Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opioid Epidemic Becomes Key Talking Point For Vulnerable Senate Candidates In Hard-Hit States
Republican senators such as Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Rob Portman of Ohio and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania have all run ads or talked about their experience in combating the issue. In other news, the House overwhelmingly passes the first three pieces of an 18-bill opioid package slated for consideration this week, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appoints a task force to address the crisis.
NIH To Overhaul Leadership At Flagship Hospital Following Report On Patient Safety Failures
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins is recruiting for three new positions: a chief executive, a chief operating officer and a chief medical officer.
Long-Term Care’s Ever-Increasing Price Tag: $100,000 A Year
The cost of private nursing home rooms has increase nearly 19 percent since 2011, a new study finds. It’s part of a trend of Americans paying more for long-term care.
House GOP Task Force Is Looking At Possible Medicaid Changes To Offer In 2017
Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., says rising costs will force states and the federal government to look at the issue soon.
Opposition Fierce For Medicare Plan To Cut Pay For Drugs As Comment Period Ends
The plan, which affects drugs such as cancer treatments given in outpatient settings, has drawn more than 1,300 comments.
With Medicare-For-More Argument, Clinton Shifts Left On Health Care
As Hillary Clinton looks to wrap up the Democratic presidential primary, she is floating the idea of a Medicare buy-in option for those in their 50s.
Obama Administration Rushing To Finish Work On Health Care Initiatives
Among the issues officials are still trying to iron out are efforts to cut drug prices and improve primary care delivery. Nonetheless, Democrats are nervous that insurance premiums coming out in October could have an impact on the election. And industry and health experts are unsure what effect the proposed mergers in the insurance industry would have on the market.
Perspectives On Drug Costs: To Lower Prices, Consumers Need To Walk Away
A selection of opinions on drug costs from around the country.
Cigna To Get Price Discounts If Drugs Don’t Perform As Well As Expected
News outlets from across the country report on the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: FDA’s Legal Test; What To Believe About Medical Errors?
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on health news in Ohio, California, Arizona, North Carolina and Kansas.
Memorial Hospital, BJC HealthCare Seek Regulatory OK For $22M Medical Office
News outlets also report on other hospital-related developments in Pennsylvania, Florida, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Montana and Minnesota.
N.M. Officials Say Medicaid Reimbursement Cuts Will Help Shrink Shortfall
The expected payment reductions to hospitals, physicians and other health providers — as well as accounting changes — will get the budget gap down to $24 million, state officials said. Also, Medicaid advocates in Iowa are urging vigilance on the efforts of the new private managed care plans in that state.
New Prostate Cancer Tests Try To Reduce Unnecessary Biopsies, Treatments
New testing aims to identify harmless tumors from those that are lethal, but the tests don’t always provide useful information and they can add to costs. In other cancer news, a study finds that African American lung cancer patients living in low-income neighborhoods are less likely to get surgery than those living in more affluent areas.
Opioid Epidemic Leads To Staggering Increase In Organ Donations
Now, as the opioid crisis ravages America, one out of every 11 organ donors is a drug-overdose victim, according to government data.
Pop-Tarts Vs. Almonds: FDA To Review Antiquated Definition Of ‘Healthy’
What food the agency deems healthy is constrained by rules first defined in the 1990s when low-fat content was the main concern of health professionals and sugar wasn’t even on the radar. Under the current guidelines, a sugary cereal might be called healthier than salmon or nuts. “The problem, of course, is that the foodscape can change quickly, but Food and Drug Administration regulations change very slowly,” says David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.
Newly Released Records Highlight Valeant’s Operations
The drug maker also has indicated it will release its first-quarter earnings report by June 10, ahead of the June 31 deadline.
CMS’ Chief Data Officer: Deluge Of Data Releases From Agency Not A Fad
ProPublica talks with CMS’s Niall Brennan about the agency’s increased focus on data.
‘A Bill You Can Understand’: HHS Launches Design Competition To Transform Confusing Medical Bills
Medical bills are often filled with jargon and can come from different facilities, making it hard for patients to figure out what they really owe. HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell wants to simplify it for consumers — and she’s asking for the public’s help.
