for six months rather than 3 years. “Shortened and inconsistent program grant cycles that force Title X entities to semi-annually compete for funding causes undue administrative burden, detracting from health care providers’ daily work of delivering high-quality preventive health care in communities across the country,” said Clare Coleman, president and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Trump Praises Administration’s Response To Hurricane Maria As ‘Fantastic’ Despite Report On Devastating Death Toll

Morning Briefing

A new report prompted the Puerto Rican government to revise the number of storm-related deaths from 64 to 2,975, which places Hurricane Maria among one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. President Donald Trump defended the sluggish response to the emergency in Puerto Rico, saying: “It’s hard to get things on the island.”

It’s Not Just Those Eye-Popping Medical Bills That Have Collectors Knocking — Small Ones Often Cause Trouble Too

Morning Briefing

More than half of medical collections are for less than $600, a new study finds. Even though they’re not hundreds of thousands of dollars, those unpaid bills, when set to a collection agency, can hurt a patients’ credit just as fast.

Kavanaugh Hints He’s Skeptical Of Republicans’ Legal Claims Against Health Law In Private Meetings With Dems

Morning Briefing

After failing to pass a repeal plan last year, Republicans have turned to the courts to challenge the health law. But they may not have an ally in Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the open Supreme Court seat.