Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: January 19, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care issues from around the country.
Opinion writers weigh in on the nation’s opioid epidemic.
Longer Looks: The Presidential Physical; The Opioid Crisis; And A Junk Food Tax
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from California, Connecticut, Maryland, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and Massachusetts.
Trauma Experts See ‘Glimmer Of Hope’ In Abused Calif. Children’s Road To Mental, Physical Recovery
Police found the 13 siblings malnourished and chained to furniture, held captive by their parents. Experts say there is definitely hope for them to fully recover psychologically from the abuse, but they do have hurdles to overcome.
Doctors worry that people will dismiss the severity of the flu, but this year is not the year to write it off.
In A World Where Workplace Suicide Is Increasing, Colleagues Are Being Taught To Spot Warning Signs
Bringing in mental health counselors to help workers recognize when one of their colleagues may need help is just one of the steps that employers are taking to prevent, prepare for and react to their employees’ suicide. In other public health news: loneliness, obesity, a late-in-life career change, and gum disease.
Could Product That Helps Customers Dispose Of Unused Opioids Help Curb Crisis? Walmart Thinks So.
The company will distribute the powder product — which turns into a gel that fuses the unused pill together inside the prescription bottle — to customers filling opioid prescriptions. In other news on the epidemic: Republicans say Medicaid expansion is fueling the crisis, but Democrats say that has no basis in facts; a study suggests a counterintuitive way to get patients off painkillers faster; and more.
Iowa Medicaid Chief Tells Lawmakers He Will Make Managed Care Work
“I believe we are down the managed-care course at this point, and that’s where we’re going to stay,” Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven told the Iowa Senate Human Resources Committee. In other Medicaid news, Oregon residents are voting on a plan to raise taxes on hospitals and health insurance to help fund the program, Connecticut officials and hospitals are wrangling over plans there to raise taxes to get more money for Medicaid and the Alabama governor says she wants to set up a work requirement for non-disabled adults.
Some States’ Health Law Enrollment Numbers Soar, While Others Falter
Minnesota saw record numbers and a smooth overall sign-up period, but preliminary reports tell a different story for other states.
It Was ‘Supposed To Be Our Safety Net’: Turmoil In Long-Term Insurance Industry Hits Customers Hard
Almost every insurer in the business badly underestimated how many claims would be filed and how long people would draw payments before dying. People are living and keeping their policies much longer than expected, which is making the business unsustainable for the companies. In other marketplace news, some of Humana’s employees will be getting a wage increase thanks to the Republicans’ tax plan, and Aetna has agreed to settle claims over a privacy breach.
In A ‘Shot Across The Bow Of The Bad Guys,’ Hospitals Decide To Try Making Their Own Drugs
Hospitals have long borne the brunt of price increases in the industry, facing shortages of drugs like morphine or encountering sudden hikes for old, off-patent products. Sick and tired of it, they’re taking measures into their own hands. In other pharmaceutical news: updates on the 340B drug program debate and legislation on over-the-counter drug approvals.
Cardiologists Dispute White House Physician’s Rosy Assessment Of Trump’s Heart Health
The doctors, who have not examined Donald Trump, find it alarming that the president’s LDL levels remain above 140 even though he is taking 10 milligrams of Crestor, a powerful drug that is used to lower cholesterol levels to well below 100. Meanwhile, Trump’s doctor credited his genes for his good health, but experts say the president shouldn’t bank on that forever.
HHS To Create Conscience Division To Support Health Workers Who Morally Object To Certain Procedures
The division would help legally insulate doctors, nurses and other health care personnel from performing procedures they may object to due to religious or moral reasons — such as abortions or caring for transgender patients.
Senate Panel Approves Azar Nomination Despite Democrats’ Concerns Over His Ties To Pharma Industry
The 15-12 vote mostly fell along party lines. If confirmed by the full Senate, Alex Azar will return to the Department of Health and Human Services, this time to take up the helm.
Health Care Issues Being Used As Bargaining Chips For Both Sides As Congress Tries To Avoid Shutdown
A six-year extension of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program has been included in a short-term funding bill to try to woo the Democrats, while a delay of certain Affordable Care Act taxes was included to sway Republicans. But Thursday morning, President Donald Trump tweeted that he doesn’t think CHIP should be part of short-term solution. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says he’s confident he’ll have the votes to pass the stopgap legislation by the time it gets to the floor. Media outlets offer a look at what else lawmakers are pushing to have included, and give perspective on what would happen to the industry if the government shuts down.
First Edition: January 18, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on how new national and state policies are impacting health care.
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
