Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Opening For Medicare Long-Term Care?; Texas Seeks Planned Parenthood Money
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Health Debate: GOP Disregard Of ACA Maintenance; Miss USA’s Health Stand
Even as other issues are overtaking the air waves, some opinion writers keep an eye on the health debate.
Longer Looks: A Grandmother’s Abortion; Exploding Obamacare; And Doctors In China
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Research Roundup: Medicaid Wellness Programs; Preexisting Conditions; Changes In Subsidies
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Tennessee, Iowa, New Hampshire, California, Washington, Arizona, Indiana, Florida, Ohio and Oregon.
Flushing Fallopian Tubes With Poppyseed Oil May Help Infertile Women Conceive
A small study shows a “clear” difference between oil-based and water-based solutions. In other public health news: breast cancer survival rates, pelvic exams, cancer treatments, internet addiction and gun safety.
On Heels Of Opioid Crisis, Officials See Early Warning Signs That Meth Will Be Next Epidemic
Officials say a methamphetamine crisis could reach even further than the current opioid epidemic. In related news, senators introduce a bill to modify rules about Medicaid money and substance abuse treatment centers, Aetna is sending letters to dentists and oral surgeons who are “superprescribers,” and more out of the states.
What Goes Awry In The Brain To Lead To Alzheimer’s? Scientists Still Aren’t Quite Sure
The Los Angeles Times’ series looks at dementia, Alzheimer’s and aging.
Blood Tests May Have ‘Significantly’ Underestimated Lead Levels, FDA Warns
The tests the agency are warning about, though, are not used as often as less invasive screenings, so it should not affect most people, according to officials. However, pregnant women and children should be retested, they say.
After Losing $2M In Funds Under New Measure, Planned Parenthood To Close 4 Clinics In Iowa
Iowa’s Republican-led legislature agreed in its recent budget to discontinue a federal Medicaid program and replace it with a state one that bars funding to organizations that provide abortions or maintain facilities where abortions are carried out.
Despite Factors That Should Put It Ahead Of Game, U.S. Health Ranking Is ‘An Embarrassment’
A new study finds that access to cutting-edge medical technology and well-trained doctors don’t necessarily correlate to good health for a country.
UnitedHealth To Shutter Experiment Of No-Cost-Sharing Plans For Primary And Behavioral Care
Modern Healthcare reports that Harken Health, a UnitedHealth subsidiary, will close in Chicago and Atlanta. In more news on the insurer, KHN reports that UnitedHealth faces allegations that it overcharged the federal government by more than $1 billion through its Medicare Advantage plans.
Senate Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill To Revamp Medicare Coverage Of Chronic Care
The bill would give people greater access to telehealth services, promote care coordination between providers and expand value-based payment models.
Democrats Tell Trump To Get A Science Adviser So He’s Not Vulnerable To Fake News
Lawmakers on the House Science Committee are urging the president to fill the empty position to head the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
House Repeal Plan Would Cut $43B From Medicaid Coverage Of Kids, Analysis Finds
“Over time, per capita caps could significantly reduce the amount of funding that goes towards Medicaid coverage for children,” says Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere, the consulting firm that conducted the study. Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republican moderates float ideas in order to retain Medicaid expansion that could have other consequences for states.
After All That Turmoil, House May Have To Vote On Health Plan Again
In an “abundance of caution,” House leaders are refraining from sending the legislation to the Senate until the CBO score comes back.
Not Satisfied With What They’re Seeing In Congress, Governors Start Drafting Own Health Plan
Governors will have more influence over the final legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, because they’re the ones who will be implementing the vision in their states. Meanwhile, lobbying groups are hoping they’ll have better luck in the Senate than they did the House.
‘There Are No Hands On The Wheel’: Insurers Heap Blame On Administration For Next Year’s Rate Hikes
The finger-pointing toward the Trump administration undermines GOP arguments that the marketplaces are collapsing under their own weight. Meanwhile, Republicans are seizing on the increases to drum up support for their repeal-and-replace push.
Democratic Attorneys General Seek Role In ACA Subsidy Case: ‘Lives Are At Stake’
The subsidies that are paid to insurance companies under the Affordable Care Act have been a threatened negotiation tool by President Donald Trump and have long been targeted by congressional Republicans. But not paying them would wreak havoc on the marketplaces, insurers and Democrats say.
