Latest KFF Health News Stories
20-Week Abortion Ban Struck Down By Senate In Largely Symbolic Vote Ahead Of Midterms
The legislation is the top agenda for many in the anti-abortion movement. The vote forced Democrats in swing states to go on record against it in a politically volatile year.
2017 Was A Record Year For Hospital Deals And Mergers, But Are They Good For The Patient?
In an ever-evolving health industry landscape, companies are trending toward pairing up to increase their chance at survival. But what does that mean for those in the health system?
Have Recent Big-Name Departures Taken The Power Out Of AHIP’s Punch?
Some wonder what will become of the insurance lobbying group’s influence on Capitol Hill. UnitedHealth left AHIP in June 2015, followed by Aetna a little over six months later. Then earlier this month, Humana also announced it was leaving the group, followed by CareFirst.
Amazon Partners With Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan To Tackle ‘Ballooning’ Employee Health Care Costs
The three corporate giants will create an independent company that will focus on technology to provide simplified, high-quality health care for their employees at a reasonable cost, the companies say. The health care industry has been nervously anticipating Amazon’s entry as a competitor.
Trump Promises Azar Will Get Drug Prices ‘Way Down’ At New HHS Chief’s Swearing-In
President Donald Trump says it will be one of new HHS Secretary Alex Azar’s main priorities as he takes up the reins of the agency.
Health care barely made an appearance in talking points the White House distributed to surrogates over the weekend. Some say it’s because focusing on the topic would unnecessarily spotlight Republicans’ failure over the past year to replace the Affordable Care Act.
First Edition: January 30, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers express opinions on a range of healthcare issues.
Editorial writers express views about a pending bill to ban abortion at 20 weeks and how doctors can now discriminate against women seeking an abortion.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Georgia, Minnesota and Arizona.
Lawsuit Seeks Reform Of Conn. Mental Health System; Thousands of Calif. Nurses Protest Contract Plan
News on hospitals and health systems comes out of Connecticut, California, D.C., Tennessee, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
Detecting Sexual Abuse In Medical Setting Can Be Challenging When Kids Are Taught To Trust Doctors
Experts give tips on what to keep an eye out for when taking children to the doctor.
One Hospital’s Success Demonstrates Medicare’s Bundled-Payment Program Can Produce Results
An Ohio health center’s success story of utilizing the program for congestive heart-failure patients offers encouragement to many providers that are struggling to achieve savings with a notoriously challenging population.
Employee Wellness Programs Fail At Making Workers Healthier, Lowering Costs, Study Finds
It turns out that those most likely to take advantage of their employer’s wellness offerings are healthy people who don’t spend a lot on health care. In other public health news: the blood-brain barrier, domestic violence, nuclear fallout, c-sections, headaches and more.
Safe Injection Sites Have Been Shown To Save Lives, But Actually Setting One Up Is ‘Complicated’
Philadelphia is considering creating a safe-injection site, but a lot of questions remain about the next steps, what it means for the community it will be established in, or if it’s even legal.
In Worst Flu Season In Nearly A Decade, The Whole Country Has Been Hit At Once
Usually different parts “light up,” but this year only Hawaii has been spared. In another unusual twist, the virus has affected Baby Boomers in an unusually high number. Officials predict it will start to wane soon, though.
Meet The Man Who Is Taking On The Drug Industry Because The Government Has Failed To Act
Dan Liljenquist, a former Utah state senator, is leading the effort by four large health systems to create a drug company that will keep the rest of the industry from jacking up prices. In other news, the Food and Drug Administration approved a record number of generic drugs in 2017, lawmakers in three states are pushing legislation that would allow promotion of off-label drug uses, and more.
FDA’s Animal Testing Program To Come Under Review After Deaths Of Monkeys In Addiction Study
Federally funded medical research that relies on animals has been contentious for years.
Drug Prices, Affordability, Shift Toward Value Care And Opioids Top New HHS Head’s Priorities List
When Alex Azar was being officially confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services last week, he addressed a host of issues to deal with as he takes up the reins.
‘Together We Have Made Real Progress’: Cecile Richards Steps Down As Planned Parenthood Leader
The organization has come under intense fire in recent years that’s only intensified under the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress.
