Latest KFF Health News Stories
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Ominous Conclusions From The CBO Analysis Of The GOP Health Plan: ‘Fatal Flaws,’ ‘A Train Wreck’
Opinion writers use the Congressional Budget Office’s recent analysis of the updated American Health Care Act to pan the House Republican’s repeal-and-replace measure.
Perspectives On The Trump Budget: Questionable Math; Who Feels The Most Pain?
Editorial pages across the country include analysis and review of President Donald Trump’s fiscal blueprint, including some tough talk about its political and policy implications.
Opinion writers offer a variety of thoughts on health policy issues, including whether the health law is “collapsing under its own weight,” some ominous predictions about the individual insurance markets, the importance of the public option and a range of other ideas.
Longer Looks: Shuttering Abortion Clinics, Obamacare In The Senate And A Lead-Poisoned Generation
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the web.
Media outlets report on news from Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas, California, Virginia and Arizona.
Marijuana Extract Found To Reduce Seizures In Kids With Epilepsy
The study adds another layer to the debate over the health benefits of the plant.
Patients Seeking Aid In Dying Driven More By Psychological Suffering Than Physical Pain, Study Finds
“It’s what I call existential distress. Their quality of life is not what they want.” says researcher Madeline Li, an associate professor at University of Toronto. Today’s other public health news stories cover so-called “conversion therapy,” Zika, tuberculosis, fitness trackers, knee arthritis and “high-intensity” drinking.
“The staff members in charge of supervising recovering addicts succumbed to their own addiction and died of opioid overdoses. Opioids are a monster that is slowly consuming our population,” Pennsylvania’s Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said.
Johnson & Johnson To Pay $33M In Investigation Over Manufacturing Practices
“Johnson & Johnson’s disregard for proper manufacturing practices of children’s medications was unacceptable,” says Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in a statement.
GOP Senators Struggling To Find A Compromise On Overhaul Of Medicaid In Replacement Bill
Lawmakers are trying to find a way to hold down costs but also treat states fairly. News outlets also report on efforts to change Medicaid operations in Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Oregon and Nebraska.
Consultant, HHS Employee and Hedge Fund Workers Charged In Insider Trading Scheme
Prosecutors say the government worker passed along information about funding plans for cancer treatments and kidney dialysis to the consultant, who shared it with the hedge fund.
Mental Health ‘Czar’ Nominee Renews Debate Between Community And Hospital Care Models
Those on the medical side seek more hospital beds and involuntary drug treatment for people in need but the other side suggest medical treatment alone is not enough. Also, the Veterans Affairs secretary tells a House hearing that the VA wants to begin offering mental health services to former service members with less-than-honorable discharges.
Despite Budget Director’s Artful Evasiveness, Medicaid Is Most Definitely On The Chopping Block
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney went to Capitol Hill to sell President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, saying, “There are no Medicaid cuts in the terms of what ordinary human beings would refer to as a cut.” The Associated Press fact checks his claim.
Sole Marketplace Insurer In One-Fifth Of Mo.’s Counties Latest To Withdraw From ACA Exchanges
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City announced it has lost $100 million through 2016 selling plans under the Affordable Care Act, calling the losses “unsustainable.” Meanwhile, Anthem is saying it is still up in the air whether it will continue to participate in the individual marketplace next year.
Reporter Accuses Montana Candidate Of ‘Body-Slamming’ Him After Asking About CBO Report
The special election for the House seat is being closely watched in a district that was typically a Republican stronghold.
Following Analysis, Hospitals Speak Out Against Republicans’ Health Plan
“We cannot support legislation that the Congressional Budget Office clearly indicates would jeopardize coverage for millions of Americans,” said Rick Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association. AARP is also against the legislation.
How The GOP Plan Will Affect You Depends On What State You Live In
The Congressional Budget Office predicts that premiums will be affected in states that choose to seek a waiver for covering essential health benefits.
Republicans Should ‘Throw Their Bill In The Trash Can,’ Democrats Galvanized By CBO Analysis Say
Democrats say the report should be the final nail in the coffin for Republicans’ current legislative proposals to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
House Republicans Sidestep Negative Aspects Of Report, Focus On The Positive
They say the Congressional Budget Office analysis doesn’t “tell the whole story” about their legislation.
