Latest KFF Health News Stories
The Wall Street Journal provides a rare look at a drug company’s process as three years of market research led Pfizer to settling on Ibrance’s $9,850-a-month price. In other pharmaceutical pricing news, a Senate panel opens hearings on the costs of generics and a GlaxoSmithKline executive talks about the difference in the debate tenor between now and the 1990s.
With Friday Deadline Fast Approaching, Budget Deal Still Elusive
It’s likely that Capitol Hill lawmakers will vote Friday on a short-term budget measure to keep the government open and give House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., more time to negotiate.
Kansas’ Medicaid Expansion Plan Could Be Budget Neutral, Study Finds
News outlets also report on developments related to the low-income health insurance program in South Dakota and Arkansas.
U.S. Government Recovers Millions In Funds From States Where Exchanges Faltered
The Wall Street Journal reports that more than $200 million has been recouped, and officials hope to collect more of the original grant funding. Meanwhile, an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that consumers who don’t buy health insurance in 2016 will face bigger tax penalties. Also, the Congressional Budget Office predicts the health law will likely have an impact on the American workforce.
Viewpoints: GOP Putting Repeal Plan In Place For 2017; Gun Violence And Public Health
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health care developments in Connecticut, Washington, Idaho, California, Texas, Minnesota and Puerto Rico.
Minnesota Home Health Providers Can Unionize, 8th Circuit Court Rules
Elsewhere, a federal appeals panel rejects a lawsuit filed by a Pennsylvania hospital against Medicare’s payment structure for skilled nurses. And the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case on whether providers who bill Medicaid imply they are following program requirements such as licensing and supervising staff.
Report: Three Years After Sandy Hook, A Number Of States Cut Mental Health Funds
The report, issued by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, found that 23 states have increased money for mental health services in 2015 while the others decreased or kept funding level. Connecticut, the site of the school shooting, is among the states that have increased resources.
Linde To Purchase American HomePatient Inc.
American HomePatient, a company that specializes in respiratory health care and had sales of $280 million last year, has faced financial pressure because of government budget cuts. Also in the news, SAP showcases its software for doctor data sharing.
State Policies Sometimes Dissuade Doctors From Reporting Drug-Endangered Babies
Reuters reports that some state laws, which were designed to protect drug-dependent babies, put the mother in legal trouble, leading some doctors to avoid certain referrals. In a separate story, Reuters reports on patterns in which these at-risk babies, once released from the hospital, have a greater risk of mortality.
HHS Official: Only Three Cents Of Each Health Care Dollar Goes To Public Health Activities
Even so, physician Karen DeSalvo, acting assistant secretary of health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said this investment plays a big role in keeping Americans healthy. Meanwhile, news outlets report on a range of public health issues, including the Alzheimer’s risk of some prostate-cancer drugs, the rising incidence of the “phantom menace” superbug and HIV infection rates.
Jon Stewart Returns To ‘Daily Show’ To Urge Congress To Extend 9/11 Health Benefits
The Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which expired last year, provides health care funding and compensation for first responders. The program has enough funding to last another year, and its backers are seeking a permanent extension.
Speculation Increases That Congress Might Miss Friday Budget Deadline
Policy riders appear to be the stumbling block. Some leaders are suggesting a stop-gap measure may be necessary to avert a government shutdown, but the White House spokesman said the president would not sign a short-term bill unless an outline for a deal had already been reached.
In Some Red States That Expanded Medicaid, Focus Shifts To Details Of Federal Waivers
These waivers allow states to create a Medicaid expansion that fits their political outlooks. Also, news outlets examine Medicaid expansion news in Kentucky, Ohio, Louisiana and Idaho.
HHS Says It Won’t Allow Extension This Year For People Who Miss 2016 Enrollment Period
The administration offered uninsured consumers a reprieve if they missed the 2015 enrollment deadline, but officials said that wouldn’t be repeated this year. Also in health law news, a new government survey looks at the effect of medical bills on consumers, HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell’s mission for the rest of her term and an insurance executive’s views of the changing market landscape.
Kansas Finds Way To Increase Federal Medicaid Dollars Despite Aversion To Expansion
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, who faced a serious state deficit after cutting state taxes, tripled the tax on managed care companies and used that extra revenue to draw down more federal Medicaid funds and help stabilize his budget. In Iowa, state officials are working to overcome concerns about a shift to managed care in the Medicaid program.
Viewpoints: The Price Of Sovaldi; A Medicaid Compromise For Virginia; The Cadillac Tax
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
News outlets report on health care developments in Florida, California, Texas, New Hampshire and Minnesota.
Fla. Legislative Panel OKs Bill To Divert Mentally Ill People From Criminal Justice System
Meanwhile, in Ohio, a Columbus Dispatch series highlights the need for funding to combat and treat suicide as a public health crisis. Also, in California, an Oakland minister is working to raise awareness about mental health concerns.
Security Efforts Redoubled At Planned Parenthood Clinics After Colo. Shooting
In other Planned Parenthood news, the Supreme Court will not block a federal court’s order that the activist who filmed the sting videos turn over a list of his supporters. Meanwhile, “Day of Solidarity” rallies were held across the country Saturday. At the Denver event, the national head of Planned Parenthood called for an end to violence against women and clinicians.
