Latest KFF Health News Stories
Many People Still Unwillingly Confined To Nursing Homes Despite Landmark Court Decision
A Supreme Court ruling nearly 20 years ago said disabled people requiring public support were entitled to live in their community, rather than in institutions, but for many people that option is not yet a reality. In other Medicaid news, Kansas advocates are questioning plans to force enrollees to try cheaper drugs first.
Sticker Shock: About One In Three Who Visit Hospital Hit With Surprise Medical Bills
As insurers and hospitals point fingers at each other, it’s the patient who ends up paying thousands unexpectedly. In other news, ER doctors weigh in on costs in a survey.
HHS Extends Anti-Bias Health Care Protections To Cover Gender Identity
Under the new guidance, insurers and hospitals cannot deny services based on someone’s gender identity. Some advocates are disappointed, however, that the rule does not go far enough.
Insurers’ Losses Nearly Double In Second Year Of Health Law, Due Largely To Medical Costs
However, McKinsey & Co.’s analysis suggests that the health law’s subsidies should prevent a “death spiral,” in which an insurance market gets caught in a cycle of increasing rates and shrinking customer pools. Meanwhile, as some insurers pull out of the federal exchanges, rural areas are sometimes left with just one option.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Caregivers’ Health; Rehab For Medicaid Kids; Retiree Coverage
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Outlets report on health news in Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Georgia, Connecticut and Florida.
Mobile Clinics Help Hospitals Hit The Road To Increase Access
Meanwhile, in Louisiana, lawmakers approve funding to protect safety net hospitals. Outlets also report on hospital-related news from Ohio, Delaware and Massachusetts.
On ADHD Counseling, States Hamstrung By Shortages, Undercut By Aggressive Drug Marketing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released statistics showing that young children with ADHD are over-medicated, and recommended psychological counseling instead. However, some states don’t have the resources to accommodate that treatment plan. Media outlets also report on public health news out of Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, California and Pennsylvania.
Study Raises Autism Concerns For Pregnant Women Regarding Prenatal Vitamins
Evidence linking excess folate and vitamin B12 on the one hand and autism on the other “is extremely premature,” researchers say. Meanwhile, The Orlando Sentinel reports on a bilingual autism therapy center started by a grandmother.
Deadly Delays: Insurance Denials, Wait Lists Erode Hope For Those Struggling With Addiction
Even when there are enough beds in a treatment center, many who are fighting an opioid addiction find that their insurance won’t cover the program. In other news, a one-mile stretch in Boston paints a vivid picture of the epidemic, two anti-opioid bills in Missouri face different fates, and state officials in Ohio are preaching the benefits of naloxone.
Medicare’s Plan For Changes In Drug Payments Roils Diverse Interests
But it also sets up a controversy about how to lower health care costs.
Business Groups Worry Transparency On Workplace Injuries Could Be Exploited
A new federal regulation requiring that workplace injuries and illnesses must be made available for a public database has drawn cheers from unions and concern from business groups.
Wellmark Plans Steep Premium Increases For Individual Market Customers In Iowa
The insurer’s plans don’t affect people who get insurance through their workplace, but it sells about three-quarters of the individual policies on Iowa’s health insurance exchange. Also, an investigation in Connecticut finds large numbers of insurance denials for mental health care services.
White House Launches Microbes Initiative To Ultimately Improve Human Health, Longevity
The National Microbiome Initiative will bring together scientists to study “the microbial engine of the earth,” which plays a part in everything from obesity to asthma and intestinal infections.
Trump’s Plan For VA Health Care Hints At Privatization, Shift Toward Insurance Provider Status
Donald Trump’s campaign has released guidelines for improving the Department of Veterans Affairs’ health care system, and while it is short on details it does signal a move toward making the system more like Medicare instead of an integrated hospital network.
After Movement On Opioids In House, Congress Turns Attention Toward Compromise Bill
The House this week voted on several bills to combat the raging epidemic, though the measures were criticized for lacking funding. The Senate passed its own legislation in March, and now lawmakers will work to send a plan to the president before leaving for summer recess.
Senators Break Deadlock Over Zika Funding, Set Vote For Next Week
The $1.1 billion negotiators have settled on is less than the $1.9 billion President Barack Obama proposed, but the administration voiced support for the action.
GOP’s Obamacare Replacement Would Include Changes To Medicare, Taxes On Insurance
The House Republican task force drawing up plans for an alternative health plan offers some details at a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill.
