Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Backs Away From Plan To Penalize Doctors Ordering Some Prostate Cancer Tests
The proposal sparked a wave of criticism. Also, federal officials say they will test whether paying more to skilled-nursing facilities can help reduce hospital admissions.
FDA Encourages Generic Drugmakers To Develop Harder-To-Abuse Painkillers
The agency has approved five brand-name drugs that are designed to deter abuse — such as being hard to crush — but those represent a small fraction of the field that is dominated by less expensive generics.
Ark. Governor Finds Himself In Unlikely Role Of Trying To Rescue Medicaid Expansion
Asa Hutchinson was an ardent foe of the federal health law, but as governor he is working to convince other Republicans in the legislature to keep the program started by his Democratic predecessor. Also, lawmakers in Idaho are dealing with the issue of expansion as the session winds down.
CBO: Health Law Costs Rising, In Part Due To Medicaid Enrollment Numbers
The Congressional Budget Office noted that other provisions in the Affordable Care Act will keep it from adding to the long-term debt of the country, and it says the total cost is 25 percent less than expected when the legislation was signed six years ago.
Unlike Federal Policy, County Programs Often Use Tax Dollars To Treat Illegal Immigrants
The federal health law prohibits selling health insurance on the marketplaces to people in the country illegally. But counties that offer programs that pay for doctor visits, shots, prescription drugs and lab tests for these immigrants say it’s cheaper, easier and safer to offer the services rather than treat them in emergency departments.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Patent Laws And High Drug Prices; Medicare’s Move To Step Up Diabetes Prevention
A selection of opinions from around the country.
Health Law Views: Marking An Anniversary; Challenging The ACA’s Contraception Mandate
News outlets around the country offer editorials and perspectives on the Affordable Care Act’s sixth anniversary, which occurred just as the Supreme Court heard arguments in the latest challenge to the law.
Longer Looks: Elizabethkingia; HIV In Cuba; Danger In The Pysch Ward
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
News outlets report on health issues in Michigan, Connecticut, North Carolina, Kansas, Rhode Island, Alabama, Oregon, Georgia and Indiana.
R.I. Seeks To Recoup Millions That Was Overpaid To Insurers For Medicaid
State officials say they expect to collect most of the money, but critics question whether the state acted quickly enough on the problem. Meanwhile, in Alabama, the legislature approves a budget that the governor has vowed to veto because of low Medicaid funding.
Philanthropist Aims To Shed Light On ‘Dark Matter Of Bioscience’ With $100M Commitment
Billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen’s goal is to give money to scientists who have out-of-the-box ideas and unconventional approaches to projects in tissue regeneration, antibiotic resistance, gene editing and the development of brain circuitry.
Congress Goes On Recess Without Zika Funding Vote And Officials Scramble To Buy Time
Health officials say they’re so strapped for resources that they’re moving money away from other critical health programs. In other public health news, parents may inaccurately project their own sleep problems on to their children, animal therapy relieves stress for health care providers, and scientists wonder if the trend of poor mental health in transgender individuals is a result from external or internal factors.
Tenn. Law Criminalizing Women Who Give Birth To Drug-Dependent Babies Set To End
The legislation will sunset on July 1, after a tied extension vote. Critics say the bill discouraged women from seeking treatment when they needed it.
Fentanyl’s Lethal Role In Sweeping Drug Epidemic
The powerful synthetic drug is causing scores of overdoses throughout the states, and its use with heroin is only spreading. Heroin is highly addictive, Bridget Brennan, New York’s special narcotics prosecutor says. “You put fentanyl in there, and all bets are off.”
Novartis Agrees To SEC Settlement
The company will pay about $25 million in a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission related to bookkeeping failures. Bristol-Myers-Squib will acquire a privately held company that will move it into the auto-immune disease drug market, and Propeller Health enters a digital partnership. News outlets also provide the latest on biosimilars and blood thinners,
Idaho Lawmakers Fail To Vote On Medicaid Expansion, Opt For New Studies Instead
The legislature does not finalize an expansion proposal as it nears adjournment. In other news, KHN examines Indiana’s novel Medicaid expansion.
HHS Proposes Expanding Diabetes Prevention Initiative After Pilot Program’s Successful Results
The program, which was implemented by YMCAs, was developed with an $11.8 million innovation grant under the health law. Participants who were at high risk of developing diabetes lost about 5 percent of their body weight. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said expanding the initiative within Medicare would save $2,650 over 15 months per beneficiary.
Burwell Touts Health Law But Notes Public’s Frustration With High Costs
The secretary of health and human services on the sixth anniversary of the law recalls the gains in coverage but acknowledges that health care is still an expensive item for many Americans. The law’s supporters elsewhere also extol its successes on the anniversary. At the same time, the GAO releases a new report on cybersecurity concerns for the law’s online insurance marketplace.
Keeping Fit May Keep Aging Minds Agile, Study Finds
A recent study links strenuous exercise with positive cognitive benefits in older Americans.
