Latest KFF Health News Stories
News outlets report on health issues in California, South Dakota, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado and Florida.
Viewpoints: High Deductibles Make Sense Economically; An Abortion Provider’s Perspective
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in California, Missouri, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida and Connecticut.
New York City Launches Initiative Focused On The Mental Health Of Pregnant Women, New Mothers
Meanwhile, in Texas, a new report advances mental health policy recommendations for law enforcement agencies. News outlets also report on the challenges of maneuvering the mental health care system in North Carolina and Ohio.
Democrats See Possible Win In Louisiana Gubernatorial Runoff
Democratic candidate John Bel Edwards is polling well in the race against Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter. Edwards is on record as supportive of the health law’s Medicaid expansion.
Iowa Lawmakers To Urge Feds To Halt Medicaid Privatization
Three Democratic state senators are travelling to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal officials in an effort to stop Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s privatization plan. In other state Medicaid news, adult care facilities in Kansas are wary of KanCare reimbursement changes; a Michigan regulatory board denies contract appeals by five Medicaid HMOs; and Virginia’s Medicaid costs are forecast to rise.
Fewer Being Screened For Prostate Cancer After Recommendations
The number of cancer cases, too, has dropped sharply, but questions remain if the death rate from the disease will also slow.
VA To Offer New Plan To Improve Private Doctor Care For Veterans
The Washington Post reports that Veterans Affairs officials will present details to Congress today. Also, the Miami Herald finds that Florida hospitals are having trouble getting paid for care to veterans.
Dietary Supplement Makers Face Criminal Charges Over Alleged Mislabeling
The Department of Justice says 117 companies sold supplements that were mislabeled or had potentially tainted ingredients.
Drug Spending On The Rise Across The Globe, Could Hit $1.3T Over Next Five Years
Prescription drug cost hikes will contribute to a 30-percent rise in total global drug spending by 2020. In related news, the American Medical Association is urging a ban on the advertisement of prescription drugs and medical devices to consumers.
Meanwhile, while on the campaign trail in Texas, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton took jabs at Gov. Greg Abbott for turning away from the health law’s Medicaid expansion.
McConnell Says Senate GOP Will Go Forward With Push To Defund Planned Parenthood
This steps comes despite concerns from some GOP moderates. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama’s pick to run the Food and Drug Administration faced tough questioning during a Senate hearing.
Don’t Just Stick With Your Current Health Plan; Shop Around For 2016, Study Advises
Insurance premiums could jump 15 percent next year for millions of consumers if they keep their 2015 plans, reports the Kaiser Family Foundation. KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.
Half Empty Or Half Full: Differing Views Of Federal Health Law
A Wall Street Journal forum examines various perspectives about the successes and challenges of the Affordable Care Act. Also in the news, a report about the effect of the “coverage gap” on communities in Tennessee, guidance for people looking to enroll on the marketplaces, Rhode Island’s efforts to improve its tracking for health and human services benefits and South Dakota’s governor is expected to announce next month his preference on Medicaid expansion.
Viewpoints: A Tool To Help The Mentally Ill; VA Bonuses; Shifts On Medicaid Expansion
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in Florida, California, South Dakota, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Texas, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Virginia Hospitals’ Safety Rankings Now Available Online
Meanwhile, a Vermont health care provider is launching an ambitious payment overhaul that will emphasize wellness. In other hospital news, a Mississippi community hospital that is slated to close Dec. 1 owes $315,000 in back taxes and the Pennsylvania owner of four of the state’s five most profitable mental-health hospitals is under investigation for Medicare and Medicaid practices.
Calif. Lawmakers Earn High Marks From Planned Parenthood For Reproductive Rights Policy Positions
Elsewhere, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services could, as of Dec. 1, revoke the license to perform abortions held by a local Planned Parenthood clinic. Also, in Indiana, Gov. Mike Pence awarded a $3.5 million contract to an anti-abortion nonprofit organization that pushes abstinence as the only method of birth control; most of the money will be spent providing services to pregnant women who choose not to have an abortion.
Meanwhile, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad accuses some of the state’s health care providers of using scare tactics to undermine Iowa’s Medicaid privatization effort.
Blood Cancer Drug Treatment Wins FDA Accelerated Approval
The drug treats multiple myeloma and is made by Johnson & Johnson. Also, new tools to fight antibiotic resistant “superbugs” emerge and the FDA readies more regulation on laboratory testing that sometimes produces incorrect results.
