Latest KFF Health News Stories
Case On Pregnant Immigrant Teen Offers Glimpse Of Where Kavanaugh Stands On Roe V. Wade
Although critics of Brett Kavanaugh are focusing on abortion rights to oppose the Supreme Court nominee, there is not a lot in his record that reveals his stance on the issue.
Token Concessions From Pharma Give Trump Victories While Costing Companies Almost Nothing
There has been a lot of fine print in all the price cutting talk from the pharmaceutical industry in recent weeks. For example, most targeted old products that no longer produce much revenue.
FDA Had ‘Fox Guarding The Henhouse’ When It Came To Regulating Powerful Class Of Fentanyl
The agency entrusted enforcement of the drugs to the companies that were making them, documents show. “People were getting hurt — and the FDA sat by and watched this happen,” Dr. Andrew Kolodny, an opioid policy researcher at Brandeis University, tells The New York Times. Meanwhile, under pressure, another pharmaceutical wholesaler agrees to boost oversight of its opioid distribution.
Planned Parenthood To Continue To Receive Family Planning Funds Despite Push To Cut It From Program
But the announcement from HHS did not specify how much the organization would receive in Title X grants, so there’s a possibility it could receive less money than previous years.
Trump Administration Puts Burden On ACLU To Locate Deported Parents Of Separated Children
The American Civil Liberties Union is pushing back, saying that the White House’s “unconstitutional separation practice” precipitated the crisis and that the federal government has far more resources than non-governmental organizations to find the parents.
Bipartisan Majority Knocks Down Cruz’s Attempt To Kill D.C.’s Version Of Individual Mandate
Following the defeat of the measure, Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “Senator Ted Cruz — who otherwise loathes federal government intrusion — launched the most recent attempt to undermine the will of Washingtonians, and we are grateful that a bipartisan majority in the Senate tabled his amendment.” News on the health law comes out of Missouri and Illinois also.
Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati and Columbus filed the suit, pointing to President Donald Trump’s own words that he is trying to kill the Affordable Care Act. Legal experts say the cities are unlikely to succeed in their suit.
Democrats Hope To Put Republican Senators On Hot Spot With Vote To Block Short-Term Plans
With the midterm elections coming up, the vote would force Republicans to vote against popular protections such as coverage for preexisting health conditions.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers focus on these and other health issues.
Editorial pages look at these health care issues and others.
Longer Looks: Religious Hospitals; Legal Cannabis; And Cancer In Prison
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from Michigan, California, Illinois, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin and Texas.
Days After Ebola Outbreak Ended, Cases Reported In Eastern Part Of Democratic Republic of Congo
Whereas other outbreaks have been in relatively safe areas, the new one is in an active conflict zone.
Hundreds of lawsuits claim that Abilify, which can be taken for depression and anxiety, causes gambling, binging, and other compulsive acts. But scientists say that if it does play a role, there are likely other factors also at play. In other public health news: tuberculosis, 3D-printed guns, cancer survivors, sleep, worker injuries, and more.
It took more than three months, several DNA studies and other tests before an undocumented mother was reunited with her 1-year-old daughter. She had many questions, but the caseworker who delivered her child disappeared before she could ask them.
Medicare Giving Hospices Pay Bump For Next Year
Meanwhile, academic and rural hospitals will likely see a cut in funding.
Painkiller-Makers Pouring Money Into Communities, States That Are Suing Them Over Opioid Crisis
The companies are doling out money to nonprofits, in a move that could potentially be building goodwill ahead of the massive legal battle the industry is about to face. Meanwhile, KHN takes a look at how competition in the early days of the opioid push helped shape the companies’ strategies.
Medicaid Expansion Advocates Have Found A Way Around GOP Legislatures Saying ‘No’
Activists are working to get expansion of the program on the ballots for a handful of red states where elected officials have blocked it for years. Medicaid news comes out of Florida, Virginia and Michigan, as well.
Medicare currently isn’t allowed to negotiate drug prices, but analysts looked at agencies that can — like the Department of Veterans Affairs — and crunched some numbers. As drug prices continue to rise, officials scramble to find ways to curb the cost hikes. Meanwhile, Medicare beneficiaries will pay lower premiums on their prescription drug plans next year.
