Latest KFF Health News Stories
House Passes $1.1B Zika Bill That’s Likely To Fail In Senate
Democrats strongly oppose parts of the package, which include provisions regarding the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood and pesticides — and they have promised to filibuster it to death in the Senate. The House immediately adjourned for recess following the vote, leaving behind any chance to resolve the funding dispute before the holiday.
Medicare Fund Could Be Depleted By 2028, Trustees Say
Under current projections, trustees said automatic cuts in the program mandated under a controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act could take effect for the first time in 2019. Meanwhile, the presidential candidates have largely avoided talking about the problem.
300 Charged In Largest Takedown Of Medicare, Medicaid Fraud In U.S. History
The nationwide sweep exposed alleged kickbacks, embezzlement and fake claims, and involved various kinds of fraud in diverse areas of health care, ranging from prescription drugs to home health care to physical therapy, the Department of Justice announced.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Drug Costs: A Radical Idea To Cut Prices — Make Drugmakers Explain Themselves
Editorial and opinion writers offer their takes on drug-cost issues.
National Pharmacist Group Calls For Ban On Direct-To-Consumer Ads From Drugmakers
News outlets report on the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Outlets report on health news from Minnesota, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming, Texas, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois.
Kansas Contractor Faces $750K Fine For Medicaid Backlog Error
Media outlets also report on other Medicaid news out of Ohio, Kentucky, California, Florida, New York and Maryland.
Nevada Prisons Illegally Segregating HIV-Positive Inmates, Justice Department Says
Inmates with HIV are being denied access to work programs that could shorten their sentences, and lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department say they may sue the state under the Americans with Disabilities Act if the situation isn’t rectified.
Mass. Officials Warn Battle To Curb Opioid Epidemic Won’t Be Short Or Easy
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and his Health and Human Services secretary laid out their plans to fight the epidemic. In other news, Louisiana has become the next state to expand access to naloxone, and a St. Louis doctor pleads guilty to a fraud charge involving prescriptions for pain pills.
HHS Rejects ‘Right Of Conscience’ Complaint From California Anti-Abortion Groups
The decision upholds a move by the California Department of Managed Care, which notified seven insurance providers in 2014 that state law does not allow them to offer coverage that limits or excludes abortions for some employers. Meanwhile, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office asks a judge to reject Planned Parenthood’s attempt to block parts of an abortion law, and Donald Trump promises to appoint anti-abortion justices to the Supreme Court.
Searching Symptoms Can Yield Scary Web Results: Google Aims To Change That
Meanwhile, news outlets cover other public health developments related to gun injuries, depression in men, the impact of modern streetlamps on sleep patterns and using breath tests to diagnose conditions.
Federal Ethics Panel Approves First Study Of Gene-Editing Tech CRISPR
The experiment would use the technology to create genetically altered immune cells to attack three kinds of cancer.
Some Say For-Profit Med Schools Will Help Solve Doctor Shortages — But Not Everyone Is So Sure
As more crop up around the country, for-profit medical schools are — according to proponents — a solution to a problem plaguing rural health care. But others say they’re the equivalent of Wal-Mart coming into a small community and impacting local mom-and-pop businesses.
Pending Mega-Mergers Among Insurers Face Different Levels Of Resistance
The Connecticut Mirror reports that Aetna appears to be clearing regulatory issues in its merger with Humana more easily than Anthem’s efforts to merge with Cigna. Outlets also report developments related to not-for-profit integrated health systems, spending trends regarding complementary medicines and the link between salaries and health insurance.
Dems Try To Force Vote On Zika Funding In Last-Ditch Effort Before Recess
Filing a discharge petition could signal that bipartisan negotiations are not moving forward. In other news, the CDC works to offer Zika-planning blueprints to cities and states, researchers launch a massive study of 10,000 pregnant women to better understand the virus, Microsoft joins the fight against carrier mosquitoes and 10 pregnant women in Texas test positive for Zika.
Study: Medicaid Expansion Could Cut Down On Uncompensated Care Rates In Hospitals
Researchers found that the number of uninsured patients seeking care at hospitals dropped after Michigan expanded its Medicaid program. This means hospitals are actually getting paid for the services they provide.
Administration To Use IRS In Efforts To Enroll Healthy But Uninsured Millennials
Through tax records, HHS will find people ages 18 to 34 who had to pay the individual mandate fee, and reach out to them directly to try to woo a generally healthier population that could balance out the exchanges.
Long-Awaited GOP ‘Replace’ Health Plan Offers Broad Outline, Few Financial Details
Many of the ideas presented by Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans are familiar — such as health savings accounts, high-risk pools and selling insurance across state lines. They would also raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67. However, the plan left a lot of questions about costs unanswered.
