Latest KFF Health News Stories
Texas Shooting Was ‘Mental Health’ Problem Not A ‘Guns Situation,’ Trump Says
“We have a lot of mental health problems in our country, as do other countries,” President Donald Trump said of the mass shooting in Texas that left 26 dead.
Anthem CEO Stepping Down Following Collapse Of Cigna Deal
Chief Executive Joseph R. Swedish will be succeeded by veteran managed-care executive Gail K. Boudreaux, the insurer announces.
N.H. Becomes Latest State To Ask For Federal Approval To Set Work Requirement For Medicaid
Arkansas, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Utah and Wisconsin are also seeking the new authority for the work mandate for healthy adults. In other Medicaid news, Republican lawmakers in Louisiana blocked managed care contracts, California managed care plans make hefty profits and North Carolina officials begin efforts to revamp the program.
CHIP Bill Passes House, But Partisan Strife Over Funding Likely To Cause Headaches In Senate
To pay for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the House bill would charge higher premiums to wealthier Medicare beneficiaries and cut money from the Affordable Care Act’s public health fund. Democrats in the Senate are opposed to what they say is just another way to attack the health law.
News outlets offer the latest on how the sign-up period is working this year for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
Bolstered By Trump’s Support, Conservatives Push To Include Repeal Of Individual Mandate In Tax Bill
However, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) warned that mixing health care into an already-complicated tax measure could prompt new opposition and complicate its narrow path in the Senate.
First Edition: November 6, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Funding Is Needed For Community Health Centers; Move Mentally Ill Out Of Prisons
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Health Law: Energizing Enrollment; Nonprofit Health Model Needed
Opinion writers weigh in on the open enrollment period that started this week.
Research Roundup: Pesticide’s Effects On Reproduction; Readmissions Reduction
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, D.C., Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Kansas, Utah and California.
Scientists Envision Creating Algorithm To Hunt Down Next Epidemic — And Help Them Stop It
“One day, I hope that biologists will forecast disease outbreaks in the same way meteorologists forecast the weather,” disease ecologist Barbara Han says. “With one major difference: A meteorologist can’t stop a storm front, but we may be able to prevent outbreaks.” In other public health news: an app to monitor children’s developmental milestones; statistics on rape; an Alzheimer’s trial; skin creams; and nicotine.
Study Questioning Effectiveness Of Stents Easing Heart Pain Stuns, ‘Humbles’ Cardiologists
Researchers found that the devices are mostly useless for hundreds of thousands of patients.
Politico hosted a small working group of experts on opioids to get their take on how the U.S. should tackle its opioid epidemic. But one of the takeaways is that people need more money to wage this war. Meanwhile, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy is calling for $100 billion over the next 10 years as the minimum of what’s needed.
Insurer Pulling Out Of Iowa’s Medicaid Program Says It Was Skeptical Of Data On Payments
State officials refused to provide data used to justify Medicaid payment rates to AmeriHealth Caritas, the company says, prompting it to leave the program and lay off 400 workers. In other Medicaid news, a look at how cutbacks in Texas have affected disabled children, and in Indiana, enrollees who are students at Purdue face troubles with costs for services at the student health center.
Lawmakers Target Revolving Door Between Federal Agencies, Pharma With Proposed Bill
“Patients, families, and the public need to have trust that the DEA and FDA are working for them, not powerful Washington interests,” says Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who introduced the bill.
Advocates Waging Against-All-Odds Battle To Get People Signed Up For Health Coverage
The Trump administration has slashed marketing and outreach budgets, but these groups are doing what they can to help people enroll for coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, a new study is the latest to confirm that President Donald Trump’s decision to end insurer subsidies will actually result in more people getting “free” health care on the exchanges, and health care providers worry the government’s crackdown on immigration will hurt sign-ups.
Controversial Medicare Cost-Cutting Board Back In Congress’ Crosshairs
The House voted to abolish the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), even though no one has even been appointed to the panel and it’s not expected to be triggered until 2021 or 2022.
Logjam Over CHIP Funding A Testament To Level Of Partisan Rancor Gripping Congress
The program to provide health care for kids from low- and middle-income families is extremely popular, but it’s been stuck in limbo since its funding expired over a month ago. The House is expected to pass a bill Friday, but the Senate Democrats will almost certainly balk at how the lawmakers want to pay for the program.
Republicans’ Tax Plan A Mixed Bag For Health Care
Media outlets examine how the health care landscape — from med students to pharmaceutical companies — would be touched by the Republicans’ tax plan unveiled Thursday. A potential large impact to consumers would be the elimination of medical expense deductions. Another: the proposal does not include language to repeal the individual mandate despite President Donald Trump’s support for the provision.
