Latest KFF Health News Stories
Allergan To Slash Jobs In Preparation Of Generic Competition For Top-Selling Drugs
The biggest generic threat to Allergan is to its eye treatment drug Restasis. The company has taken various steps to shield Restasis from competition, notably selling its patents to an Indian tribe in New York state to avoid a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office hearing on the validity of the drug’s patents.
$850K Price Tag For Blindness Drug Makes It One Of Most Expensive In World — But There’s A Twist
In a novel arrangement, drugmaker Spark Therapeutics will offer discounts based on whether or not the drug, Luxturna, works initially and remains effective.
First Edition: January 4, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: GOP Still Faces An Obamacare Conundrum; What’s Up With The FDA And Food Recalls?
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
Perspectives: Despite Drugmakers’ Blame-Game Tactics, They Really Could Control Sky-High Prices
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Pharma’s Strategy In Dealing With Anger Over High Prices: Point Fingers At Someone Else
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from North Carolina, California, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Colorado, Ohio and Connecticut.
Delaware Medicaid Program Plans To Cover Obesity Treatment Next Year
Next year, people who qualify for Medicaid and have a body mass index of 30 or higher will have access to at least 12 visits a year with a healthcare professional. News outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Colorado, California, Maryland and Illinois.
CMS Wants To Adjust Payments For Medicare Advantage Plans
Under the proposed changes, risk scores used to set payments would take into account certain diagnoses of mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders and chronic kidney disease. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services has finalized a rule that offers providers and payers more flexibility to share substance abuse patients’ data.
Hot New Cancer Treatments Offer Tantalizing Hope To Patients But Come With Serious Side Effects
Immunotherapy — using a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer — is sparking a revolution in cancer treatment. But with it comes a whole load of side effects and complications that even doctors can’t predict until patients get them. In other public health news: Alzheimer’s, hep C, obesity and diabetes, autism and more.
‘You Look Sick’: Humans Can Tell If Someone Is Ill From Facial Clues
Paleness, sweating and drooping around the eyes can be tell-tale signs if someone is sick. A new study finds that people can pick up on those subtle clues.
Mobile Addiction Treatment Van Tries To Offer Help When Former Inmates Are Most At Risk
The van parks outside Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center with a sign advertising its services to try to help people right as they’re released from jail.
Profit Mining The Opioid Crisis: The Dark Underbelly Of Lucrative Addiction Treatment Industry
The opioid epidemic has sparked a huge growth in the extremely profitably addiction treatment industry — but there is little regulation around these centers that are making a lot of money off sick and needy patients. The New York Times offers a deeper look.
U.S. Health System To Be Further Strained As Undocumented, Uninsured Immigrants Age
Few undocumented residents are able to obtain help for chronic aging issues before their problems become bad enough to send them to the ER, where they are guaranteed emergency care. The financial burden of treating an aging, uninsured population in the coming years will put stress on a system that is already struggling with high costs.
HHS Nominee’s Senate Hearing Set For Next Week
Alex Azar, who has been tapped to replace former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, has been criticized for his close ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Tension Heats Up On Capitol Hill Over Drug Discount Program As Cuts Go Into Effect
Hospitals and big pharma are waging a war over the 340B program, which requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients.
With Hatch’s Retirement, Pharma Will Lose A Friend In Congress
News that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will retire after this year sent ripples through the health care industry.
A Top House Republican Doesn’t Concede Defeat On Health Law Repeal
Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said that getting rid of the health law and tackling Medicaid regulations would be top priorities for the coming year. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has called on Congress to fully re-fund the CHIP program, saying that the lawmakers’ short-term solution isn’t good enough.
First Edition: January 3, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Predicting 2018’s Key Policy Debates; The U.S.’s Health Care Spending Habit
A selection of opinions on health care from news outlets around the country.
