Latest KFF Health News Stories
Wyo. Spends More Than Half Of Its Fund To Subsidize Hospitals In Three Months
State officials set up the $2 million fund in July to help hospitals treating uninsured patients after the state opted not to accept the health law’s Medicaid expansion. Also, in Virginia, hospitals are concerned about the legislature’s refusal to expand Medicaid.
Question Remains: Will New Obamacare Tax Force Employers To Drop Coverage?
The so-called “Cadillac tax” may leave some employers unwilling to provide health coverage to employees. And, Republicans eye allowing states to choose their own experiments on expanding health coverage as a means to getting rid of Obamacare.
Fiorina Repeats Statistic On Veteran Deaths First Mischaracterized By The Media
The Washington Post fact-checks the claim that Carly Fiorina cited twice during the last Republican debate. And Politico deconstructs the fast fall of the Scott Walker campaign.
Clinton Maps Out Health Care Agenda To ‘Build On The Progress’ Of Obamacare
The Democratic presidential candidate is rolling out her plan during a series of campaign stops this week. Hillary Clinton says she would defend the health law against Republican efforts to repeal: “I’m not going to let them tear up that law, kick 16 million people off their health coverage.” She is expected, however, to call for changes to the so-called “Cadillac tax.”
Senate Poised To Vote On 20-Week Abortion Ban
The chamber’s vote on this legislation — which is viewed as mostly symbolic — is also considered to be the first step in avoiding a government shutdown. But tension over Planned Parenthood funding continues to cast questions about Congress’ ability to pass a short-term spending bill that will keep the federal government open.
Clinton Unveiling Plan To Curb Rising Drug Prices With Rules For Pharmaceutical Makers
The Democratic candidate is proposing efforts to force drug makers to spend more of their profits on research and development and add new restrictions to their consumer advertising.
First Edition: September 22, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Reducing Medicare Drug Costs; Keep OxyContin From Kids; Fiorina Should Apologize
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Health care stories are reported from Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, California, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.
$30M Initiative Will Give Mental Health Training To NYC Social Service Agencies’ Staffers
The employees will be “prepared to screen people for possible psychological problems, provide information and try to motivate them to make changes in their lives,” The Associated Press reports. In other news, a look at the lack of mental health treatment options in California’s Bay Area, the rising suicide rate in Louisville, Ky., and the federal government’s plan to change rules on treatment options for opioid drug use.
Iowa Democrats Urge Federal Government To Halt State’s Medicaid Privatization
Meanwhile, the Des Moines Register reports that some of the companies bidding to take over management of Iowa’s health program for low-income residents have been sanctioned and fined in other states for serious service and administrative errors.
As House Pushes To Defund Planned Parenthood, State-Level Money Already Cut In Many Places
News outlets in Texas and Iowa examine how funds in those states are spent on the women’s reproductive health organization. And, in Utah, a well-known advocate joins the fight for Planned Parenthood.
What’s App With Your Health? 165,000 Varieties Try To Help You Navigate
There are tens of thousands of health apps out there, but only about three dozen account for about half of all downloads, a new reports says. Elsewhere, a new start up aims to help seniors who want to “age in place,” and the government looks to recruit 1 million Americans for its “precision medicine” initiative.
Critical Troubles Plague VA And Require Systemic ‘Reworking,’ Independent Review Finds
The 4,000-page congressionally mandated assessment of the Veterans Affairs health care system identifies widespread leadership, budgetary and bureaucratic problems and says the agency is “challenged on every level.”
Fight Brews Over Medicare’s Coverage Of Prosthetics
Elsewhere, groups seek to delay new “meaningful-use” rules over how they interact with the Medicare “doc fix.” And patients should be prepared to wait longer for their medical bills as a new medical coding system takes root.
Safety Complaints Lead FDA To Review Only Approved Nonsurgical Permanent Birth Control Option
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the impact of mifepristone, otherwise known as the abortion pill, over the last 15 years since its approval in the U.S.
New Drugs Offer ‘Amazing’ Promise As Costs For Older Drugs Are Marked By Staggering Increases
Also in the news, The New York Times profiles the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Justice Dept. Delays Ruling, Asks For More Info On Aetna-Humana Merger
Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare reports on Aetna’s plans for its acquisition of Humana. In other news, Universal Health Services has agreed to buy Foundations Recovery Network.
Republican Presidential Hopefuls Vie For Conservative Votes
Following the latest GOP presidential debate, the candidates’ campaign trail tone shifted to the right while Carly Fiorina jump to second in CNN’s latest poll. The former California candidate for U.S. Senate also played down criticism of a series of sting videos on Planned Parenthood. Another Republican presidential hopeful, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, says Congress should defund Planned Parenthood, despite President Barack Obama’s veto threats.
Hillary Clinton To Hit GOP Presidential Candidates Over Obamacare Repeal Plans
The Democratic presidential hopeful will use a series of events to talk the health law up to Americans. Also, the former first lady will this week propose a new way to control the cost of prescription drugs.
