Latest KFF Health News Stories
Study Finds Only A Third Of Insurers Made Money On Marketplace Plans In 2014
Overall profits for insurers were down because of higher payouts, the Commonwealth Fund reports. Also in the news, a look at how hospitals might trim insurance costs and many Minnesota residents may be missing health insurance subsidies.
Push To Lift Medicare Ban On Obesity Drugs Grabs Attention At Republican Convention
Drugmakers use the spotlight of the political conventions to urge lawmakers to pass pending legislation that would allow Medicare to cover the medications. And after vice presidential nominee Mike Pence’s Republican convention speech, WFYI dives into the Indiana governor’s record on important health issues.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Obamacare Court Challenges Continue; Examining The GOP Platform
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Drugs Costs: A Misunderstanding About ‘Sunk Costs’; Insurers’ Role In Pricing
Editorial and opinion writers offer their takes on drug-cost issues.
How Much More Do Americans Pay For A Drug Than Others Around Globe? Report Quantifies Gap
News outlets report on the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Outlets report on health news from Alabama, Minnesota, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
HIPAA Hasn’t Kept Up With Apps And Wearable Fitness Trackers, Report Finds
The report by federal officials offered no suggestions on what to do to fix the problem, however. In other health technology news, employers in an effort to address the high costs of untreated mental illnesses are turning to apps, “smart thread” is helping to alert doctors when something is wrong with a patient’s wound, and a Tennessee firm wants to unlock troves of health data.
Maryland Changes Preferred Opioid Treatment But Critics Say New Drug Is Less Effective
The state’s Medicaid program used to pay for Suboxone in dissolvable film for people addicted to opioids to help control cravings. But officials say they changed to Zubsolv tablets, because the strips were being smuggled into jails. Elsewhere, a Florida law allows pharmacists to sell Naloxone over the counter.
30 Years Of Emphasizing Low-Fat Diets May Have Backfired, Study Finds
While a Mediterranean diet which includes healthy fats doesn’t affect mortality, it does reduce a person’s risk of heart issues as well as having benefits in connection with breast cancer and type 2 diabetes. In other news, a study finds that reducing kids’ sugar intake has an immediate improvement on their health, federal agriculture subsidies are fueling Americans’ bad eating habits, and a Florida hospital has launched a breast milk initiative to cut down on asthma and eczema cases.
James Watson: Cancer Moonshot Is ‘Same Old People Getting Together … And It’s All Crap’
Watson, who with Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA, tells Stat he isn’t at war with the cancer research community, but he isn’t impressed with some of the new strategies being explored. Also in the news, a study finds that fertility treatment doesn’t raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer and aggressive prostate cancer cases are increasing.
Florida Officials Investigating First Possible Non-Travel Related Zika Case In U.S.
Most experts believe the spread of the virus in the U.S. will be contained, though.
Development Suspended On Obesity Drug Tied To Two Deaths
The drugmaker, Boston-based Zafgen, also announces that it will lay off a third of its employees. In other pharmaceutical news, biotech company Synthorx says it will enter the biologic drug market with two new synthetic nucleotides to add to DNA library. And two Valeant drugs get FDA scrutiny.
Governor Who Embraced Core Aspect Of ACA Slams Clinton’s Policies As ‘More Of The Same’
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has continued the Medicaid expansion started by his Democratic predecessor. But, while speaking at the Republican National Convention he took the opportunity to criticize Hillary Clinton for wanting to continue to build out the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, PolitiFact checks Donald Trump Jr.’s claims that Clinton is going to destroy Medicare.
Massachusetts Gets Approval To Delay Federal Rule On Small-Business Insurance
The agreement postpones for a year implementation of federal rules that require Massachusetts to switch to a smaller set of factors that can be considered in setting rates. Also, a study examines the health law’s surcharge on smokers, and new details come out about the closing of the Illinois insurance co-op.
Gubernatorial Races In 3 States May Affect Decisions On Medicaid Expansion
Bloomberg surveys the chances of Medicaid expansion in Missouri, North Carolina and Utah. Also, a new study by the Urban Institute looks at the impact Medicaid expansion could have in the 19 hold-out states.
UnitedHealth’s Q2 Profits Beat Estimates But Insurer Reports Obamacare Losses
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical business growth helps Johnson & Johnson to also top expectations. And in other marketplace news, Intuitive Surgical reports strong second-quarter earnings.
Insurer Mega-Mergers To Be Challenged By Justice Department On Antitrust Concerns
Lawsuits are expected to be filed this week to block the proposed Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana acquisitions, according to news reports.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
California Announces Sharp 2017 Rate Increases To Obamacare Plans
Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, says that its premiums will balloon by a statewide average of 13.2 percent next year — more than triple the roughly 4 percent increases in each of the previous two years.
