Latest KFF Health News Stories
Companies Seek Strength In Odd-Couple Partnerships In An Industry Defined By Upheaval
More and more, health companies are broadening their security and their reach by moving beyond their traditional boundaries. In other health industry news: electronic health records, medical-device companies and the cost of ambulance rides.
146 Lawmakers Press HHS To Roll Back Nursing Home Rules
Last year, federal officials implemented the first stage of new rules to improve care that won praise from advocates for residents. But the industry has complained that the regulations go too far. Also, in Kansas, the high use of anti-psychotics among nursing home residents is raising concerns, and in one county in Maryland nursing homes are working to make Asians feel their care is culturally sensitive.
Some Question If HHS Nominee, Who Has Ties To Industry, Will Really Combat Pharma ‘Greed’
During Alex Azar’s tenure at Eli Lilly, the drugmaker instituted steep price increases on insulin and other medicines.
Some states have enough funding for a few months if Congress fails to soon renew the funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but others are going to run out imminently. “Everybody is still waiting and thinking Congress is going to act, and they probably will, but you can’t run a health-care program that way,” says Linda Nablo, chief deputy director at Virginia’s Department of Medical Assistance Services.
Individual Mandate Repeal May Cause Already-Struggling Rural Markets In Red States To Collapse
Republican states with one insurer offering coverage through the exchanges are particularly vulnerable to the GOP’s plan to scrap the individual mandate. In other health law news, industry groups push for repeal or delay of some ACA taxes.
Pace Of Health Law Sign-Ups Dips In Third Week, But Percentage Of New Enrollees Creeps Up
In the first three weeks of the abbreviated open enrollment period, nearly 2.28 million people signed up for a plan through the exchanges.
First Edition: November 27, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Murkowski Explains Her Opposition To Individual Mandate; Cost-Sharing Burdens
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives: Orphan Drug Tax Credit Gives People With Rare Diseases Hope. GOP Plan Could Crush That
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Nursing Home Staff Did Everything Possible To Help Patients After Hurricane, Facility Tells Congress
The letter from Florida’s Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which is tied to several deaths following Hurricane Irma, says that staff followed proper procedure in handling the crisis, but that they couldn’t overcome the lack of power.
Alex Azar Is Just Latest In List Of People Tied To Industry Filling Trump’s Top Health Spots
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, Illinois and California.
Top Doctor At D.C. Public Hospital Is Fired After Alleging Mismanagement
Dr. Julian Craig, an internal medicine physician, appeared before the City Council’s health committee and criticized the Veritas management company, saying it disregarded hospital programs designed to ensure patient safety. In other industry news, Medicare officials announce an expansion of a program to help rural hospitals, and a historic hospital in Massachusetts is hoping to merge with a larger system.
Majority Of Iowa’s Medicaid Recipients Left With Only One Provider
But federal rules require states that contract out their Medicaid management to offer recipients more than one option.
Brexit Strains England’s Already-Hurting Health System As Doctors, Nurses Flee Back To Europe
Long before Brexit, the N.H.S. suffered from chronic staffing shortages, but recruiting nurses from the European Union had helped plug the gap. Now though, England faces a potential mass exodus of a good percentage of its health care workers.
New Drug-Resistant Strain Of Malaria Threatens To Upend Years Of Eradication Efforts
“It has a big potential to spread,” says Dr. Arjen M. Dondorp, deputy director of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok. “We should be very worried that other countries in Southeast Asia can be affected by this, and, of course, that it will reach Africa at some point.” In other public health news: stem cell treatments, breast cancer, transgender patients, Legionnaires’ disease, allergies, and more.
Simply Asking Patients If They Use Opioids Isn’t Enough. This Hospital Goes Further.
Screening alone doesn’t do much for patients, experts say, but Christiana Care Health System in Delaware pairs patients with addiction counselors and gets them enrolled in community-based drug treatment program before they’ve even left the hospital.
Startling Upswing In Middle-School Aged Girls Self-Harming May Be Due To Cyberbullying
Self-inflicted injury, including such behaviors as cutting, burning and ingesting poisons, is one of the strongest risk factors for suicide.
Almost 50 Years Ago, Industry Put Kibosh On Study Linking Sugar With Heart Disease, Cancer
The newly discovered research shows that the sugar industry knew about the harms associated with it, but covered up those dangers.
Navigate Thanksgiving Smorgasbord Without Piling On The Pounds
Experts say that eating a good breakfast — and not “saving” calories for later — helps people to not overeat when the big meal comes around. Meanwhile, others give advice on staying healthy while traveling during the holidays, and on important discussions to have around the dinner table.
