Latest KFF Health News Stories
Mo. Senate Panel Cuts $28 Million From Medicaid Budget
Other outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Connecticut, Kansas and Arkansas.
In Spate Of Briefs For High Court, Women Make Abortion Debate Personal
Some women tell stories of loss, others of certainty. But they all want to make sure the Supreme Court justices deciding on Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt know how abortion affected each of their lives.
Minimizing The Stress Of Daunting Medical Bills From Cancer Treatments
The Washington Post offers seven ways to handle the financial toxicity and stress that can come with a cancer diagnosis. In other news, the Food and Drug Administration approves a drug that targets a hard-to-treat subset of leukemia.
‘Unbelievable Potential’ Of Health Apps Can Be Undercut By Their Unreliability
Although many physicians are hopeful about the usefulness of new technology, they say that it shouldn’t be a replacement for traditional care. “It’s like having a really bad doctor,” warns Dr. Karandeep Singh, a professor at the University of Michigan.
Post-Shkreli, KaloBios Promises ‘Reasonable And Transparent’ Drug Pricing Model
The drugmaker’s chief executive says he wants to “set the record straight” that the company is not following in the path of former CEO Martin Shkreli, who infamously increased the price of life-saving drugs.
Studying ‘Genetic Superheroes’ May Unlock Mystery Around Some Devastating Diseases
People who are born with mutations that should have caused a disease are offering hope to researchers, who say their bodies could be carrying a gene that produces a protective protein. “This is a powerful opportunity to benefit many people by searching within one person to find something that could help many,” says Dr. Stephen Friend, who helped lead the work.
Officials: Zika ‘Scarier Than Initially Thought’; Ebola Funds Not Enough To ‘Get The Job Done’
While National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say they still don’t expect a widespread outbreak in the U.S., they also warn that it’s imperative that states are ready for the worst-case scenario. Meanwhile, the virus has been linked to a second autoimmune disorder.
Ark. Officials Eye Plan To Cut Spending If Lawmakers Fail To Fund Medicaid Expansion
The House speaker said the cuts to schools, prisons and other programs would be necessary to fill a $122 million gap if the legislature doesn’t agree to fund Medicaid so that the state can get federal financing. Also, news from Kentucky and Louisiana.
When The Price Tag For An Obamacare Plan Is Too High, Some Opt For Short-Term Coverage
News outlets also report on developments regarding small-business exchanges and the state health marketplaces in New York and Idaho.
Administration Faces Pushback On Drug Plan Pilot Program
The Obama administration’s effort to reform how doctors earn money from high-priced injection drugs is being met by opposition and warnings that the move goes to far.
New Medicare Primary Care Payment Initiative Designed To Switch Incentives
The Obama administration hopes to recruit as many as 20,000 primary care doctors to participate in this plan to shift how physicians get paid and provide care.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: UnitedHealth And Obamacare; New Yorkers, Poverty And Living Longer
A selection of opinions from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in Florida, California, Washington, D.C., Ohio, Maine, Iowa, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Key Mo. Lawmaker Rails Against Medicaid Costs But Fails To Cut Much From The Program
Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer appeared ready to slice the state’s Medicaid spending but when the budget came together last week in the Senate, only $57 million was trimmed from the more than $7.9 billion budget. Also, North Carolina is disputing a federal audit of its Medicaid spending.
Surgeon General Takes Up Mantle Of Fighting Opioid Abuse
Vivek Murthy says the cause has become “a top priority” for him, and his office will be releasing a major report this year on drug use, addiction and health — covering topics including opioids, heroin and other substances. It will draw on the science on prevention, treatment and recovery. Meanwhile, an Illinois lawmakers is calling for bipartisan support on a bill that would improve access to naloxone.
Public Health Experts Distressed Over Zika Funding
Health officials were outraged that, after a stalemate with Congress, the Obama administration had to announce it would transfer Ebola money to the efforts to fight Zika, saying the lack of new funding could mean the virus wreaks more damage on the United States than it would have otherwise. Meanwhile Sen. Marco Rubio says he supports President Barack Obama’s $1.9 billion request to battle the outbreak.
The Corrosion Of American Health: An Analysis Of Mortality Rates
The Washington Post looks at how white, rural women’s death rate is spiking. In two other studies, researchers find that poor people who live in expensive cities live longer than those in less affluent areas and that demographics play a role in cancer survival rates.
Hospitals Weigh Cost Of Fortifying Cybersecurity In Wake Of Ransomware Attacks
Cybersecurity experts say that business is booming as hospitals consider upgrades to their information systems. Meanwhile, health institutions and medical schools in Maryland are teaming up to try to block potential hacks.
Financial Navigators Offering Cancer Patients ‘Life Rafts’ In Dealing With Cost Of Treatment
Across the country, oncology social workers are helping those diagnosed with cancer to navigate one of the terrifying side effects of treatment: financial toxicity. “He keeps throwing me life rafts before I sink,” Scott Steiner says of his social worker, Dan Sherman.
