Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

For Some Areas, Medicaid Expansion Propelled A Radical Transformation — But At A Cost

Morning Briefing

The Wall Street Journal examines the impact in Klamath Falls, Ore., of the health law’s expansion of coverage for low-income people. Meanwhile, in Iowa, state officials release reports about consumer complaints with the new Medicaid managed care system.

BlueCross BlueShield Of Tennessee Steps In To Fill Knoxville Market Gap

Morning Briefing

In related news, early signals indicate that Affordable Care Act premiums will jump in the coming year and the Trump administration is stepping back from penalizing exchange plans that did not do risk-adjustment program audits.

Grassley And Chaffetz Skewer HHS Memo Limiting Employees’ Comments To Congress

Morning Briefing

In a letter, the chairmen of key committees in the Senate and House say the guidance to workers at the Department of Health and Human Services “is potentially illegal and unconstitutional, and will likely chill protected disclosures of waste, fraud, and abuse.”

As Push Grows For Ever-Faster Approvals, Report Finds One-Third Of FDA-Cleared Drugs Posed Safety Risks

Morning Briefing

Problems with 71 of the 222 drugs approved in the first decade of this millennium were discovered after the drugs were approved, according to a new study. Those “safety events” warranted a “black box” warning on side effects or a safety announcement about the dangers.

In Senate, GOP Is Walking A Razor-Thin Margin And These Deal-Breakers Could Nudge Them Over Edge

Morning Briefing

Politico looks at four hot-button topics that could cost Republican votes needed to pass health care legislation. Other media outlets offer explanations on taxes, the Byrd Rule and what will happen if the senators can’t pass a repeal-and-replace law.

Parsing The Issues: About Those High-Risk Pools; Does The GOP Health Plan Pave The Way For A Single-Payer System?

Morning Briefing

Editorial pages examine a range of health policy issues with the Republicans health bill, the American Health Care Act, including an analysis of two Republican governors’ signals on preexisting conditions and doubts about how people with mental illness fare.