Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
State Highlights: NYC Eyes New $400M Public Health Lab; Fla. Judge Blocks Abortion Delay Law
Media outlets report on news from New York, Florida, California, Tennessee, Ohio and New Hampshire.
Dallas-Based Tenet Expects 700 More Job Cuts
Corporate and hospital operations positions are expected to be among those hardest hit. News outlets also report on developments in Delaware, New Hampshire, Maryland, Arizona and Louisiana.
Women Living In Rural Areas Tend To Have Sex Earlier, Birth More Kids Than Those Living In City
Researchers also look at differences in marriage rates and contraception methods between the two populations. In other public health news today: clinical trials, the global drug industry, CRISPR, a “mini-pillbox,” infant mortality, medical pot for cancer patients, anti-aging facial exercises and an astronaut’s tall tale.
Flu Season Is ‘One Of The Nastiest In Years’; Severity Of Symptoms Leading To More Hospitalizations
But in California, where a record number of people have died, Department of Public Health chief Dr. James Watt says, “Our hope is that because we started early, we’ll end early.”
Senate Democrats Push For Additional $25B In Opioid Funding In Federal Budget
“Make no mistake: This is a national public health emergency, and we still don’t see a robust federal response. The current federal budget negotiations give us an opportunity to right this wrong,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is working with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to get more money. In related news, journalist Sam Quinones testified as a rare single witness during a Senate hearing on the drug epidemic. And opioids emerge as a campaign issue in the primary election battle of onetime drug czar nominee Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.)
Judge Overseeing Hundreds Of Lawsuits Against Opioid Makers Implores Sides To Work Together
“What we’ve got to do is dramatically reduce the number of pills that are out there, and make sure that the pills that are out there are being used properly,” Judge Dan Polster said. In other opioid news: Native American tribes sue manufacturers over their role in the crisis, doctors start to shift from zero-pain goals for patients, officials in Philadelphia mull safe-injection sites, and more.
The failure may mark the unraveling of an approach to Alzheimer’s treatment that has held hope: increasing the supply of the brain chemical serotonin in patients. Scientists and investors, however, still remain optimistic that eventually a drug will be developed that can fight Alzheimer’s.
