Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

In Era Of Opioid Epidemic, Some Seek Alternatives To Quick Pain Fix Of Pills

Morning Briefing

Experts want patients to realize that painkillers might make them feel better, but they are not treating the underlying cause. Media outlets report on the crisis out of Tennessee, West Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio, Missouri, New York and New Jersey.

Can $200 Really Buy You An Accurate Look At Your Genetic Risk For Diseases?

Morning Briefing

23andMe, a genetic testing company, recently won Food and Drug Administration approval to sell its product, which tells users if they are susceptible to certain diseases. Stat offers a look at what consumers need to know about it before considering using it. In other public health news: diabetes, MRIs, Tourette’s syndrome, three-parent babies, HPV, strokes, and more.

Software That Scans A Patient’s Face For Disease Signs Is In The Works By Geneticists, Computer Scientists

Morning Briefing

In other health information technology news, WellCare tests artificial intelligence systems designed to flag health problems and prescribe treatment plans. And senators will consider a bill that would let Medicare test more telehealth models.

N.C. Republicans Offer Medicaid Expansion Bill

Morning Briefing

The proposal, offered by four Republican members including a former hospital executive, includes a premium of about 2 percent of enrollees’ household income and protocols for routine physicals and screenings. Media outlets also look at concerns in Oklahoma that new federal policies will cut Medicaid funding for hospitals, a large increase in Medicaid enrollees in Virginia and Florida’s plan to change Medicaid eligibility.

Gorsuch Evades Firm Answers On Aid-In-Dying, But Past Writings Offer Detailed Look At Views

Morning Briefing

Newly minted Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in his book “The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia” built a legal and moral case against the practice. Meanwhile, aid-in-dying has seen a steady, yearly increase since it has been enacted.

Administration’s Global Health Cuts Could Lead To ‘Catastrophic Loss Of Life’

Morning Briefing

The White House proposes reducing funding to major programs including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, help for aid organizations that provide family planning and other health services and contributions to the United Nations Population Fund. Meanwhile, experts are “very concerned” that the Trump administration is not prepared to deal with a pandemic outbreak, and an idea that all research should serve a national purpose sparks debate.

Job Growth In Health Care Sector Stumbles Amid Health Law Uncertainty

Morning Briefing

In the first three months of this year, health care added an average of 20,000 jobs per month, compared with an average monthly gain of 32,000 in 2016. In other news, hospitals and health systems fear loss of reimbursements, and the Iowa Hospital Association says insurers should be doing more to protect gains made under Obamacare.

The Health Law’s Unlikely Defenders: Republicans

Morning Briefing

As Republican efforts to dismantle and replace the Affordable Care Act continue, some in the party are speaking out for provisions in the legislation, such as coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Meanwhile, a left-leaning group will launch attack ads just in time for congressional recess, media outlets look at the ramifications of the GOP health plan and what’s next for the resistance movement that helped bring about the collapse of the Republicans’ bill.

Cities, States Seeking To Break Crime Cycles Look At New Mental Health Options For Prisoners

Morning Briefing

“If you took drugs and alcohol and mental illness out of my jail, my jail would be empty,” Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn of Wood County, Ohio, tells Stateline. Also, a federal judge in New York says state officials are subverting a court order to help mentally ill residents, and a new mental health program for teens is launched in Palo Alto, Calif.

A Year After Prince’s Death Put A Spotlight On Opioid Crisis, Questions Still Remain

Morning Briefing

Investigators are still trying to figure out how the singer got the fentanyl. Meanwhile, military leaders are calling for more ships to be able to police the drug flow into the U.S. from China, and a look at the “smart use” rules people are coming up with in the era of powerful opioids.

Scientists Try To Map Architecture Of ‘Happy, Healthy Cells’ To Better Understand Diseases

Morning Briefing

Scientists have been limited in their ability to assess the structure of healthy cells but a new tool may help to see inside of them. In other news, a look at giant, cell-like viruses that have confounded researchers.

These Arkansas Residents Pay Taxes But Won’t Ever Be Able To Qualify For Medicaid, Medicare

Morning Briefing

There is a large community of people in northwest Arkansas that live in the United States under a treaty that came about when the Marshall Islands declared independence. Although they contribute to taxes and everything else that comes with living in America, they don’t have access to safety-net health programs like anyone else would.