Latest KFF Health News Stories
More Men With Early Prostate Cancer Choosing ‘Active Surveillance’ Over Surgery, Radiation
In other news, Vice President Joe Biden will host a national cancer research summit in June.
Scientist Ira Pastor believes brain death is a potentially curable condition, given the right combination of stem cells, drugs, electrical currents, magnetic fields or other stimuli. But his quest to explore the idea is being greeted with skepticism, confusion and worries of a zombie apocalypse.
Health Groups Recommend Obesity Surgery As Treatment For Diabetes
Studies have long shown that most obese diabetics who undergo bariatric surgery see their blood sugar control dramatically improve.
The implant dispenses the drug buprenorphine for six months at a time. Benefits of the treatment could include cutting down on both relapses and the drug being sold illegally on the street.
Restrictive laws in the state forced many clinics to close, leaving fewer than 20 to serve 5.4 million women of reproductive age. Experts calculate that as many as 240,000 have chosen to self-induce abortions since then, and warn that if the Supreme Court upholds the restrictions that number will only escalate.
VA Chief ‘Deeply Regrets’ Comments Comparing Clinic Wait Times To Disneyland Lines
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald’s apology comes after critics blasted him about the “preposterous statement.” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., called on him to step down.
Hospitals ‘Freaking Out’ About Constant Cyberattacks; Congress Has No Clear Plan To Address Threat
The targets of attack within health care are practically limitless, but many systems can’t afford the technology to protect against them. And Congress seems to be in no mood to cough up the money it would take to fund the security efforts.
Anthem CEO: Despite ‘Dynamic Tension’ With Cigna, $48M Merger Deal On Track
CEO Joseph R. Swedish said the two insurers have resolved differences and are moving forward to receive regulatory approval. Still, investors are definitely watching.
Average Family’s Health Care Costs Surpass $25,000, Report Finds
The costs are triple what a family paid in 2001.
New Reports On Health Law Examine Access To Coverage And Costs
A Commonwealth report finds that 60 percent of people who got coverage through the health law’s marketplaces or expanded Medicaid could not find insurance before. At the same time, reports from the consulting firm Avalere and from the Urban Institute point out geographic variations in premium costs.
House Panel Advances Bill That Revises Medicare Hospital Payments
The legislation would roll back some of the cost-cutting changes made in payments to hospital outpatient departments. It’s not clear yet whether the bill has enough support to make it through Congress. Also in Medicare news, another committee examines the government’s efforts to eliminate waste and a look at one aspect of the administration’s proposal to change payments for Part B drugs.
Bipartisan Fears Lurk Beneath Surface Of Zika Funding Debate
Politics are adding a layer of complexity to efforts to battle the outbreak. Among other issues, Republicans are worried about the perception of supporting abortion or contraception, while Democrats are concerned about the environmental impact of pesticides. However, public officials say, mosquitoes don’t pay attention to party lines.
House Easily Passes Bill To Protect Americans From Harmful Chemicals
The bill is the first significant update to chemical safety laws since the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. Both the Senate and President Barack Obama are expected to approve the sweeping regulations.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Offering Rewards In Superbug Fight; Positive, Negative Takes On The Health Law
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news from Florida, Wyoming, Tennessee, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Oregon.
Vanderbilt Medical Center Advances Plan Reshaping Access To Care In Tennessee
Also in the news, a government-run hospital in South Dakota could lose federal funding for deficiencies. The hospital is run by the Indian Health Service.
Doctors: Benefits Outweigh Harm Of Patients Having Full Access To Medical Records
The authors of a new study say allowing patients total access to their medical records lets them find errors or request changes to their treatment. In other health IT news, people are turning to telemedicine for their mental health needs, and a robot is eliminating the need for invasive surgery in some cases.
Attorneys General Ask Congress To Allow CDC Gun Deaths Study
Arguing that gun violence is a public health issue, attorneys general from nearly a dozen states urge federal lawmakers to lift a restriction that keeps the health agency from studying gun violence. Meanwhile, news outlets report on death rate disparities for black patients with liver cancer and the search for a better antibiotic.
The Real Price Tag Of An Opioid Overdose
The expense goes far beyond the $20 it costs to buy heroin on the streets. Also in the news, a look at the states that have the heaviest use of alcohol and drugs, Rikers Island’s model opioid treatment program, a proposal to tax opioid pills and how other states are harmed by Missouri’s lack of a drug monitoring program.
