Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Positive ‘Prognosis’ For ACA; More On Anti-Smoking Efforts
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Cost And Quality
Opinion writers around the country offer their thoughts on pressures within the health care marketplace.
Outlets report on health news in Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Florida, Kansas, Georgia, Washington, Florida and New Mexico.
Tennessee Study Highlights Public Health Benefits Of Treating Hepatitis C In Prison
News outlets also report on developments regarding mental health care in the criminal justice system.
Ohio Plan To Have Medicaid Enrollees Pay A Portion Of Their Premium Draws Criticism
State lawmakers are seeking the change, but it must be approved by federal regulators. Also, a new Government Accountability Office report examines fraud in Medicaid programs across the country.
Kansas Delays Funding Cutoff After Planned Parenthood Files Lawsuit
The state will not end Medicaid funding until May 24, according to an attorney for the reproductive health organization. Meanwhile, the Missouri House approves a “personhood” constitutional amendment while Louisiana’s financial picture impacts the abortion debate.
New NYC Guidelines: Bartenders Shouldn’t Make Health Decisions For Expectant Mothers
Under city Human Rights Commission guidelines, it’s discriminatory to deny pregnant women alcohol if they order it. Also in the news, one woman’s struggle with infertility, pregnant women who get flu shots have healthier babies and the teen birth rate is down in Alaska.
‘Something’s Wrong With Him’: A Family Discovers What It Means To Have A Child With Microcephaly
As federal officials brace for Zika — and, with it, the threat of microcephaly — one family shares its journey to unlock the mysteries of the condition.
Life Expectancy Gap Between Black And White Americans Shrinks To Smallest In History
The gap was seven years in 1990. By 2014, it was down to 3.4 years. In other public health news, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on hepatitis B trends, and The Associated Press writes about kids being poisoned by e-cigarettes.
Dormant War-On-Drug Era Laws Dusted Off To Go After Opioid Sellers, Providers For Fatal Overdoses
Even as the movement to treat drug addiction as a disease instead of a criminal action gains footing, some states are targeting the bottom of the opioid supply chain and going after those who provide users with the drug that led to their deaths.
Farzad Mostashari: Regulators Too Cautious, Conciliatory — And That’s Bad For Health Care
The former national coordinator for health information technology talks to Politico about his time overseeing the implementation of electronic health records.
Gilead Eyes Cancer Therapy Acquisition Targets
In other pharmaceutical news, NPR reports on professional test subjects: “We are selling our bodies, most definitely,” one says. Meanwhile, a cancer medicine improves vision for some with wet age-related macular degeneration and House Democrats back the Obama administration Medicare Part B drug plan.
Federal Officials To Change Health Law’s Rules For Special Sign-Ups
The changes are an effort to stop some people from trying to game the system by signing up for insurance only when they need coverage, a practice that can be very costly for insurers. Officials also announced some options to help the health law’s insurance co-ops.
Alaska House To Press Ahead With Suit Challenging Governor’s Expansion Of Medicaid
A state judge dismissed the suit earlier this year, but Republican leaders in the House say they are going to appeal. News outlets also report on Medicaid expansion developments in Utah, Wyoming and Louisiana.
Advocates: Nursing Homes Targeting Most Challenging Patients For Eviction
An analysis by The Associated Press shows complaints about discharges and evictions are up about 57 percent since 2000.
Spate Of New Med Schools Promise A Different Breed Of American Doctor
A new crop of medical schools is offering unique training and a revised curriculum in an effort at fixing the country’s health care system. But they are facing numerous challenges.
Experts See Group Doctor Visits As Antidote To The Increasingly Typical Rushed Appointment
With group visits, which studies show are particularly effective at keeping chronic illnesses in check, patients find they are paradoxically getting more medical attention from their doctors. Meanwhile, Kaiser Health News looks at how expectant mothers are embracing the new trend.
Deal With Anthem May Close In 2017, Cigna Says
Initially, Cigna’s acquisition by Anthem was expected to close in 2016 but it may take longer due to regulatory intricacies.
Arizona Reverses Course, Reinstates Health Insurance Program For Low-Income Kids
It was the only state in the country not participating in the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program. The program, called KidsCare in Arizona, was attached to a separate bill after it had been left out of the budget approved last week.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
