Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Budget Deal Averts Crisis But Doesn’t Advance GOP Goals; Fatal Flaws In Co-Ops
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Nursing Shift Changes, Electronic Health Records, Red Meat And Cancer
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
News outlets report on health issues in Texas, California, Florida, Ohio, New York and Alabama.
Army Settles With VA Hospital Whistleblower
The infection control analyst was punished for reporting dangerous safety conditions at Womack Army Medical Center in North Carolina. Elsewhere, a study is released showing a potential impact if a South Dakota VA medical center is shuttered.
Anthem 3Q Profits Beat Estimates As Insurance Enrollment Increases
In the meantime, HealthSouth’s third-quarter report was not as positive as the company missed earnings forecasts and cut its overall 2015 outlook. And in other marketplace news, UnitedHealthcare expands a high-profile test of whether bundled chemotherapy payments can help slow rising cancer treatment costs.
Walgreens Profits, Sales Up As Attention Focuses On Pending Acquisition Of Rite Aid
However, scrutiny is already emerging regarding antitrust issues related to the deal, which would unite two of the nation’s three biggest drug store chains. News outlets also examine how the Walgreens purchase of Rite Aid might impact consumers.
Medicaid Expansion May Help Increase Health Services For Native Americans
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing fully funding medical services that are not always available at tribal health care facilities in some states. Meanwhile, news outlets report on state Medicaid developments in Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas and Texas.
Utah Insurer Joins The Quickly Growing List Of Collapsing Health Co-Ops
As Utah’s Arches Health Plan announces plans to close, it becomes the tenth of 23 nonprofit insurance cooperatives created under the 2010 health law to shut down. Marketplace reports on how the remaining “financially fragile” co-ops might survive.
Officials Scramble To Make Sure Consumers Have Tools They Need To Pick The Right Health Insurance
With the health law’s open enrollment period just days away, plans are in place to make sure that healthcare.gov and the online marketplaces run by some states offer consumers comprehensive ways to compare health plans, check physician networks and estimate costs. Meanwhile, news outlets also report on local strategies to enroll people in new coverage and an insurer’s exit from the Wisconsin marketplace.
Paul Ryan Takes A Big Step Toward Becoming Speaker Of The House
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is officially nominated by House Republicans to take over the chamber’s top job. A final vote is set for today.
House OKs Two-Year Budget Agreement; Senate Action Likely This Week
The agreement raises the federal government’s debt ceiling and averts both Medicare premium increases for some beneficiaries and hits to Social Security disability benefits, among other things.
First Edition: October 29, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Budget Deal Wins Applause For Averting Standoff, Small Gains On Entitlements
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in California, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Florida, Oregon, Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois.
What’s Got Americans Worried? Drug Costs
A new poll says the public’s top health care concern is how much prescription drugs will cost them. The same poll found that most Americans believe the Food and Drug Administration should review drug ads before they air, and a watchdog panel says the cost of some cholesterol drugs limits their value.
Theranos Shipped Blood Testing Device Under Wrong Risk Classification, FDA Says
The Food and Drug Administration says the start-up company’s Capillary Tube Nanotainer (CTN) — a tiny vial used to collect blood — should carry a higher-risk classification that requires more oversight. In other marketplace news, Novartis’ profits take a hit from a government lawsuit settlement, and the health-sector stock slump hurts hedge-fund managers like Larry Robbins.
Anthem Reports Better-Than-Expected 3Q Earnings
The insurer attributes this increase in revenue and profits to the company’s enrollment in government plans, especially Medicaid.
Walgreens To Buy Rival Rite Aid For $9.4B, Will Create Drugstore Giant
The deal, which Walgreens expects to complete in the second half of 2016, will likely draw regulatory antitrust scrutiny.
Following Paul Ryan’s Policy Framework, Jeb Bush Outlines His Medicare Plan
Bush’s proposal moves Medicare toward privatization with premium support and health savings accounts. He also pledged to push for new plan options.
In-Network Access To Specialists Not Always Available On Some Obamacare Plans, Study Says
New research finds that 19 of the 135 federal marketplace plans available may not provide patients with reasonable access to medical specialists. The most common specialties missing were psychiatry, rheumatology and endocrinology.
