Latest KFF Health News Stories
Doctor Credits Genetics For Trump’s ‘Excellent’ Health, Dismisses Concerns Over Cognitive Decline
Dr. Ronny Jackson, who has served as the presidential physician since 2013, said he recommended President Donald Trump lose 10 to 15 pounds, who at 6 feet 3 inches tall with a body mass index of 29.9 is just shy of officially being obese.
The Trump administration aims to expand protections to workers who “morally” object to being involved with certain procedures or treatments with a proposed rule that’s been kept tightly guarded at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Shutdown Watch: Republicans Offer Democrats Six-Year CHIP Extension To Force Them To Table
The bill would set up another possible showdown in mid-February, with government funding set to expire Feb. 16, but it would give lawmakers room to negotiate on tricky topics like immigration.
Investigation Of Iowa Medicaid Program Finds After Denial Of Care, Enrollees Face Endless Appeals
The Des Moines Register reviews 200 cases appealed to Iowa administrative law judges by Medicaid recipients who say they have been unfairly denied medical care since the state turned over management of the $4.8 billion program to for-profit companies in April 2016. In other Medicaid news, an effort by a Virginia lawmaker to get a rural hospital reopened fails after it gets snarled in the bitter fight over Medicaid expansion, Republican lawmakers in Kansas raise some objections to Gov. Sam Brownback’s plans and other developments around the country.
“The Commonwealth will not be able to afford to continue to operate its Medicaid expansion program as currently designed in the event any one or more of the components of (the new program) are prevented by judicial action from being implemented,” Gov. Matt Bevin wrote in an executive order.
First Edition: January 17, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
Last week’s decision by the Trump administration to add work requirements to the Medicaid program drew both praise and criticism from opinion writers across the country.
Media outlets report on news from Massachusetts, Illinois, California, Connecticut, New York and Minnesota.
Community Meeting Highlights Rift Between Nashville General And Meharry Medical College
Recent developments between Nashville General Hospital and Meharry Medical College officials could impact inpatient care at the city’s only public hospital. Outlets also report on hospital and health system news from Maryland, Ohio and Illinois.
Hype Of Precision Medicine Getting Too Far Ahead Of The Facts, Experts Worry
“We’re getting better, but like many things in life, there’s hope and hype. And that’s also the reality with precision medicine right now,” says Ben Park, an oncology professor at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Hopkins. In other public health news: breast cancer, skin lightening, in-womb surgery, musical therapy, salty diets, and more.
Vicious Flu Season Reveals Weaknesses In Health System That Don’t Bode Well For Future Pandemics
This season’s severe virus is straining hospitals. But if something as foreseeable as the flu is too much for the medical system to handle, what does that say about future public health crises?
Maps Of Opioid-Related HIV Outbreak Show The Multiple Times It Could Have Been Stopped
New visualizations of Indiana’s HIV outbreak that was linked to the opioid crisis give a clearer picture of who was affected and how it spread.
Veteran Suing VA Hospital Claiming Doctor Left Scalpel In His Body After Surgery
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) says he was appalled and stunned by the “egregious medical malpractice case” and is asking for a detailed explanation of the incident.
Congressional Budget Cuts Leave Safety-Net Hospitals Facing Shortfalls
The hospitals are facing $3.6 billion in federal funding reductions and could be left with other cuts too if Congress doesn’t extend some programs that could be affected by the budget stalemate. Also caught up by the congressional inaction is the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
With Individual Mandate Scrapped, Employers Say ‘It’s Our Turn’
Employers have long-chafed at what they see as the onerous rules that came with the Affordable Care Act. But now that Congress has killed the individual mandate, employers say that their requirements should be the next to go. In other news: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) says he expects bipartisan legislation aimed at stabilizing the marketplace to pass in the coming months; the Trump administration could approve short-term insurance plans soon; and a look at the health law and enrollment in the states.
CDC Switches Training Topic From Nuclear War To Severe Flu Preparedness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had scheduled a training session on how health officials should handle the fall out from nuclear war. Although it was planned months in advance, it coincided with tweets from President Donald Trump referencing nuclear action related to North Korea, and garnered the agency a good bit of media attention.
Doctor Reports Trump Is In ‘Excellent Health,’ Though More Details Expected Today
President Donald Trump’s first physical exam in office came amid renewed chatter about his cognitive health.
Head Of HHS’ Family Planning Division, An Anti-Abortion Advocate, Abruptly Resigns
Teresa Manning was one of several anti-abortion activists selected by the Trump administration to serve in top roles at the Department of Health and Human Services. A department spokeswoman did not give a reason for her resignation.
Azar Poised To Head Back To HHS, But This Time Around Health Landscape Looks A Lot Different
Alex Azar served at the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush and is likely to take the helm there soon. But much has changed, and he’s going to have a host of new problems to manage. In other administration news, the president’s nominee to run the Indian Health Service Agency may be facing some choppy waters over his failure to disclose donations to the Trump campaign.
