Latest KFF Health News Stories
The tactic of suing companies over potentially harmful products is a lucrative one, and those looking to get a chunk of that money have made a business out of luring women into sometimes unnecessary procedures to make them a more valuable plaintiff.
Some in the movement see the possible retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy as their chance to have the Supreme Court revisit Roe v. Wade. Other activists want to focus on more incremental gains instead, though.
Pharma’s Anti-Competitive Tactics That Stymie Generics Drugmakers Targeted By Officials, Lawmakers
Generic drug developers need samples of brand-name drugs to show that a generic copy is equivalent to the original, but the drug companies are refusing to provide samples of their products. In other pharmaceutical news: an appeals court hands the industry a victory in price gouging case; a former Mallinckrodt employee claims she was fired for warning company about illegal sales practices; and a shortage of EpiPens outside the U.S.
GOP Candidates Shy Away From Once-Favorite ‘Repeal And Replace’ Talking Point
After years of using the health law as a rallying cry with voters, Republican candidates are keeping quiet on the topic. “Yeah, we probably can’t talk credibly about repeal and replace anymore,” said Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.).
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these and other health topics.
Research Roundup: State Exchanges; Premium Changes; And Dialysis
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Texas and D.C.
Virginia Lawmakers Optimistic About Medicaid Expansion Negotiations
House Del. Alfonso Lopez said there could be a bill as early as Monday or Tuesday of next week. Medicaid news comes out of Pennsylvania and Mississippi, as well.
Banner Health To Pay $18 Million To Settle Whistleblower Case Involving False Medicare Claims
Former employee Cecilia Guardiola said she discovered that Banner hospitals billed an “inordinate and improper number of short-stay claims, particularly those for expensive cardiac procedures,” according to the Justice Department statement.
Software That Uses Artificial Intelligence To Screen Eyes For Diabetes Damage Approved By FDA
It’s the first screening device the FDA has authorized that doesn’t need a clinician’s interpretation to look for a particular condition. In other news, the agency also is going to relax its review of next-generation sequencing tests.
First Large-Scale Study Of Transgender Children Gets $1 Million Boost
Launched in 2013, the project has recruited more than 300 children ages 3-12 from 45 states, with the goal of tracking their development over 20 years. In other public health news: melanoma, brain damage, bathroom hand dryers, ovarian cancer, air pollution, “cool caps,” and more.
Nearly 60 percent of the 38,658 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2016 were people taking their own lives, and advocates say “red flag” laws, which allow officials to seize weapons from people who may be a threat to themselves or others, can play a role in combating that trend.
Adults Should Limit Alcoholic Drinks To One A Day, Study Finds
While heavier drinkers were less likely to have a heart attack, the increased risk of a stroke and other heart problems outweighed that benefit.
Cost To Collect Unpaid Health Premiums In Minnesota Would Cost More Than What Would Be Recovered
While Minnesota Department of Human Services wants to close its books on the matter, some Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature are pushing legislation that could force DHS to collect payments it’s owed by July 1.
An analysis finds that the new medications, which could carry a $8,500 price tag, are not cost effective. In other pharmaceutical news, a gene therapy trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy has begun, and an online pharmacy is fined for importing counterfeit cancer drugs.
Emotionally Fraught Debate Over Religious Objections To Abortions Heats Up
The Trump administration’s new division shields workers who object to abortion, assisted suicide, or other procedures they say violate their conscience or deeply held religious beliefs is sparking a legal, ethical and political battle over providing health care.
The case combines lawsuits from hundreds of cities, states and counties against the drug industry and its role in the opioid epidemic.
Drug Distributors Summoned To Testify In Front Of Congress About Their Role In Opioid Epidemic
The hearing, scheduled for May 8, is being likened to when tobacco executives were called in front of Congress in the 1990s. Representatives from McKesson, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, Miami-Luken and H.D. Smith Wholesale Drug Company will testify. Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to work toward a bipartisan package to get to the floor by May.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
