Latest KFF Health News Stories
Repeal Takes On A Now-Or-Never Urgency As Window To Use Reconciliation Rules Narrows
Once Republicans pass a new spending blueprint, they lose their authority provided by the current budget to approve health care reform using the majority-vote tool called reconciliation. Leadership continues to suggest that they can get it done, but as they’ve learned recently, disrupting people’s status quo on health care is politically fraught.
Trump Promises Protections For Preexisting Conditions That May Not Be Delivered By GOP Bill
The president spoke Sunday about the hot-button topic, saying he “mandated” that coverage for preexisting conditions will be in the Republican health care bill. But while the current version of the proposed legislation says “access” is guaranteed for people with preexisting conditions, it is silent on a key point: whether such access must be affordable.
Lawmakers Agree To Spending Bill That Includes Puerto Rico Medicaid Funds, Bump To NIH Budget
The $1 trillion-plus measure also retains funding for Planned Parenthood.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Effectiveness Should Guide Doctors’ Prescribing; Climate Change And Medicine
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Obamacare’s Resiliance, The Insurance Market And Access To Care
Editorial writers review the goings on in Washington regarding health policy and the GOP’s repeal-and-replace effort as well as other issues in the health system.
Research Roundup: Price Transparency; Cost Of Not Expanding Medicaid; Coverage In Rural Areas
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Florida, Minnesota, California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Maryland.
Buyouts Offered To 1,600 Brigham and Women’s Hospital Workers To Control Costs
The move to reduce 9 percent of the prestigious teaching facility’s workforce signals that few health institutions are immune from the current climate of economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, other hospital news is reported out of California, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Bones From 3D Printers And Other Developments Bring Us Step Closer To Making Sci-Fi A Reality
Bloomberg looks at companies pushing the boundaries of medical development, and what that means for the future of diseases. In other public health news: calorie counts, peer reviews, police and mental illness, infertility treatments and more.
Biotech Firm Sees Option For Home Addiction Treatment Similar To Giving Insulin For Diabetes
Brady Granier, the CEO of California-based BioCorRx, says that he hopes to develop a low-dose, injectable-form of naltrexone that uses a small needle so that people could administer it at home. Also, another company, Aware Recovery Care, is providing in-home addiction therapy in some areas of the country.
Key Florida Lawmaker Says State, Federal Cuts To Medicaid Will Reach $650 Million
But state Sen. Anitere Flores says the effect on hospitals may be mitigated by other federal funding that is expected. News outlets also report on Medicaid news in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Minnesota.
Trump Issues Order To Protect VA Whistleblowers, But Some Say Changes Are ‘All Hot Air’
The president says the new Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection will make clear “that we will never, ever tolerate substandard care for our great veterans.” Some in Veterans Affairs are worried though that it will simply be more failed bureaucracy.
Trump’s FDA Pick, Scott Gottlieb, Clears Committee And Heads To Full Senate Vote
Democrats have voiced concerns about Gottlieb’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry, but the nominee has had a fairly smooth confirmation process thus far.
Spending Negotiations Hit Snag Over Medicaid Funding For Puerto Rico, Abortion Regulations
Puerto Rico is projected to exhaust a $6.4 billion Medicaid grant before the end of the year and has been struggling without replacement funding.
Insurers Left In Limbo As Deadline To File 2018 Rates Draws Ever Closer
“So basically we’ve got four to six weeks to figure out some basic things that will help all of us in the industry to have more surety and stability, so we can price our premiums lower,” says Tom Policelli, CEO of Minuteman Health. At the very least, many insurers want to know if the subsidy payments Trump used as a negotiating threat will continue.
Health Care Groups Tell House Republicans That Revisions ‘Make Bad Bill Even Worse’
Organizations representing doctors, hospitals and older Americans each came out against the latest version of the GOP plan to replace the federal health law.
Moderates Balk At Undermining Coverage For Those With Preexisting Conditions
Negotiations to bring conservatives on board with the Republican health care plan have brought coverage for people with preexisting conditions — an issue that’s plagued both sides of the aisle when it comes to making health care affordable — back into the spotlight.
Intraparty Struggles On Display As GOP Leaders Concede Health Care Vote Won’t Come This Week
An amendment on preexisting conditions and essential health benefits was added to the legislation to woo conservatives, but now leaders aren’t sure if they have enough moderate votes. The White House had been pushing for a vote before President Donald Trump’s milestone of 100 days in office.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
