Latest KFF Health News Stories
Texas Abortion Providers Ask For Supreme Court Review Of State Restrictions
Meanwhile, in Ohio, the abortion rate dropped more than 8 percent between 2013 and 2014.
Fla. Lawmaker Renews Push To Expand Prescribing Powers For Some Nurse Practitioners
Elsewhere, Illinois legislators override the governor’s veto to allow Medicaid to pay for heroin addiction treatment, and the California right-to-die bill passed an early test vote Tuesday during a special legislative session.
Federal Judge Puts A Hold On La.’s Effort To Terminate Medicaid Contracts With Planned Parenthood
Meanwhile, bills have been advanced in the Wisconsin legislature that also target the reproductive health organization.
Wider Coverage, But Higher Cost In Ohio Insurance Plans
Ohio has the third-highest number of enrollees in high-deductible plans, trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans says. In Louisiana, the insurance department takes over Louisiana Health Cooperative after it’s revealed that the insurer has only $180,000 to pay off unexpectedly high claims, if they come.
Consumer Advocates Press Ark. Governor To Reinstate People Who Lost Medicaid Coverage
More than 53,000 state residents have lost their coverage because they failed to provide proof of their incomes within a 10-day deadline. In other news, Pennsylvania officials finish up an overhaul of the state’s Medicaid system, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer profiles the difficulties of a woman who finds a part-time job and then loses her Medicaid benefits and can’t afford private insurance.
States Wrestle With Shortages In The Mental Health Workforce
Access issues are particularly acute in rural areas and in states like Texas.
PrEP Pill Keeps San Francisco Clients HIV-Free
Kaiser Permanente says not one of the 657 patients on a drug regimen meant to stop new cases of the disease contracted the virus. In the meantime, a study says needle exchanges in Washington, D.C., prevented 120 new cases of HIV.
Hillary Clinton Targets ‘Quiet Epidemic’ Of Drug Abuse With $10B Plan
Funding for addiction treatment, prevention programs and criminal justice reforms are part of her proposal. “Plain and simple, drug and alcohol addiction is a disease, not a moral failing,” the Democratic candidate wrote in an op-ed.
With the Department of Veterans Affairs’ open applications going back nearly 20 years, and with many records undated, the report estimates that a third of those who applied for health care are now dead. Meanwhile, in another hit to veterans seeking care, a torrential storm damaged the Phoenix VA hospital, forcing patients to be moved and appointments postponed.
White House Urges HHS To Be ‘More Aggressive’ In Fighting Overpayments In Medicare, Medicaid
The message came in a letter from budget director Shaun Donovan. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, a whistleblower is alleging that a major health system fraudulently billed the government.
Alaska’s GOP Legislators Continue Suit Against Medicaid Expansion Despite Court Setbacks
The committee that brought a lawsuit against Gov. Bill Walker met but announced no changes in strategy. Alaska officials say they have approved 27 people for Medicaid since enrollment in the expansion program began Tuesday and more than 350 people have applied already.
Digital Stethoscope Gets FDA Nod, Clears Way For Easier Patient Info Sharing
Elsewhere, new smartphone apps let you book doctor house calls, and a closer look at the construction boom of cancer treatment centers.
Health Care Co-Op Could Play Role In UAW Contract Negotiations
Interest by the United Auto Workers is reportedly in part the result of the success of a $61 billion fund started in 2010 that provides medical coverage for more than 750,000 retired auto workers.
San Quentin Prison Officials Still Searching For Source Of Legionnaires’ Outbreak
More than 100 inmates of this state prison in California are sick, and the Los Angeles Times reports that an environmental consultant has been brought in to try to pinpoint the source of the disease.
First Edition: September 3, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Two Tools The GOP’s Health Plan Needs; ‘Weird’ Ruling On Contraceptive Mandate
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Health care stories are reported from California, Delaware, Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona and Maryland.
Kansas Advisory Panel Begins Review Of Medicaid Coverage Of Mental Health Drugs
News outlets also report state-level Medicaid news from Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa.
Southwest Ohio Abortion Clinics File Lawsuits Challenging Constitutionality Of State Regulations
The legal actions are being taken by clinics, located in Cincinnati and Dayton, alleging that changes in state laws undermine a woman’s right to pursue an abortion and the clinics’ rights to due process under the 14th Amendment.
Key Calif. Legislative Panel OKs Assisted-Suicide Bill
The controversial measure, which would allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminal patients, failed in the legislature two months ago amid Catholic Church opposition. Its next step is consideration by the state assembly’s finance committee.
