Latest KFF Health News Stories
Outlets report on news from New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, D.C., Virginia, Ohio, Minnesota, California, New Hampshire and Washington.
Child Dies In California From Flu As Cases Of Influenza Spike
“If you compare this time last year we’re seeing twice as many flu cases,” says Dr. Michael Neely, interim chief of infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Lead Levels Deemed Dangerous For Kids Should Be Lower, Federal Advisory Panel Votes
The CDC will next consider the panel’s recommendation to lower by 30 percent the threshold at which a child is considered to have elevated lead. And local newspapers focus on tainted water in Ohio.
More Women Dying From Cervical Cancer Than Previously Estimated, Study Finds
The research also shows a growing racial disparity with death rates for black women 77 percent higher than previously thought, while the rate for white women is 47 percent higher. Other public health stories report on longevity studies, the growing use of kangaroo care for newborns, a program that provides images of the brains of adolescent inmates and hospital “super-utilizers.”
New Message For ER Docs: Prescribe Opioids Only As Last Resort
Medical personnel at hospitals around the country are now being retrained to resist prescribing strong narcotics. In other news on the drug epidemic, The Washington Post reports on the hunt for a painkiller that is not addictive.
Anti-Abortion Movement’s New Focus: Burial And Cremation Regulations
Those who champion the rules say they are about showing respect to human beings, while abortion rights activists say they’re simply imposing more obstacles on women. Meanwhile, the House is planning to squeeze in a vote on federal funding for abortions before Republicans leave for a retreat with the new president.
Former CMS Official Finds Common Ground With Trump: Fighting High Drug Prices
“I’ll help him any way I can,” says former acting CMS administrator Andy Slavitt. However, Republicans in Wisconsin aren’t so eager to jump behind the president’s plan.
Price Has Pattern Of Helping Companies That Donate To His Campaigns, Documents Reveal
News outlets examine HHS nominee Tom Price’s actions when advocating for specific companies.
Republican Senators To Introduce Their Version Of Replacement Monday
Sens. Susan Collins and Bill Cassidy’s plan would give more flexibility to the states. Meanwhile, health care is expected to be a top priority at the president’s retreat with congressional Republicans, but it’s unlikely a full replacement plan will emerge from the three-day conference.
It’s Not Just People On Obamacare Exchanges Who Will Be Affected By Repeal
There are provisions in the legislation that touch the entire insurance landscape, impacting people who get coverage through their employers.
Covering sick patients is extremely expensive and both sides have scrambled to come up with a solution. For the Democrats it’s the individual mandate, while Republicans are talking about high-risk pools again. Meanwhile, the former acting administrator of CMS takes on saving the health law as his personal mission.
Individual Mandate May Be On Chopping Block, Trump Aide Hints
Kellyanne Conway says the president may stop enforcing the individual mandate, but estimates show that getting rid of it could cause premiums to spike 20 percent. Conway also reiterated that people will not go without coverage under the administration’s new plan.
Trump’s Plan To Convert Medicaid Into Block Grants Would Saddle Lawmakers With Tough Decisions
Kellyanne Conway, an aide to the president, says Donald Trump wants to move toward block grant funding so states have the flexibility to cut waste from their programs. But if Congress decides to take that route, it will have to rule on questions such as what to do about inflation or if drug prices go up and how much each state will receive. Meanwhile, not all Republican governors are happy about possible repeal of the health law.
Trump’s Executive Order Scaling Back Health Law Injects Uncertainty In Already Unstable Industry
The president instructs all federal agencies to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from or delay” any part of the law that imposes a financial or regulatory burden, but the practical implications and potential fallout from the order are still unclear.
First Edition: January 23, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Trump’s Difficult Insurance Pledge; Keeping Part Of Obamacare
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: After-Hospital Care; Drug Exclusivity; Abortions In Texas
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Outlets report on news from Virginia, Maryland, Florida and California.
NYPD’s Mental Health Training Falls Apart At Seams When Put Into Practice, Report Finds
The department’s dispatch team is unable to tell who has received training, so it’s “random chance” on whether an officer who arrives at the scene has been trained in how to handle a mental health crisis, according to the report.
Cities With Higher Lead Levels Than Flint Launch Groundswell Of Activity To Address Problem
A Reuters report shines a light on the communities that have been affected. Officials there say it was a wake-up call they needed. “This has just laid out that it’s not just a Detroit issue, it’s not just a Baltimore issue,” said Ruth Ann Norton, president of Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, a Baltimore-based nonprofit.
