Latest KFF Health News Stories
This Technology May Allow Computers To Sniff Out Diseases
Patients give off a unique odor that can hold clues to any medical problems going on in their bodies, but it can’t be detected easily by humans. Also in technology news, doctors ponder the future of artificial intelligence and the role it has to play in medicine, and a look at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s roll out of its new electronic health record system.
Drug Offers Alzheimer’s Researchers A Glimmer Of Hope After Years Of Brutal Failures
Instead of targeting a protein that most of the industry has focused on, this new drug tries to stop the destruction of brain synapses and neurons in the first place.
Lawmakers In Ohio And Arkansas Give Preliminary Approval To Medicaid Changes
Republicans in the Ohio House turned down efforts by conservatives to freeze enrollment in the state’s Medicaid expansion program but a committee approved several restrictions on spending. In Arkansas, Senate and House committees approve changes to Medicaid sought by the governor.
Cancer, Alzheimer’s And The Other Areas Of Medical Research That Won Big In Spending Bill
The Washington Post digs into the National Institutes of Health budget to find out what the money will go toward.
Trump Administration Relaxes School Nutrition Guidelines That Were A Michelle Obama Legacy
The School Nutrition Association, which represents companies that sell food to schools, has been lobbying against the standards on federally funded program.
In Drive To Secure A Health Deal, Trump Reveals Lack Of Understanding On Nitty-Gritty Details
President Donald Trump is pressing Congress to close the deal on health law negotiations but, as his recent comments show, he may not know the full extent of what is in the legislation he’s championing.
Tax Credit Provision In GOP’s Health Bill At Odds With Some States’ Abortion Coverage Requirements
The GOP bill prohibits its new tax credits from being used to purchase plans that cover abortion, but California and New York require essentially all insurance plans in the state to cover abortion, meaning that there might not be any options for people in those states receiving the tax credits. Meanwhile, a poll shows that defunding Planned Parenthood is unpopular even in Republican districts.
GOP Plan A Political Hot Potato, But House Leaders Aim To Get Votes Needed To Toss It To Senate
Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), a surprise Republican defector, is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, but the lack of protections for preexisting conditions has him and others spooked. Media outlets report on the state of play on Capitol Hill and where members stand on the vote.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Media outlets report on news from Georgia, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Iowa, California, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
CDC, Puerto Rico Spar Over Zika Case Reporting
Some say the dispute has obscured the impact of the Zika problem in the territory. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has told state health officials that Zika tracking and education funding may be coming to an end.
More Schools Testing For Lead As Parents Demand Information
As concerns grow about tainted water in older buildings, school officials face pressure to test for lead and to release the results. In New York City, a new round of testing reveals that 83 percent of schools have at least one outlet with a lead level above the safety threshold.
Oncologists Shift Toward Wait-And-See Approach For Condition That Can Lead To Breast Cancer
There’s a fierce debate on not only how to treat ductal carcinoma in situ but also exactly what it is. But some doctors say aggressive action is not needed in all cases and could lead to unnecessary pain and suffering for patients.
This New Stroke Treatment Acts Like A Plumber Snagging A Clog Out Of A Drain
A standard drug for treating strokes only works in a minority of patients, and only if its administered in the first hours after a stroke. This new procedure if administered quickly allows some patients in the midst of a massive stroke to walk out of the hospital on their own without any serious, lasting effects. In other public health news: donating an organ to a stranger, yo-yo dieting, yellow fever, deer antler tea, compulsory flu shots and more.
‘I’m Tired Of Losing My Patients’: Medical Society Approves Safe Injection Site Pilot Program
As the opioid crisis rages on, these supervised injection facilities provide people a place to take the drugs under medical supervision. Media outlets report on the epidemic out of New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia, as well.
Judge’s Decision To Block Anthem’s Bid To Take Over Rival Cigna Upheld By Appeals Court
The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit likely dooms an acquisition bid that has lasted nearly two years.
HHS Deal With Florida For Hospital Money Undercuts Pressure To Expand Medicaid
The Trump administration has promised to restore money for Florida hospitals that have high uncompensated costs for caring for people that could have been covered by a Medicaid expansion. In Ohio, the Legislature is considering cutting back the Medicaid expansion to gain support for a budget deal and delaying the governor’s plan to move long-term care Medicaid patients to managed care plans.
Prominent Anti-Abortion Leader Appointed To High-Level HHS Position
Charmaine Yoest will serve as assistant secretary of public affairs. President Donald Trump is also expected to name another anti-abortion activist to a post that oversees family planning funding.
Rep. Slaughter Offers Bill To Tighten ‘Ethics Loopholes’ On Congressional Stock Trading
Controversial purchases of stock in an Australian drug company by Reps. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) and Tom Price (R-Ga.), now the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, prompted the move, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) says. Also on Capitol Hill, Democrats press a bill that would ban “conversion therapy” treatments to change a person’s sexual orientation.
