Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health Care Attacks Escalate As Candidates Make Final Push Before Caucuses
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton says opponent Bernie Sanders’ health care plan will “never, ever come to pass,” and targets Republican Ted Cruz over his lack of a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, Sanders defends his proposals from critics who call them unrealistic. And STAT looks at how Americans’ health care has become the defining battle between the two candidates.
Advocates’ Focus Turns To Enrolling Millions Of People Eligible For Medicaid
Nationally, as many as 6 million people eligible for Medicaid have not signed up, The Wall Street Journal reports. In addition, reports provide expansion news in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Alaska and South Dakota.
IRS Alerts Consumers To Insurance Penalty Tax Scam
Tax preparers are keeping the money from the fines their clients are paying for being uninsured, as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The agency said the creators of these schemes have been “targeting taxpayers with limited English proficiency and, in particular, those who primarily speak Spanish.”
Enrollment Period Comes To An End With Little Fanfare From Administration
Federal officials are quiet about information on website traffic and enrollment from the weekend. Meanwhile, Maryland and California, two states that run their own exchanges, offer enrollment extensions.
WHO To Decide If Zika Is ‘Public Health Emergency’ On Monday
The World Health Organization is holding an emergency meeting to decide if the Zika virus requires a coordinated global response. Meanwhile, NPR looks at how Puerto Rico has been affected, how the virus is sparking the abortion debate in Brazil again, and how women in affected areas have limited access to contraception because of religious doctrines.
First Edition: February 1, 2016
Editor’s Note: California Healthline is now being produced by Kaiser Health News. Our goal is to bring you the best coverage of health policy news in California, with original reporting that highlights the state’s outsize influence on the nation’s health care system. Click here to learn more about California Healthline and its staff. If you would like to receive the free California Healthline daily or weekly emails, you can adjust your email preferences here.
Viewpoints: Sanders’ ‘Bold’ Yet ‘Facile’ Ideas; How The GOP Should Aim At Obamcare
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Impact Of GOP Lawsuit; Co-Ops’ Failures; Plan Choices For Patients With HIV
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
News outlets report on health care developments in Massachusetts, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Alaska, California, Minnesota, Indiana and Florida.
Drug Makers Attempt To Treat Depression By Blocking Inflammation Instead Of Altering Brain Chemistry
Meanwhile, in other public health news, WBUR profiles a former addiction counselor now living with dementia — with help from a onetime patient whose life he changed. And researchers capture a cell that would become cancer at its earliest state.
After Ebola Missteps, Politicians Walk Delicate Line On Zika Messaging
The White House and other political leaders need to strike a balance between preparedness and disproportionate reactions that go beyond public health recommendations. Meanwhile, new research calls into question the link between the virus and a rare birth defect, even as women worry about abortion and childlessness as a result of the crisis.
Report: Dozens Of Deficiencies Found At Reservation Hospitals
The Associated Press reports on federal findings that hospitals on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations are providing substandard care for their patients. The Department of Health and Human Services calls the deficiencies “unacceptable” and says it is working with Indian Health Services to improve the facilities.
When There’s Only Enough For One, Doctors Faced With ‘Tragic Choice’: Who Gets The Medication?
Drug shortages are the new normal in American medicine, but the decisions around which patient gets the medication is causing murky ethical quandaries and questionable medical practices for physicians. In other patient news, STAT examines why mix-ups, which can lead to fatal errors, happen with such frequency.
Partners HealthCare To Reward Employee Ideas For New Drugs, Devices And Patient Care Innovations
These innovation grants that Partners plans to award are designed as part of an effort to commercialize research done in its labs and hospitals. Meanwhile, in other news, in an effort to gain more accountability for workplace wellness programs, employee health scorecards are getting attention.
In Latest Blow To Theranos, Walgreens Halts Use Of California Lab
Walgreens said the blood testing startup “must immediately cease sending any clinical laboratory tests” to the company’s Palo Alto lab, which is facing federal scrutiny for deficient practices that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services say pose immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety.
FDA Approval Of New Hep C Drug Could Help Curb Sky-High Costs
Merck has not listed the price of the drug yet, but the extra option could help bring down prices on the expensive treatments. In California, Gilead’s hepatitis C drug Sovaldi has cost the state $387.5 million. But a ballot initiative to limit the high price of prescription drugs will let voters weigh in on this issue this November.
At Retreat, Obama Attempts To Rally Battle-Tired Democrats
President Barack Obama’s speech to the congressional Democrats on Thursday touted the results of their accomplishments, including the 18 million people who gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. But the much-diminished audience showed the political cost the Democrats have paid for their support to the president.
Key House Republican Dismisses Chances For Obama’s Plan To Offer Extra Medicaid Funding
President Barack Obama has called for the federal government to cover the full funding of Medicaid expansion for three years for any states that move to expand the program. That would give them the same benefits that states that moved earlier received. Also in the news are reports on expansion debates in New Hampshire and Idaho.
Enrollment Deadline Is Sunday And Officials Say Business Is Still Brisk
Federal officials say sign-ups are going strong in the final hours of open enrollment and remind consumers that failing to get a policy could result in a hefty fine.
First Edition: January 29, 2016
Editor’s Note: Starting today, California Healthline is being produced by Kaiser Health News. Our goal is to bring you the best coverage of health policy news in California, with original reporting that highlights the state’s outsize influence on the nation’s health care system. Click here to learn more about California Healthline and its staff. If you would like to receive the free California Healthline daily or weekly emails, you can adjust your email preferences here: kffhealthnews.org/email-signup.
