Latest KFF Health News Stories
“I haven’t slept since 1979,” said Kevin Charest the chief information security officer for the Health Care Service Corp., which is responsible for protecting the records of the nearly 15 million participants in Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Texas and four other states. “If you knew what I knew, you wouldn’t sleep either.”
The proposal, which is expected to be approved early next month, would limit Medicare coverage for longterm high-dose prescriptions. Critics say the move will leave patients who need help with pain management scrambling. In other news on the epidemic: how the crisis has affected the workforce; a mobile wound-tending unit; curbing opioid use through insurance companies; suicides; and more.
So far, CMS has given three states the green light to require able-bodied adult Medicaid enrollees to work or volunteer in order to get health coverage. The costs of standing up systems to monitor and enforce those rules, however, has drawn scrutiny. Medicaid news comes out of Utah, Maine, Mississippi and California, as well.
The FDA gained authority to regulate e-cigarettes in 2016 after years of pushback from the industry. Manufacturers were supposed to submit their products for review by August, but last year FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he would delay the deadline until 2022.
Aetna To Offer Drug Rebates Directly To Consumers, Following In UnitedHealth’s Footsteps
Typically insurers say they generally pass rebates to their clients, such as employers. Beginning in 2019, though, Aetna will automatically apply the rebates at the time of sale to insured plan members.
Trump Drawing Out Dramatic Public Standoff With Shulkin In Characteristic Method
It’s been reported that President Donald Trump wants to fire embattled VA Secretary David Shulkin, but he has yet to make the final move against the secretary who maintains support both on Capitol Hill and with veterans.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages feature these health topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Florida, California, Maryland, Texas and New Hampshire.
After Coming Up Short On Funds For Cannabis-Themed-Resort, Firm Sells California City
Now, plans for the marijuana mecca are uncertain. American Green sold Nipton, once a booming mining town on the edge of the Mojave desert, to Delta International Oil & Gas, a company that’s previously focused on buying properties for exploratory drilling.
Mississippi Lawmakers Approve Most Parts Of Budget After Medicaid Change Threatened To Derail Deal
The budget plan means that the one in four Mississippi residents who rely on the program will continue to be covered. Medicaid news comes out of Idaho and Missouri, as well.
The Personal Health Toll Of Social Activism
Along with the long hours, constant confrontation and frequent heartbreak they experience, activists work for little or no pay and sometimes struggle for basic needs like food and shelter even as they push for societal change. In other news: HIV testing, strokes, hep C in baby boomers, ADHD, weight loss, and more.
Financial Burden Of Opioid Epidemic’s Smallest Victims Often Falling On Already Strained Hospitals
The typical cost in Illinois for a baby suffering from withdrawal is nearly $34,000 compared to just over $4,000 for a baby without it. In other news, a look at why Houston doesn’t want to become part of the suit that combines cases from all over the country against drugmakers; the American Dental Association releases new guidelines on opioids; and more.
‘We’ve Definitely Come To A Tipping Point’: States Scramble To Address Maternal Death Crisis
About 35 states have now established maternal mortality review committees or are in the process of doing so. Meanwhile, scientists and doctors are still trying to figure out the best guidelines for preventing sudden and unexpected infant deaths.
In an era when mega-deals are changing the health care industry landscape, insurance companies are trying to move beyond traditional models of serving their patients and consumers.
Democrats Ask Health Panel To Hold Hearing On Causes And Possible Solutions For Mass Shootings
The proposed hearing would include testimony from survivors of gun violence and those who have been affected by it, as well as experts on public health research. In other news, former Sen. Rick Santorum’s comments on CPR are criticized; New Jersey moves forward with a package of gun control bills; and a look at what Missouri does to protect its students.
Senator Blasts ‘Outrageous’ Drug Costs Following Report On Skyrocketing Prices
“Can you imagine if you went to an auto dealership and last year’s exact model was being sold at a 20 percent markup, and then you went back the next year and it had happened again?” said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
White House Dismisses Rumors About Trump Ousting Shulkin Amid Turmoil And Rebellion At The VA
Sources reported that President Donald Trump wants VA Secretary David Shulkin gone within the next week or two, but a White House spokesman said the secretary has the president’s confidence “at this point in time.”
Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), both known for their ability to craft bipartisan deals, have been working on health law stabilization measures for months. And then it turned sour. Politico looks at what happened. Meanwhile, Americans have ranked health care as one of their top concerns.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
