Latest KFF Health News Stories
Okla. Senate Leader Says Medicaid Expansion Not Likely To Advance This Session
Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman says expansion advocates don’t have the votes in the Republican Senate, which is set to adjourn next week. At the same time, the Oklahoma Medicaid Board is waiting to see what spending level the legislature sets so the board can determine if it needs to go forward with a 25 percent reimbursement cut.
2 GOP Congressmen Offer Alternative Health Care Plan
The proposal from Reps. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., would repeal the individual and employer mandates. Also in the news are programs to help migrant farm workers in North Carolina sign up for coverage and proposals to increase premiums in Georgia.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Zika Readiness Falls Short; A Lack Of Obamacare Enthusiasm?
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news Michigan, Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Exeter Hospital Files Suit To Recover Settlements In Hep C Outbreak Case
In other legal action, the Texas high court ruled that a state law designed to protect health care providers from malpractice suits prevents a widow from suing a hospital after her husband’s heart was misplaced in the autopsy. News outlets report on other hospital developments from Massachusetts, Mississippi and New Hampshire.
Dental Therapists Aim To Improve Oral Health For Underserved American Indians
A school in Alaska trains therapists to perform the most common procedures to work in areas where dentists are in short supply. Because most states bar dental therapists, a tribe in Washington created its own licensing system and gets private funding for the program.
Efforts To Keep Donated Organs ‘Alive’ May Address Shortages
Other public health news covers hot topics like bone cement, penicillin shortages for people with syphilis, nerve damage in prediabetics and the discussion about whether women really need to have periods.
States Start To Swoop In Where Doctors Fail To Police Selves On Opioid Prescriptions
As the opioid epidemic rages across the country, states have begun passing laws to rein in opioid prescriptions. Meanwhile, an analysis shows that the number of opioid prescriptions are in fact down in the past three years, but related deaths have gone up.
Wearables Pose Tricky Privacy Issues For Employers Collecting Health And Location Data
Experts weigh in on questions surrounding mandatory use of wearables and the danger of discrimination, based on the data. In other health information technology news, a Wisconsin-based company gets a $1.6 million grant from NIH to fund hospital training software.
Candy-Flavored Amphetamine Hits Market Amid Controversy
Adzenys is geared toward treating children with ADHD, but experts worry that the chewable, fruity medication is problematic as the line between need and want for those types of drugs is increasingly blurry.
Quarrels Between Anthem, Cigna Officials Complicate Merger Plans
The Wall Street Journal reports on problems developing between the two health insurers that are seeking to combine operations. Also in the news is a look at the growth of UnitedHealth.
Okla. Governor Vetoes Bill Making Abortion Procedure A Felony, Calling It ‘Ambiguous,’ ‘Vague’
Gov. Mary Fallin also said the legislation would not survive a constitutional challenge. Meanwhile, Oklahoma isn’t the only state moving on measures that curb abortion access.
Survey: CEOs Want Next President To Stay The Course On Health Law
In Modern Healthcare’s second-quarter CEO Power Panel poll, CEOs are rejecting the idea of the Republicans’ “repeal and replace,” in favor of improving the Affordable Care Act.
Virginia Governor Vetoes Legislation That Would Prevent Him From Expanding Medicaid
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been trying to expand the health program for low-income residents, but the Republican-controlled legislature has fought him fiercely on the issue.
The ‘Cadillac Tax’ Controversy Continues
CBS News details the current state of play regarding this tax, which was intended to help reduce health care costs. Meanwhile, The Richmond Times-Dispatch examines escape routes for the state’s Medicaid coverage gap.
CDC Reports Nearly 300 Pregnant Women In U.S. Infected With Zika
Due to a new method in reporting the cases, the known number of pregnant woman who have been affected has nearly tripled. Meanwhile, calls for proper funding to battle the outbreak have increased in urgency, as states try to get control of the virus without the money to do it.
FDA Puts Sugar In Cross Hairs With New Nutrition Fact Labels
Among other changes, the labels will be required to list added sugars and reflect accurate serving sizes. Manufacturers have until July 2018 to comply with the new rule.
Din Erupts Over Obama’s Proposed Medicare Payment Plan
Patient advocates, doctors and drug companies have all come out strongly against the new payment model that they say focuses more on the costs than quality of care for those who need the medication. In other Medicare news, ever since the program announced it would pay for end-of-life talks the once-controversial conversations have become more common, and an old way of practicing medicine may be a new way to cut costs.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
