Latest KFF Health News Stories
Kansas has filed a request to impose a three-year limit for recipients, following which they could be dropped from coverage forever. CMS Administrator Seema Verma had planned to announce the agency’s decision on Tuesday, but canceled at the last minute.
FDA Targets Vaping Products That Resemble Juice Boxes, Candy In Latest Nicotine Crackdown
Warnings were issued to 13 manufacturers, distributors and sellers. The action comes one week after the FDA disclosed a nationwide crackdown on underage sales of Juul e-cigarettes, which have become popular among some teenagers as a way to vape at school and in public.
Defense Department Launches Investigation Of Ronny Jackson Following Misconduct Allegations
The allegations came to light during Dr. Ronny Jackson’s VA nomination process, and were based on complaints by active-duty and retired military officers who had worked in the White House Medical Unit.
The “All Of Us” initiative’s goal is to enroll 1 million people in a research effort aimed at developing “personalized” methods of prevention, treatment and care for a wide variety of diseases. And, after news broke that the capture of the alleged Golden State Killer was made possible by genetic information found on the internet, NIH Director Francis Collins wants participants to know their data will be carefully shielded.
Dr. Harold Bornstein also said that the 2015 letter, in which he described then-candidate Donald Trump to be “astonishingly excellent” health, had been dictated to him by Donald Trump.
Getting Rid Of Individual Mandate Is Bad Idea, Former HHS Secretary Tom Price Admits
“Younger and healthier people may now not participate in that market and consequently that drives up the costs for other folks,” said Dr. Tom Price, who was a fierce opponent of the health law during his tenure in Congress and while leading HHS.
Diseases Spread By Ticks, Mosquitoes And Fleas Reaching ‘Astronomical Levels’
The CDC report shows the number of reported cases of vector-borne diseases jumped from 27,388 cases in 2004 to more than 96,000 cases in 2016. Officials say there’s no need to hide indoors, but people should be vigilant, especially with children.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers express views about these and other health topics.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Arizona, Ohio, Georgia, Wisconsin, Louisiana and Florida,
Future Of Health Care Data Likely To Share Reins With Patients, Shake Off Old Restraints
Interoperability received a nudge from CMS last week when the federal regulators announced a proposed rule to give patients more control over their health information.
Outbreak Of Rare Eye Cancer Mystifies Medical Experts
Ocular melanoma occurs in about 6 out of every 1 million people, but more than a dozen have come down with it, including three friends. “It’s just hard to believe that there’s not a common thread here,” said Pat Cotham, a local health official. In other public health news: healthy habits, kids’ exposure to animals, alcohol risks, gun safety, and more.
For Overworked Primary Care Physicians, Concierge Medicine Can Feel Like Breath Of Fresh Air
Concierge medicine is essentially a contract in which the patient pays an annual retainer to the physician. The model, which is becoming more popular, allows the patients more time with doctors and lets the doctors focus on about eight to ten patients a day instead of upwards of thirty.
University of California’s Oral Arguments Over CRISPR Fail To Move Needle Much, Legal Experts Say
The arguments are part of a patent war between the University of California and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Patents for the gene-editing technology could be worth billions.
Viral Photos Of Overflowing Trash Cans, Dirty Exam Room At VA Clinic Spark Apology And Investigation
“The condition of the room was the way it was when he went in, no other room was offered and no attempt to clean it up was made for the duration of his appointment,” Stephen Wilson, the veteran’s father, posted on social media.
Health Law Coverage Gains Are Slowly Eroding Under Trump Administration, Study Shows
The Commonwealth Fund study also shows disparities across different states in relation to how much they embraced the health law when it was enacted. In the South, 20.7 percent of adults are uninsured, up from 15.8 percent in 2016.
Maine Governor Sued After Refusing To Implement Medicaid Expansion That Voters OK’d Months Ago
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) says he won’t expand the program until state lawmakers find a way to fund it under his conditions, despite voters’ approval of a ballot initiative with nearly 60 percent support. Meanwhile, Wisconsin residents sue the state over its refusal to pay for gender reassignment surgeries.
McConnell Touts Measure Aimed At Helping Ease Transition From Opioid Treatment Back Into Workforce
The proposal is part of an opioids legislative package that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says lawmakers are crafting. In other news: former Eli Lilly head Kurt Rasmussen is tapped to oversee the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s unit that studies the efficacy and safety of devices and drugs used to treat substance use disorders; Kentucky struggles to handle the autopsies related to the crisis; a VA study offers clues on how hospitals can reduce prescriptions; and more.
CDC Director’s Compensation To Be Cut Following Questions About $375,000 Salary
“Dr. [Robert] Redfield has expressed to Secretary [Alex] Azar that he does not wish to have his compensation become a distraction for the important work of the CDC,” an HHS spokeswoman said.
Loneliness has the same effect on mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, which makes it even more dangerous than obesity, says Cigna, which sponsored the study.
