Latest KFF Health News Stories
Addiction specialists say that they’re seeing a sharp upswing in teens abusing benzodiazepines, which can cause seizures during withdrawal. “We see things first. So, I’m not surprised that the spike in Xanax use isn’t reflected in national data yet,” said Sharon Levy, director of adolescent addiction treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital. “When I ask them if they’re using opioids, they say, ‘No. I wouldn’t touch the stuff.’” News on addiction and the opioid crisis also comes out of Louisiana, Wisconsin and Arizona — and was a topic of discussion on this week’s “What The Health” podcast.
Sobering Report On Alcohol: No Amount Of Drinking Is Good For Your Health
“People should no longer think that a drink or two a day is good for you,” said Emmanuela Gakidou, senior author of the report appearing in the Lancet. For people ages 15 to 49, alcohol is the leading risk factor for experiencing a negative health outcome. Other public health news also includes reports on e-cigs that appeal to children, HPV-related cancer rates, electronic medical records, antibiotic resistance, political influence and more.
Vaccine Wars In U.S. Provided Fertile Ground For Russian Trolls Meddling With 2016 Elections
The bots didn’t pick a side, though, instead hurling insults at both pro- and anti-vaccine advocates. A new study found that their only intent seemed to be to raise the level of hostility in the debate.
Appeals Court Denies Arkansas’ Request To Lift Judge’s Order Against Law Banning Abortion Pills
The law, if it went into effect, would make Arkansas the first state to effectively ban the pills. Abortion-related legal news comes out of Minnesota and Alabama, as well.
Republican Senators’ Plan Would Amend HIPAA To Include Preexisting Conditions Protections
GOP lawmakers have been the target of Democrats’ attacks that they want to strip away one of the most popular provisions in the health law. The new measure would give them cover if the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act succeeds.
Critics Accuse Education Secretary Of Putting NRA’s Bottom Line Ahead Of Student’s Safety
According to sources, the Education Department is mulling the idea of using federal funds to arm teachers following the recent string of school shootings. The plan drew fierce condemnation. “Instead of after-school programs or counselors, programs that are critical for creating safe and welcoming schools and addressing the mental health needs of kids, DeVos wants to turn schools into armed fortresses and make kids and educators less safe,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Patients don’t end up paying the list price of any drug, and the cost could vary depending on insurance plans and how much the person spent on health care that year. But the Senate joined in the push on Thursday, doling out $1 million to HHS to implement transparency regulations.
The idea would be to allow people who earn too much to qualify for expanded Medicaid to buy a Medicaid managed-care plan instead of commercial coverage. But even that proposal has hospitals balking.
Maine Must Move Forward With Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion, State’s Highest Court Rules
Republican Gov. Paul LePage has been blocking the expansion for months, adamant that state lawmakers must come up with a way to fund the program. Advocacy groups sued the governor over the delay.
NIH Gets Big Boost In Spending Bill As Senate Swats Down Measure To Defund Planned Parenthood
With a 85-7 vote on a measure that includes funding for health agencies, the Senate has now passed nine of the 12 mandatory spending bills for the budget year that begins Oct. 1. The package now goes to the House for a vote. Meanwhile, an attempt by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to strip Planned Parenthood of funds was easily blocked.
First Edition: August 24, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on how the recent decision to soften rules regulating coal-fired power plants will impact our health.
Viewpoints: Social Media Has Strong Links To Violence; Juul’s Dangers Rising Among Teen Users
Editorial pages focus on these health issues and others.
Longer Looks: Health-Sharing Ministries; Marijuana Addiction; And Electric Scooter Injuries
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
As Anxiety Rises Among School-Aged Children, School Nurses Try To Adjust To Meet Their Health Needs
The nurse’s office is often the first place students turn to for help to deal with stress, a trend worrying many school nursing associations that say they’re outnumbered by students. “There’s so much more in the school nursing world today than there ever has been,” Illinois school nurse Cameron Traut said. News on children’s health also reports on how frequent family moves can disrupt children’s mental health, mothers’ depression can throw off a child’s immune system and more.
Dutch Move Away From Medical Approach To Alzheimer’s And More Toward Reducing Stress
Experts in the Netherlands place emphasis on reducing stress, bringing together patients with dementia, and accessing childhood memories and emotions, rather than on drug treatment. Meanwhile, researchers in the U.S. are studying a gene mutation that could unlock some of the mysteries surrounding Alzheimer’s.
Ancient Hybrid Adds Another Layer Of Complexity To Timeline Of Humans’ Evolution
The discovery of bone fragments of a female with a Denisovan dad and a Neanderthal mom is a genetic jackpot for scientists who knew that the hybrids existed but didn’t really expect to find proof.
Health Benefits Of Tiny Amounts Of Ingredient In ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Piques Scientists’ Interest
So far, the majority of the evidence that psilocybin microdosing offers benefits — increased creativity, less anxiety, decreased need for caffeine and reduced depression — has been anecdotal. But researchers are starting to get curious. In other public health news: melanoma, air pollution, gym class, hearing, and concussions.
Unique Aspects Of New Pricey CAR-T Cancer Therapy Flummox Medicare Advisers
How to fit these therapies, that are innovative yet extremely expensive, into Medicare’s payment model leaves advisers more confused than anything. In other pharmaceutical news, a curtain is pulled back on the drug development process and scientists look to create a new class of drugs to treat malaria.
