Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
Longer Looks: Crowdfunding Health Care; Rural Hospitals; And Life Expectancy
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from Tennessee, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Virginia, Texas, New Hampshire, California, Kansas and Georgia.
After Management Shake-Up, Molina Loses N.M. Medicaid Contract
The board of directors ousted the CEO and chief financial officer — both sons of the founder — last year. In other Medicaid news, Florida lawmakers question plans to move some children into a managed care program and Capitol Hill looks at fixes for Puerto Rico’s problems.
Researchers are looking into the ways gender can change the results of medical experiments in drastic ways. In other public health news: Americans are rushing out to buy anti-radiation pills, more on the president’s mental health, former Vice President Joe Biden talks about toxins associated with burning waste at military institutions, alcohol-related ER visits are on the rise, and more.
Flu Death Warning: A Healthy Young Man Thought He Could Fight The Virus
Most of this year’s deaths are among older people, but everyone regardless of their age needs to get a flu shot, know the symptoms of influenza, cover their mouths when they cough and seek help if symptoms worsen, emergency room doctors say.
Federal Registry To Help Find Effective Treatments For Behavioral Health Problems Suspended
The registry offers a database of hundreds of mental health and substance abuse programs that have been assessed and deemed scientifically sound. Officials confirmed that a new entity will take over the program’s duties, but no staff other than a new director is in place to run it.
Trump Promised To ‘Liberate’ Americans From Opioid Crisis. But States Say Little Has Been Done.
The public health emergency President Donald Trump declared is set to expire later this month, and public health officials in the states are frustrated that there were more “thoughts and prayers” and than money to back it up. Meanwhile, Trump signs legislation aimed at tackling the epidemic, the Cherokee Nation’s lawsuit against opioid makers is dealt a blow, Ohio issues new guidelines on painkillers and work-related back injuries, and more.
Critics Accuse Administration Of ‘Playing Politics With Women’s Health’ Over Family Planning Funding
An announcement about the federal funding was expected last November, and states whose grants end March 31 could be in a bind if a decision isn’t made soon.
Trump Administration Takes Another Look At Medicare Bundled Payments
After canceling a similar Obama-era plan, the Department of Health and Human Services now says it will try out a program that provides a single “bundled payment” for nearly all the services provided in a 90-day period to certain Medicare patients.
Medical Credit Cards Can Add To Big Bills For Patients
They may seem like a solution for consumers struggling to pay for medical procedures not covered by insurance, but consumer advocates warn that they can lead to unexpected penalties and sky-high interest rates.
It’s Official: Humana Becomes Third Insurer To Leave AHIP
While some insiders predict that the termination, following departures by Aetna and UnitedHealth, will weaken the largest trade group’s influence on Capitol Hill, AHIP pushed back on the idea, citing its growing membership and profits.
Lawmakers May Reverse ‘Devastating’ Cuts To 340B Drug Program, But There Will Likely Be A Trade-Off
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said his panel is going to be looking at changes Congress can make to the program, which has sparked a furor between the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals. “I think, that we need to bring transparency and accountability to this program for it to survive long term,” Walden said.
CHIP Funding Could Pass As Early As Next Week, Lawmakers Say
Progress toward renewing money for the popular program, which provides health care for children of low-income families, has been at a standstill because Democrats and Republicans haven’t been able to agree on how to pay for it. Lawmakers say it is likely the deal will be resolved as part of the overall spending plan.
Trump’s Elaborate, Secret Blueprint To Chip Away At Health Law Reveals Strategy Behind The Scenes
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is calling the road map a list of options for “sabotage.” In other health law news, Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) continue to work on bipartisan legislation to stabilize the marketplaces, insurers renew the risk-corridor fight, the Trump administration releases estimates on how many insurers are still in the exchanges, and more.
In Monumental Policy Shift, Administration Paves Way For States To Impose Medicaid Work Requirements
Adding a work requirement to Medicaid would mark one of the biggest changes to the program since its inception in 1966, and is likely to prompt a lawsuit from patient advocacy groups.
First Edition: January 11, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Lessons Learned From Opioid Crisis And A Path To Ending It; Azar At The HHS Helm
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
