Latest KFF Health News Stories
Media outlets report on news from Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Kansas, California, Colorado, Arizona, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Florida.
When Doctors Are Stumped By Rare Cases, They Can Call In These ‘Disease Detectives’
The Undiagnosed Diseases Network, set up by the National Institutes of Health, brings in specialists trained to diagnose mystery symptoms and “the rarest of rare diseases.” In other public health news: ketamine clinics, health apps, ICU dementia, mental illness, food scarcity, immunology and more.
San Francisco’s Superior Court of California Judge Suzanne Bolanos issued a tentative motion granting Bayer a new trial. Her ruling calls into question the bulk of the $289 million judgment, the first in thousands of cases alleging that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup herbicide, causes cancer.
More Floridians Could Be Exposed To Toxic Red Tide As Hurricane Michael Pushes It Ashore
“The toxin would get into the air and people would be breathing it,” said Larry Brand, a professor in the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology at the University of Miami. Other news on the hurricane focuses on the public health of those affected and the financial impact of the storm on hospitals.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell, who is on the board of Safehouse, wants to move forward with a facility that would allow drug users to inject under the supervision of medical professionals. There has been a push for the safe injection sites in cities and states, but the movement has run up against federal officials who are adamantly opposed to the idea.
The request from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) comes in response to a Wall Street Journal article that detailed hidden financial arrangements between hospital systems and insurers that included limitations on coverage offered by the plans to their enrollees, which in turn would save the hospitals money.
Experts say that hundreds of thousands of children and other members of low-income legal immigrant families could drop out of public programs providing health care, nutrition and housing assistance due to the rule, which directs immigration officials to take into account things such as Medicaid assistance when determining green card eligibility. Meanwhile, House Democrats have introduced a bill to block the Trump administration’s policy.
In Sign Of Health Law’s Increasing Stability, Centene To Offer Plans In Four New States Next Year
Centene will sell the health law plans in 20 states next year, adding Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It will also expand its markets in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Texas.
The legislation won’t directly impact the prices of drugs, but it may lower what some consumers pay at the pharmacy. President Donald Trump’s signing was a contrast to the rancor over other health issues roiling through D.C.
Reports estimate that the ballot measure would cost the state’s health system more than $900 million a year, and that if it becomes law hospitals would need to hire as many as 3,100 additional full-time nurses to comply with the new mandate. Meanwhile, a poll finds that support for the measure is waning. Midterm election news comes out of Michigan, Minnesota and Maine, as well.
Democrats have seized on Republicans’ attacks on the health law — mostly focusing on preexisting conditions — as a winning strategy in the upcoming midterms. On Wednesday, senators forced a vote on blocking President Donald Trump’s short-term plan expansion, though no one really expected the measure to be approved. Still, the move put Republicans on the record as voting to uphold plans that don’t include health law protections just weeks before the 2018 elections.
Fact checkers comb through President Donald Trump’s opinion piece on the Democrats’ “Medicare For All” plan and flag many of the president’s points that misstate facts about the current Medicare program, Medicare For All’s potential impact on seniors, preexisting conditions, and the cost of the plan, among other things.
CVS-Aetna Merger Clears Crucial Hurdle With Justice Department Approval
The deal is one of several in recent years that has consolidated power among health care companies. Critics worry that the mergers will mean fewer choices and higher health care costs for consumers. “The combination of CVS and Aetna creates an enormous market force that we haven’t seen before,” said George Slover, a senior policy counsel for Consumers Union. CVS still needs to get approvals from several states.
First Edition: October 11, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
President Donald Trump writes about his views on the Democrats’ “Medicare For All” plan, which has become a litmus test among progressive candidates. Editorial pages look at other health issues, as well.
Thoughts On The Opioid Crisis: Everybody Needs To Come To The Table Ready To Fight Epidemic
Columnists discuss the challenges of curbing the opioid crisis, which has affected hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Researchers Seek Ways To Add Speed, Economy, And Flexibility To Process Of Producing Drugs
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, North Carolina and Colorado.
Campaign Calls On People To Break ‘Code Of Silence’ Surrounding Domestic Violence
The campaign, Don’t Just Give A Damn, urges people to take an active stand in the fight against domestic violence. In other public health news: therapy dogs, intermittent fasting, women in science, blood cancer, end-of-life discussions, and more.
