Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: November 29, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Media outlets report on news from California, Georgia, Colorado, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana.
Gene Treatment Touted As Miraculous, Revolutionary Faces One Big Obstacle
Disabled viruses are a key component of the therapy that may hold the power to cure genetic diseases with a single treatment. But those viruses are costly and hard to obtain. In other public health news: work travel and health problems; the difference between listening to someone’s argument versus reading it; therapy for sexual misconduct; and more.
One Stepfather’s Quest: The Search For An Opioid That Won’t Lead To Addiction
Bill Crossman’s interest has been captured by a drug that binds to three opioid receptors instead of one and is intended to be superior to the sorts of painkillers that have played a central role in a growing national drug epidemic. Meanwhile, a recent study confirms that prescribing practices have contributed greatly to the crisis.
Following Court Ruling, Arkansas Terminates Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid Funding Again
A panel in August vacated a preliminary injunction against the state’s 2015 decision to cut off funds. A full court earlier this month said it would not reconsider that decision.
As Walmart Scoops Up Online Retailers, Workers See Noticeable Change In Health Benefits
One example is Walmart’s recent takeover of Bonobos, where to keep biweekly premiums for workers relatively close to what they pay now, their deductibles will rise from nothing to several thousand dollars per year.
N.C. Seeks To Help Pay Doctors’ Debts If They Join Medicaid Program
The proposal is part of a plan the state has submitted to federal officials for approval. The plan would also include moving to a managed care system and adding work requirements for non-disabled adults. In Iowa, the state will move some Medicaid enrollees off the controversial managed care plan, the Republican candidates for governor in Kansas disagree on how to move forward with the Medicaid program there and federal officials are expected to set new requirements for Medicaid purchases of medical equipment.
HHS Nominee Likely To Be Grilled Over Drug Prices, Pharma Connections At Hearing
Alex Azar, President Donald Trump’s pick to take over the top spot of the Department of Health And Human Services, will face his first nomination hearing Wednesday in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Insurers: Allowing States To Define Essential Benefits Would Confuse Customers, Disrupt Marketplace
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to give states the ability to pick the essential health benefits insurers have to cover instead of having them follow the federal guidelines set out under the Affordable Care Act. Media outlets report on news related to the health law and its marketplace out of Arizona, Iowa, Wisconsin and California.
A news outlet offers on-the-ground reports from Puerto Rico as the island continues its struggle to come back from the storm, and another looks at the struggle after Florida’s hurricane for a family with a disabled child.
After Kicking Health Issues Down The Road, Congress Faces Day Of Reckoning
Among the issues Congress has on its docket in the last few legislative days of the year: an individual mandate repeal, CHIP funding and allocating money to fight the opioid epidemic.
First Edition: November 28, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Media outlets report on news from Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Connecticut, Minnesota and Florida.
Mysterious Bacterium Could Offer New Key Insights Into Fight Against Cancer
Scientists have discovered that a type of bacterium travels with some types of cancer as it spreads through the body, and that in those cases using an antibiotic actually slows the growth of cancer cells in mice. In other public health news: HIV guidelines, do-it-yourself gene editing kits, depression, tobacco, medical care for homeless, light therapy and more.
‘Recovery-Friendly’ Job Fair Offers Those Recovering From Opioid Addiction Another Chance
In New Hampshire, where unemployment rates are at record lows, employers struggle to find workers to fill positions. But a new effort sees a solution in one of the state’s other problems: the opioid epidemic. Also in the news, telemedicine’s role in helping curb the epidemic; what insurance companies cover in terms of opioids; the responsibility of hospitals for post-surgical patients; and more.
Notre Dame’s Reversal On Contraception Rules ‘Baffles’ Critics, But Reveals Complexities Of Issue
Catholic institutions have wrestled over how closely to adhere to their religious doctrine in the face of shifting governmental policies. In other women’s health news, a federal judge rules that a Texas law banning a common second-trimester abortion procedure is unconstitutional, and a restrictive law in Maine becomes the ACLU’s next target.
CMS’ Readmissions Policy: Are Patient Deaths The ‘Unintended Consequence’ Of This Quality Measure?
News outlets report that by linking quality scores to payments, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may have caused some facilities and providers to avoid patients who could ultimately make them look bad.
Hospitals Worry As They Face Growing Chasm In Medicare Reimbursements
For hospitals in non-urban areas and those with large numbers of Medicare patients, the gap between their costs and the reduced federal payments is becoming a serious concern. Also, time is growing short for Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for 2018 coverage.
