Latest KFF Health News Stories
Searches On Suicide Jumped Nearly 20 Percent Following Netflix’s ’13 Reasons Why’ Debut
With controversy around how the show depicted suicide swirling, scientists wanted to find out if the series actually did affect teens watching it.
Whistleblower Wants To Make Troubled VA Hospital A Model Of How To Fix Broken System
Dr. Ed Kois and 10 other physicians and medical staff flagged problems at the hospital, but Kois thinks in fixing them it will provide an example for the rest of the country.
With Spotlight On Repeal, Price Has Been Quietly Advancing Physician-Friendly Agenda
Doctors are finding a sympathetic advocate in Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
Trump Urged To Declare National Emergency Over Opioid Epidemic
“With approximately 142 Americans dying every day,” notes the report from the president’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, “America is enduring a death toll equal to September 11th every three weeks.”
Ohio Officials, Insurers Agree On Initiative To Offer Plans In Nearly Every County In The State
State officials say that five insurers have agreed to sell coverage in 19 of the 20 counties that were expected to be without an insurer on the Obamacare marketplace next year. Those gaps occurred after Anthem and Premier announced they would not participate in the Affordable Care Act market next year.
Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Crafts 5-Prong Plan To Shore Up Affordable Care Act
The proposal focuses on ideas that have received bipartisan support, such as ensuring subsidy payments for insurers, creating a stability fund for states to tap into to deal with high premiums and repealing the medical device tax.
Trying To Strong-Arm Senators Has Historically Not Gone Well
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) bore the brunt of the tactics from the president, his administration and colleagues over her stance on the Republicans’ health legislation.
Insurer Subsidies Provide Trump With Powerful Tool He’s Not Hesitating To Wield
If President Donald Trump cut off the subsidy payments to insurers, which he can decide to do, it would devastate the marketplace. News outlets also look into the president’s threats against congressional health care.
‘I Think It’s Over’: Senators Ready To Move On From Repeal Efforts
Despite threats from President Donald Trump, many in the party are giving up and shifting their attention elsewhere. “Maybe lightning will strike and something will come together but I’m not holding my breath,” Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Californians Breathe Easier After Repeal Efforts Collapse
The state, which has fully embraced the Affordable Care Act, would have been particularly hard hit if the law had been rolled back. Media outlets report on reactions out of Ohio, Florida, Georgia and Connecticut, as well.
Nearly Two-Thirds Of Americans Want To Keep Or Modify Obamacare
The Reuters/Ipsos poll also finds that voters want Congress to turn to other issues. Still, the results fall largely along party lines with just three out of 10 Republicans saying they wanted to keep or modify the law. Meanwhile, the most recent failure of Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act relieved some Americans.
By Watching GOP’s Efforts, Democrats Just Got A New Playbook On Passing Single-Payer
Democrats have been watching how Republicans used the reconciliation process to get their legislation close to the finish line. Under slightly different circumstances, Democrats are realizing they might be able to use it. “In 2009, what we consistently got from Democratic senators was: Hey, reconciliation was a procedural can of worms. We don’t want to go there,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Republicans have made very clear that you can go there and push your ideas into law.”
Fall Out From Failure May Haunt GOP: ‘I Don’t Think This Is Something Voters Are Going To Forget’
Republicans have been promising their voters repeal and replace for seven years. They may have to face the political consequences of not delivering.
The Death Knell Came With McCain’s Thumbs Down, But The Path To Failure Was Quite Long
A ruling party that never expected to win. A conservative base long primed to accept nothing less than a full repeal. An overpromising and often disengaged president with no command of the policy itself and little apparent interest in selling its merits to the public. These are just a few of the reasons experts cite on why the Republicans failed. The New York Times and other media organizations take a deep dive on what went wrong. (And in the case of Democrats — what went right).
Lawmakers Turn Toward Fixes To Affordable Care Act That Have History Of Bipartisan Support
Among the provisions getting a look from a bipartisan working group are the employer mandate, creating a stability fund that states can tap to help deal with premiums and scrapping Obamacare’s medical-device tax.
Price: ACA Is Law Of Land, And It’s Still HHS’ Responsibility To Implement It
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, however, also said that the law was failing the American people and the goal is to put a system in place that works for patients.
Insurer Subsidies Once Again Taken Hostage In Health Debate After GOP Fails To Advance A Bill
President Donald Trump tweeted that unless Congress passes health care legislation, he’ll end insurer subsidies, which would have a major impact on the individual marketplace. Meanwhile, that’s just one action out of several that the Trump administration can take to undermine the Affordable Care Act.
Trump Threatens Lawmakers’ Own Insurance If They Don’t Pass A Health Bill
President Donald Trump, following the defeat of the GOP health proposal, says Republicans looked “like fools” and should not give up on passing legislation.
Viewpoints: The Opioid Epidemic Needs Presidential Focus; Drinking Water Shouldn’t Be Dangerous
Here’s a review of editorials and opinions on a range of public health issues.
