Latest KFF Health News Stories
Synthetic Painkiller Fentanyl Is The Latest Wave In Drug Epidemic
The drug, which can be 50 times more powerful than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine, is causing, in some places, more deaths than heroin. “For the cartels, it’s their drug of choice,” says Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts. “They have figured out a way to make fentanyl more cheaply and easily than heroin and are manufacturing it at a record pace.”
A Quiet Revolution: Arkansas Doctors Changing The Way They Look At Health Care
In a state-wide effort to improve health care quality, providers have begun concentrating on what happens after the patients leave the doctor’s office.
FDA Delays Calorie Labels Requirement For Restaurants Until 2017
Under the health law establishments that prepare and serve food and have 20 or more locations will be required to put calorie labels on their menus, but the Food and Drug Administration — after saying last year the rules would be in place at the end of 2016 — has put off the requirements until next year.
Questions Remain Over What Happens After Cruz’s Scorched-Earth Approach To Health Law
The Republican candidate has yet to lay out a health care insurance plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, and as he heads into Wisconsin, the land of House Speaker Paul Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker, some say he is missing an opportunity to capitalize on the issue. In other 2016 election news, Chelsea Clinton talks about the “crushing costs” of health care, but KHN’s Julie Rovner discusses how the issue has mostly faded into the background.
Idaho House Kills Senate Plan On Medicaid Expansion
The vote came shortly before the House adjourned for the year. Also, a look at the Medicaid expansion debate in Tennessee.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions from around the country.
Research Roundup: Young Adult Coverage; Medicaid Mentors; Getting Dental Care
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
News outlets report on health issues in Texas, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey, Minnesota, Virginia and Connecticut.
Miss. Senate Approves Bill On Medicaid Electronic Records
A Mississippi Senate panel considered a measure that would require electronic health records and regular audits for the state’s Medicaid program. In other news, the Vermont House defeats a narrow exemption for contraception coverage and supporters of a medical cannabis program rally on the Iowa state capitol’s steps.
N.M. University Health Center Rejected Request For $50M To Help Cover Medicaid Shortfall
The request came during the closing days of the legislature, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Also, under Iowa’s new Medicaid managed care program, enrollees will not be able to routinely use the Mayo Clinic because the private insurers running the program have not been able to negotiate a contract with the clinic.
Investigation: NFL’s Concussion Research Was Flawed
The New York Times investigated what and when the NFL knew about the link between football and degenerative brain disease. The NFL, however, responded by saying the piece is “contradicted by clear facts that refute both the thesis of the story and each of its allegations.”
Poll: Cancer ‘Moonshot’ Garners Sweeping, Bipartisan Support From Public
The STAT-Harvard poll found that 90 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of Republicans support at least a 20 percent boost in cancer research spending. In other public health news, older Americans’ vitamins could be interacting with their medications with dangerous results, new evidence emerges that could help suss out where else in the world Zika is hiding and scientists create a cell with the smallest number of genomes possible.
Indiana Governor Signs Law Banning Abortions Motivated By Fetal Defects
The legislation also dictates how to dispose of an aborted fetus, and requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital or to have an agreement with a doctor who does.
Jury Awards Merck $200M In Hep C Patent Dispute
There will be a separate hearing to to determine what Gilead Sciences owes the company in royalties. In other pharmaceutical news, lawmakers ask Valeant investor William Ackman to provide information on drug prices.
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.
