Latest KFF Health News Stories
Study: States Have Enacted 51 Abortion Restrictions This Year
The report from the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights, said lawmakers have enacted more restrictions so far this year than all of last year. Elsewhere, a federal lawsuit over the safety of a laparoscopic power morcellator, used in hysterectomies, is settled for an undisclosed amount.
Some States Seek To Cushion Patients’ Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Drugs
The move by a handful of states comes as increasing numbers of expensive specialty drugs arrive on the market, according to Stateline. In other news, The Washington Post examines navigators who help cancer patients and the changes in lifestyle that some people are making to fight Alzheimer’s. Also, The New York Times looks at the growing field of concussion medicine and concerns that much of the science around it is “sketchy.”
House Bill Would Cut NIH Spending Boost
GOP leaders released an updated version of the medical cures bill just before the long weekend that slightly reduces a funding increase for the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, the implications of FDA approval of a costly cystic fibrosis treatment are explored. Other stories look at FDA approval of a new blood test developed by Theranos and the agency’s plans to investigate codeine cold and cough drugs for children.
Doctors, Hospitals Receive $20 Million In AstraZeneca’s Promotion Of Diabetes Drug
Bloomberg, in an analysis of federal data, says that is the highest payment to providers for any drug last year. The Baltimore Sun also reviewed that data to look at what payments Maryland providers received.
Medicaid Insurer Centene To Purchase Health Net
The deal will allow Centene to expand its Medicaid managed care business and also move into the Medicare Advantage market.
Insurance Merger Raises Questions For Consumers
The companies suggest they will be able to serve customers better at lower rates, but the long-term effects on consumers’ choices and costs are uncertain, analysts suggest. News reports also look at the health law’s impact on the merger.
Aetna To Buy Rival Humana As Insurance Market Consolidates
The merger increases Aetna’s share of Medicare Advantage customers. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Cigna’s tie-up with Anthem could be next.
Many Conservatives Watching Indiana’s Medicaid Expansion As Possible Model For Other States
When Indiana opted to expand its Medicaid program, it instituted a requirement for enrollees to pay small premiums for their care. That idea is attractive to other Republican-led states, including Ohio. Also, the issue of expansion continues to roil North Carolina lawmakers, and women’s groups in Illinois are seeking state help to get free coverage for breast feeding services that they say were guaranteed under the health law.
Health Law Spurs For-Profit Diet Clinics
The New York Times reports on how a provision in the law that requires insurers to pay for nutrition and obesity screening has been a boon for some of these clinics. Also in the news about the health law’s implementation are reports about how hospitals are changing how they care for chronically ill patients, a deeper look at Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion to uphold the law’s subsidies and other GOP efforts to chip away at the law.
Clinton Warns That GOP President Would Repeal Health Law
In Fourth of July weekend campaigning, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used the health law to rally supporters in New Hampshire. Elsewhere, Republican candidate Chris Christie says people he would appoint to the Supreme Court would not have upheld a key part of the health law and also doubles down on his pledge to revamp Medicare and Social Security.
Insurers Seek Big Rate Increases, Citing Sicker Obamacare Customers
The increases are in the 20 percent to 40 percent range and federal officials say they are determined to scale them back. But Oregon’s insurance regulator OK’d some big rate increases in that state.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: GOP Needs Plans For Health Care; Kill IPAB; Selling Oil To Pay For Drug Cures
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Research Roundup: Medicare Part D’s Effect; Attitudes On Indoor Tanning; Premium Changes
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Longer Looks: When A Doctor’s Wife Is Ill; Vaccinating Calif.; Does Food Processing Matter?
Each week, KHN’s Alana Pockros finds interesting reads from around the Web.
News outlets report on health care developments in Virginia, North Carolina, California, Massachusetts and New York.
Drug, Device Makers Pay Doctors Regularly And Well, Data Show
A ProPublica analysis of drug and device makers’ payments found that 768 doctors received payments on more than half of the days in 2014. More than 14,600 doctors received payments on at least 100 days in 2014. The payments must be reported as part of the Affordable Care Act.
Medicare Proposes To Ease Coverage Rules On Short Hospital Stays
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed Wednesday a number of changes that would make it easier for patients to get an exception to the controversial “two-midnight” rule.
What’s Next For The Health Law?
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell talks about educating Americans about the breadth of benefits in the health law, as well as advancing efforts to improve it. A top administration priority will be persuading more states to expand Medicaid.
Oregon Approves Premium Rate Increases For 2016 Marketplace Plans
Oregon is the first state to announce its rates for the marketplace. In other news about state insurance markets, a report about Minnesota insurers’ business on that state’s online exchange, and Washington state’s marketplace does not get as much funding as officials had sought.
