Latest KFF Health News Stories
Expert Warns ‘Never Fall Behind’ When Trying To Control Zika Mosquitoes
Health officials in states across the country are trying to get ahead of the Zika threat.
CDC Head: The Window Is Closing On Opportunity To Effectively Fight Zika
On the same day Congress left town without approving money to fight the outbreak, Dr. Tom Frieden, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that time is running out. He knows how to change the course of an epidemic, he says, but he can’t because his hands are tied on funding. Key House Republicans say, however, that more money will be coming and the government’s efforts have not been hamstrung.
FDA Approves First-Of-Its-Kind Implant To Treat Opioid Addiction
Proponents say the method of using implants instead of pills could help patients avoid dangerous relapses that can occur if they miss a medication dose.
Discovery Of Superbug In U.S. Could Signal ‘End Of The Road’ For Antibiotics
Defense Department researchers have determined that a Pennsylvania woman carried a strain of E. coli resistant to the antibiotic colistin, a discovery that could lead to a “nightmare” situation where infections are untreatable.
NOTE TO READERS: KHN’s First Edition will not be published May 30. Look for it again in your inbox May 31. Here’s today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: A ‘Value Framework’ For Medical Care Is A Bad Idea; What Is The Gov’t Doing About Zika?
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Opioid Withdrawal; Autism and Epilepsy; and Battling Superbugs
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Outlets report on health news from Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Missouri, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan and California.
The measure approving limited use of the drug now goes to Gov. John Kasich. Polls show nearly 90 percent of Ohioans support medical marijuana.
Closing Arguments Held In Illinois Hospital-Merger Antitrust Case
In other news, an alliance of Georgia hospital systems is in talks with a large physician organization while Connecticut officials give the temporary OK to a hospital purchase.
Alaska Temporarily Delays Medicaid Payments To Doctors, Hospitals
State officials say claims will still be paid according to the timetable mandated by the federal government and the delays will be brief as they grapple with a shortfall at the end of the fiscal year.
Study: Risk Of Microcephaly ‘Substantial’ For Pregnant Women Infected By Zika
A new report reveals that up to 14 percent of women who contract the Zika virus while pregnant will have babies born with the birth defect. In other news, CDC head Tom Frieden talks about his outbreak worries while U.S. officials take steps to protect Olympic athletes heading to Brazil.
Researchers Zero In On Toxic Debris From Infections As Potential Cause Of Alzheimer’s
In “an innovative and novel study,” scientists will investigate the way the brain fights invaders: a defense response that could leave behind the plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
The Facts That ‘Vaxxed’ Leaves Out
The controversial movie presents itself as a scientific documentary about vaccinations and autism, but it skates over backstory and events that could challenge its portrayal of a link. The Washington Post puts those in context.
Despite Being ‘Very Much Alive,’ 4,200 Veterans’ Benefits Cut Off After Being Declared Dead
The Veterans Administration has since restored their benefits and has changed its protocols for confirming deaths. In other news, PBS NewsHour tracks the fallout from Secretary Robert McDonald’s comments about wait lines.
S.C. Governor Signs 20-Week Abortion Ban
Legislation banning the procedure at 20 weeks is now in effect in at least 13 states and blocked by court challenges in several others. Elsewhere, some are criticizing Oklahoma’s focus on issues such as abortion as the state struggles under deep financial burdens, and the Michigan Senate sends its governor a bill making coercing a woman into an abortion a misdemeanor.
A New Machine For Manufacturing Medicine
Kaiser Health News reports on a prototype machine that produces 1,000 pills in 24 hours and takes up the space of a refrigerator rather than a large factory.
Justice Department Joins Lawsuit Accusing Calif. Hospital Chain Of Improper Medicare Billing
The federal agency is joining a whistle-blower in alleging that Prime Healthcare Services overbilled Medicare by improperly admitted patients.
Beginning Days Of Walgreens-Theranos Partnership In The Spotlight
The Wall Street Journal reports that Walgreens never fully validated Theranos’ technology before striking up their partnership even though some executives and outside advisers had doubts.
Missouri Is First State To Rebuke Proposed Aetna-Humana Merger Over Antitrust Concerns
The insurers have 30 days to “submit a plan to remedy the anti-competitive impact of the acquisition,” according to the Missouri Department of Insurance’s preliminary order, or stop selling certain plans in the state.
