Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial writers look at these and other health topics.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
‘We’ve Gone From The Farm To The Pharm’: How The ‘Diabetes Belt’ Is Embracing This Insulin-Maker
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas, North Carolina,
Plaintiffs argued that Gov. Jerry Brown called the special session to deal with a funding shortage for public health programs and the assisted death law did not meet that criteria. Superior Court Judge Daniel Ottolia is giving the state attorney general five days to appeal.
Cherokee Nation’s Aggressive Program For Treating Hep C Eyed As Potential National Treatment Model
The tribe launched a screening program targeting those aged 20 to 65 because of their statistically higher chances of having the disease. More than 1,300 members tested positive, with a 90 percent cure rate among those who have started treatment. “It’s a trailblazing project for the entire country,” said CDC official John Ward. In other public health news: vaping, prostate cancer, antibiotics, the latest viral internet debate, and more.
State AGs Challenge Administration’s Proposed Funding Changes To Family Planning Services
HHS in February made favorable mention of “natural family planning” that includes the rhythm method and other strategies to avoid pregnancy without using birth control. It also said it would favor abstinence messages for adolescents.
Iowa’s Restrictive ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Challenged By Abortion Rights Advocates
The law would ban abortions as soon as embryonic cardiac activity is detected, which is usually at about six weeks, the same time women typically begin to feel the first signs of pregnancy. Experts have signaled out the legislation as one that might rise up to the Supreme Court to challenge Roe v. Wade.
Six More States File Suit Against Purdue Pharma Over Its Alleged Role In Opioid Crisis
U.S. state attorneys general of Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, North Dakota and Tennessee say Purdue Pharma violated state consumer protection laws by falsely denying or downplaying the addiction risk while overstating the benefits of opioids. These states are just the latest in a long line of local and state governments suing drugmakers over the epidemic.
In Midst Of Enthusiasm Over Revamping Medicaid, CMS Draws The Line At Lifetime Limits
“We’ve made that pretty clear to states,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said Tuesday. Meanwhile, a Virginia lawmaker accuses a committee of dragging its feet over the state’s budget, which has been stymied by a debate over Medicaid expansion. And other Medicaid news comes out of Tennessee, Kansas, California and Florida.
FDA Launching Website To Call Out Pharma Companies Accused Of Deterring Development Of Generics
“I’m looking to bring transparency around what I think are reasonable public health questions,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said. In other news, the industry is pushing back against a proposal to to make them disclose their products’ prices in consumer advertising.
“Although the contract was legally in order, it was an error,” Novartis’ general counsel Felix Ehrat said. Novartis’s new CEO Vas Narasimhan has been trying to deal with the fallout from the contract with Michael Cohen becoming public. On Monday, he hosted a conference call with 5,000 of the company’s managers in which he said the company needs to rebuild trust and rethink its approach to the use of consultants and lobbying firms.
Renewed Scrutiny Of 340B Program Seems Like Win For Pharma, But Drugmakers Shouldn’t Celebrate Yet
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress show interest in increasing oversight to the drug discount program that the pharmaceutical industry wants reined in. But lawmakers’ attention isn’t solely directed at the role of hospitals. Meanwhile, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) plans a hearing about President Donald Trump’s plans to curb high drug prices, and the industry’s lobbying group has some “serious concerns” with the president’s blueprint.
The Estimated Cost For Extending Skinny, Short-Term Coverage Plans: Up To $168 Million A Year
Because healthier people are more likely to buy the skinny plans, the overall marketplace — which the government helps subsidize — would become less stable. Meanwhile, Oscar, an ACA-focused insurance startup, announces plans to expand despite the turbulence surrounding the health law.
It’s not clear what is driving the growth in depression and suicidal behavior, but researchers theorize that decreasing stigma might be causing more children to seek help. Some early research has also suggested the use of social media and smartphones may also be factors, fueling cyberbullying and feelings of inadequacy.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these and other health care topics.
Opinion writers express views on these and other health topics.
Media outlets report on news from California, Texas, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri, Minnesota, Florida and New Hampshire.
Do-It-Yourself Gene-Editing Revolution Poised To Go Catastrophically Wrong
The most pressing worry is that someone could use the budding technology to create a bioweapon. But experts are also concerned about the safety of so-called biohackers with altered genes that they brewed at home. In other public health news: fertility advances, LGBTQ teens, immunotherapy, PTSD, strokes, and more.
