Latest KFF Health News Stories
As More And More Consumers Face Sky-High Surprise Bills, Congress Mired In Partisanship Fails To Act
But at the state level, legislatures are starting to respond to public outrage.
Comcast At Forefront Of Controlling Health Care Costs For Its Employees With Do-It-Yourself Approach
The cable behemoth’s health care costs have stayed nearly flat in the past five years–increasing by about 1 percent a year, well under the 3 percent average of other large employers and below general inflation. In other industry news: investors are excited about Berkshire Hathaway’s new health venture; Johnson & Johnson scores high at Management Top 250; and doctors at work is the latest perk at some tech companies.
The practice of identifying the additional codes to send to CMS for payment is legal but costing Medicare millions. Meanwhile, new Medicare cards are being issued, and The New York Times lays out some tips on what you need to know about them.
The panic stems from a potential Trump administration policy that would penalize legal immigrants if they receive aid from the government. “It’s a stealth regulation,” said Kathleen Campbell Walker, an immigration attorney at Dickinson Wright in El Paso, Texas. “It doesn’t really exist, but it’s being applied subliminally.”
Health Care A ‘Huge’ Priority For Voters As Midterms Near
Democrats have seized the issue that was once used against them, while Republicans are focusing on economy. Immigration is also a top concern for many voters. Meanwhile, lawmakers are desperate to avoid a government shutdown before the midterms.
Republicans Brace For Political Fallout As Lawsuit Challenging Health Law Heads For Its Day In Court
The suit challenging the health law’s constitutionality is based out of Texas, where a group of Republican attorneys general are set to face off against a group of Democratic attorneys general. But even Republicans are worried about the impact a ruling could have on midterms. “There’s no question it complicates things for Republicans if a decision comes down in October,” said Rodney Whitlock, a Washington healthcare strategist and former GOP Senate staffer.
Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination hearings will play out over the next four days, with opening statements on Tuesday by senators and Kavanaugh, followed by two days of questioning and a final day of testimony from outside witnesses. Democrats have focused on Kavanaugh’s threat to health care and women’s rights, but have failed to muster much public outrage over the nomination. Media outlets break down what you need to know for this upcoming week.
First Edition: September 4, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers express views on these and other health topics.
Perspectives: Overturning Roe Might Also Mean The End Of Many Progressive Reforms
Editorial pages express views on reproductive issues.
Research Roundup: Smoking In Adolescents; Transgender Patients; And Preexisting Conditions
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from California, Washington, New York, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Oregon and Illinois.
On the same day, Pennsylvania state prisons were put on lockdown after employees at 10 prisons recently required treatment from exposure to an unidentified substance.
Of the more than 7,000 known rare diseases, up to half are believed to cause changes to the shape of the face or skull. Uploading a picture of the person’s face to an app can be a new tool to help doctors with a diagnosis.
CRISPR Makes Strides Forward In Tackling Gene Mutation For Muscular Dystrophy In Beagles
While many companies pursue strategies to treat the disease caused by a lack of production of dystrophin, the gene-editing tool attempts to change the underlying cause. The scientists programmed the CRISPR system to cut the dogs’ DNA at a precise spot on the dystrophin gene. The cells repaired the cut, enabling dystrophin production to be restored.
When Emergency Services Are Overwhelmed By Disaster, Medical Emergencies Can Fall Through The Cracks
Even if cities and states have plans in place for natural disasters, storms like Hurricane Harvey — which brought once-in-a-thousand-years rain — can plunge emergency services into chaos. In other public health news: car seats, sperm donors, pesticides, diets and more.
Kentucky Official Suggests Rolling Back Medicaid Expansion As $300M Shortfall Looms
“The expansion population is an optional population,” Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Adam Meier told a panel of state lawmakers when they asked what could be done. Medicaid news comes out of Iowa, Oregon and Kansas, as well.
Out-of-network services end up costing patients big. And as insurance designs become more complicated with more tiered or narrow networks, medical bills are only going to get more tricky.
CMS Aims To Ramp Up Medicare Part D Plans’ Negotiating Power Over Drug Costs With Formulary Change
CMS is allowing the plans to pursue what are known as “indication-based formulary designs,” which are already used by private insurers. “By allowing Medicare’s prescription drug plans to cover the best drug for each patient condition, plans will have more negotiating power with drug companies, which will results in lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries,” CMS administrator Seema Verma said
The New York Times looks at how advances in medicine are shaping the high court, often allowing justices to pass the baton when they choose. Meanwhile, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh preps for his confirmation hearings that start next week.
