Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Clinic Seeks To Turn Marijuana From ‘Gateway Drug’ To Gateway To Treatment

Morning Briefing

A small but growing number of pain doctors and addiction specialists are overseeing the use of marijuana as a substitute for more potent and dangerous drugs. In other public health news: the opioid epidemic, lead standards, childhood trauma, multiple sclerosis, Zika, HPV vaccines and concussions.

White House Shies Away From Planned Parenthood Defunding Talk

Morning Briefing

Press secretary Sean Spicer says the Trump administration won’t commit to including the hot-button issue in the upcoming spending bill. In other women’s health news, some states are still moving to protect access to contraception and Democrats try to reconcile their platform with a need to include anti-abortion voters.

McAuliffe Says Health Bill’s Collapse In Congress Signals Need For Virginia To Expand Medicaid

Morning Briefing

But the state’s Republican lawmakers, who have consistently opposed such a move, appear unlikely to accept the governor’s suggestion. News outlets also examine a proposal in Georgia to revamp Medicaid, a look at how the program for low-income Americans has evolved since the 1960s and a request from Wisconsin to add drug tests for eligibility.

Federal Government Takes In $22 Billion In Fines Paid By Health Companies Since 2010

Morning Briefing

Stat looked at data from 39 agencies to analyze which segments of the health care industry have settled with the government. It found that pharmaceutical companies paid the most, accounting for almost 80 percent of penalties.

As Big Beneficiaries Of ACA, Hospital Stocks Jump On News Of Replacement Defeat

Morning Briefing

The stock increases stood out on an otherwise dour day for the markets, as investors fret that President Donald Trump’s failure to push through the health care overhaul bodes poorly for the rest of his economic agenda.

With 2018 Midterms In Not-Too-Distant Future, Each Move On Health Is Politically Fraught

Morning Briefing

Republicans may be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to addressing health care. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump hits a new low in the polls after his failure to make a deal on the Republican plan, and ads are already running against a lawmaker who supported the American Health Care Act.

Bipartisanship, Once A Four-Letter Word, More Appealing To GOP After Failure To Pass Bill

Morning Briefing

Both President Donald Trump and congressional lawmakers have signaled a new willingness to work with Democrats. Meanwhile, media outlets offer a look at what comes next, now that the American Health Care Act has been pulled.

Blame Is The Name Of The Game In Aftermath Of GOP Health Bill Collapse

Morning Briefing

There’s plenty of finger-pointing to go around and it highlights just how hard it will be for Republicans to move forward on any issues despite having control of both chambers and the White House.

Eyes Turn Back To Future Of Insurance Subsidies After Replacement Bill Collapse

Morning Briefing

Republicans could gut much of the Affordable Care Act by taking action to halt insurer payments, which House GOP lawmakers are already challenging in court. Meanwhile, insurance companies seek help from the government to stabilize the marketplaces and look ahead to next year’s plans.

Taking Stock: After The Smoke Clears, The Health Insurance Issues Remain

Morning Briefing

Premium costs, essential benefits, Medicaid expansion and the fact that the health industry has a huge impact on the financial markets are among the thoughts on which opinion writers continue to focus.