Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: The Link Between Despair And The Opioid Crisis; Big Tobacco And E-Cigarettes
A selection of public health opinions from around the country.
News outlets’ editorial sections highlight policy issues in play as the debate over the GOP health plan continues.
Editorial writers take on the optics involved as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) taps a group of Republican senators to craft a repeal-and-replace package, and handicap the reasons behind some representatives’ votes in the House, if they will be held accountable and what could happen next.
Perspectives: When Drug Prices Are High Patients Take Fewer, Leading To More Expensive Care
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Money-Back Guarantees Protecting Patients From Buying A Lemon When It Comes To Pricey Drugs
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Washington, D.C., Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Wisconsin.
Maryland Governor Selects Obamacare Critic To Lead State’s Health Care Commission
Robert E. Moffit is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation who advocates for full repeal of the Affordable Care Act. He has been on the Maryland panel commission since 2015.
Week Of Anti-Abortion Movement Wins Buoys Supporters, Mobilizes Opponents
The Associated Press tallies the new momentum for foes of abortion on the federal and state level. Meanwhile, news outlets report on related developments out of Kansas, Texas, Delaware and Iowa.
Harms Of Thyroid Cancer Screenings Outweigh Benefits, Task Force Says
Despite an industry-backed push for more people to be screened for thyroid cancer, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has added the option to its don’t-do-it category. In other public health news: pain relievers and heart risks, statins, syphilis, mental health care for children, and smoking.
House Panel To Investigate Role DEA And Drug Distributors Have Played In Opioid Flood
The House Energy and Commerce Committee wants answers from the Drug Enforcement Administration about its efforts to combat the epidemic and from the nation’s three largest drug distribution companies about shipping practices. Other news stories focus on steps the Trump administration is taking to tackle the drug crisis.
For Some Areas, Medicaid Expansion Propelled A Radical Transformation — But At A Cost
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.
Window For Republicans To Roll Back Obama Regulations Closing
The Congressional Review Act gives Congress about 60 days to vote by a simple majority to overturn agency rules passed late in former President Barack Obama’s administration.
BlueCross BlueShield Of Tennessee Steps In To Fill Knoxville Market Gap
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
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.”
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.
Despite Senators’ Concerns Over Ties To Pharma Industry, Gottlieb Confirmed To Lead FDA
Dr. Scott Gottlieb was seen as a moderate choice of President Donald Trump, compared with other candidates he was reportedly considering.
Journalist Arrested After Asking HHS Secretary About Preexisting Conditions In GOP Health Law
Dan Heyman, a veteran journalist with Public News Service, was jailed on the charge of willful disruption of state government processes and was released later on $5,000 bail.
The Evidence Is Clear: People Do Die From Lack Of Access To Health Insurance
Critics were quick to contradict Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) when he said, “Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health care.”
Republicans Face Angry, Rowdy Crowds At Town Halls
Voters have been turning out in force to voice their objections to their lawmakers vote on the American Health Care Act.
