Latest KFF Health News Stories
How Industry-Friendly Lawmakers Undermined DEA’s Power At Height Of Opioid Crisis
Members of Congress pushed through a law to weaken aggressive Drug Enforcement Administration efforts against drug distribution companies that were supplying corrupt doctors and pharmacists who peddled narcotics to the black market. The Washington Post and “60 Minutes” investigate.
When Maine Voters Decide Whether To Expand Medicaid, Other States Will Be Watching
Health law advocates in Utah are also proposing a referendum on the issue, and the outcome in Maine could influence other states that have put the decision on hold. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, critics of the expansion program point to signs the state budget is in trouble, and a commission in New Hampshire looking at the insurance marketplace there is considering whether the state should move more people with serious medical issues into Medicaid to make the health law’s marketplace plans more stable.
Investigation Finding VA Conceals Shoddy Care, Staff Mistakes Prompts Action At The Agency
A USA Today investigation found that Veterans Affairs managers do not report troubled practitioners to the National Practitioner Data Bank, and that the agency failed to ensure that VA hospitals report disciplined providers to state licensing boards.
VA Secretary Shulkin Has White House Interview To Head HHS
David Shulkin, a physician and a holdover from the Obama administration at the Department of Veterans Affairs, is believed to be one of several candidates to replace former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
Will My Insurance Now Be More Expensive?: Questions Abound After Busy End Of The Week
There’s lots of confusion for consumers about exactly what all this news about the health law means. A handful of different media outlets try to break it down for people.
‘We Anticipated This’: Insurers Not Exactly Floored By Trump’s Decision
It could be hard for insurers to pull their plans off the market for next year, but most companies say they were prepared for the money to evaporate anyway and had baked the contingency into their 2018 premium increases. However, the industry is calling on Congress to fund the payments.
Trump Touts Own Executive Order As Health Stocks Plunge On News
President Donald Trump also says he wants Democrats to “get smart” and “deal.”
Nearly 70% Of People Benefiting From Insurer Subsidies Live In States Trump Won
Media outlets report on the decision’s effects out of California, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Nevada and Georgia.
Nearly 20 states have sued over President Donald Trump’s decision to stop the insurer subsidies. But, “Forcing an administration to continue making payments when the president believes there is no appropriation, and when Congress believes there’s no appropriation, would be a pretty extreme move by the court,” said Nicholas Bagley, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
Trump’s Move To End Insurer Subsidies May Force Congress To Act After Months Of Stagnation
Uncertainty over the payments to insurers has loomed over Congress for months, and senators have been trying to work toward an agreement to fund them. They’d so far been unsuccessful, but President Donald Trump’s decision to end the payments may force the issue. Meanwhile, lawmakers react to the White House move.
First Edition: October 16, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: The Toll Of Gun Violence On Public Health; Gene Mapping Moves Closer To Reality
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Different Takes On Trump’s Executive Order On Health Insurance: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Opinion writers across the nation express outrage and concern about Thursday’s White House directive loosening some of the rules regarding health coverage, but some also defend it and even see it as progress. The opinions also touch on other health policy topics including Medicaid.
Research Roundup: Medicaid Reduces Payday Loans; Diabetes Management; Chronic ER Use
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Ohio and Texas.
‘This Thing Could Get Worse’: Calif. Wildfires Force Hospital Evacuations And Hit Medical Personnel
Medical services in California are under pressure from the wildfire crisis as doctors and nurses are impacted personally and professionally at a time when they are needed by residents coping with the air quality. Asthmatics and the elderly are particularly at risk.
Medicare Cuts Off Payments To Florida Nursing Home Where Residents Died After The Hurricane
Fourteen residents died after the facility lost air conditioning. Florida’s two senators have called for a congressional investigation. The nursing home had previously announced it would close permanently.
Obesity Rates Continue To Climb: Nearly 40% Of Adult Americans, 20% Of Kids Qualify
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that adult obesity rates have spiked from 30.5 percent in 1999-2000 to 39.8 percent in 2015-2016. Also in public health news today: condom sizes and NFL concussion research.
‘There’s No Simple Solution’ To Ending Opioid Crisis, But Here Are Steps Experts Recommend
Two experts on the opioid epidemic weigh in on moves the government could make to help alleviate the crisis, including a ban on ultra-high dosage painkillers. Meanwhile, lawmakers wonder why there’s been a delay in officially declaring the epidemic a national emergency.
NIH Partners With Pharma As Part Of Next Step In Cancer Moonshot
Each of the industry partners will contribute $1 million a year to the initiative, for a total of $55 million, while the National Institutes of Health will provide $160 million in support over the next five years.
