Latest KFF Health News Stories
FDA Guidelines For Gay Men Donating Blood Criticized Following Orlando Massacre
Experts say they are overly conservative and unnecessary with the testing technology available now.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Coverage Of Mental Health; Snacks On TV; Marketplace Assistance
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Outlets report on health news from Texas, Oregon, New York, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Arizona, Delaware and Michigan.
Group Files Suit Against California Aid-In-Dying Law, Claiming It Violates Patients’ Civil Rights
Advocates of the measure, however, argue that the legislation treats everyone equally. A judge denied a temporary restraining order, but a hearing for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for the end of the month.
As Doctor Shortage Looms, States Start Getting Creative
States have taken a variety of measures — such as increasing their number of medical residencies and offering grants to students who do rotations in underserved areas — to address doctor shortages. In other news, a health policy fellowship tries to give medical students a firmer grasp on the complex interworkings of the health system.
How A Dust-Like Scarring On Veterans’ Brains Could Unlock The Vast Mysteries Of PTSD
It was first known as shell shock, then combat fatigue and finally post-traumatic stress disorder. No matter its name though, it was almost universally understood as a psychological rather than a physical condition. But a new study challenges that idea.
Americans Increasingly Dying By Accident, And Society Isn’t Doing Enough To Prevent It, Report Says
The National Safety Council found that the rate of people dying accidentally has jumped 15.5 percent over a decade. “It’s all preventable. Every accident is preventable,” said Ken Kolosh, the safety council’s statistical manager. In other public health news, NPR takes a look at the man behind immunotherapy, and experts gather in Denver to discuss sleep.
Amid Escalating Opioid Crisis, With Resources Stretched Beyond Capacity, Ohio Turns To Feds
Fifteen overdose deaths occurred in and around Cleveland in the last week of May alone. Media outlets also report on news about the opioid epidemic in Maryland, New York and New Hampshire.
WHO Says Women In Zika-Infested Areas Should Consider Delaying Pregnancies
The advice to women in 46 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean stopped short of recommending that women don’t get pregnant. U.S. officials have not made a similar suggestion, but they are continuing to put pressure on Congress to fund prevention and research efforts to fight Zika.
Seniors Help Consumers To Battle Medicare Fraud
Every state has a federally funded Senior Medicare Patrol, whose volunteers help advocate for fellow beneficiaries and investigate reports of possible scams. In other Medicare news, a GAO review says Medicare’s backlog of appeals from health care providers and patients “shows no signs of abating.”
Report: Oversight Of Hospital Mergers Severely Lacking Even As Mega-Chains Become New Norm
MergerWatch found that only eight states and the District of Columbia mandate regulatory review when hospitals enter into more informal partnerships rather than full-scale mergers. The hospitals, the report says, are doing what makes sense business wise, but that leaves the patients with very little protection.
Experts: DEA Out Of Step With Scientific Understanding Of Medical Marijuana
Ohio became the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana — but it is still classified in the same category as heroin by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The agency is facing pressure to reevaluate its classifications, but has so far shown little willingness to relax the restrictions.
FDA Targets 4,402 Websites In International Crackdown On Illegal Prescription Drugs
The FDA is participating in a global effort led by INTERPOL to curb the spread of dangerous counterfeit prescription drugs.
Watchdog Blasts FDA’s Lax Food Recall Policies
The report found that the Food and Drug Administration is taking far too long to issue recalls, endangering the safety of the nation’s food supply.
Justice Department Targets Carolinas HealthCare System In Antitrust Action
The federal government joined with North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper to file a civil antitrust case against the state’s largest health system, alleging it used contract requirements to quash competition.
Senate Health Spending Bill Progresses To The Floor
The measure, which provides appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services and other government agencies, has drawn rare bipartisan support. Also on Capitol Hill, a measure was introduced in the House which would direct HHS to train health professionals to identify patients who are victims of human trafficking. Meanwhile, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., is skeptical about the prospects of attaching a pending mental health reform bill to legislation focused on opioid abuse.
Nearly 200,000 Louisiana Residents Sign Up For Medicaid Expansion In First Week
The enrollment was aided by the state’s coordination with other groups that serve low-income families. Meanwhile in Utah, many residents push for a Medicaid extension for an additional 16,000 people.
Even With The Health Law In Place, Costs Keep Going Up
The New York Times takes a look at the Geisinger Health Plan’s efforts to provide care to the community it serves as a means to explore why health care expenses and insurance premiums continue to rise. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell took steps to quell the doubts of insurers who participate in Obamacare exchanges.
