Latest KFF Health News Stories
Nev. Governor Signs Bill Allowing Private Companies To Manage Medicaid Services
Also in state Medicaid news, North Carolina may owe health care providers up to $10 million because of a flawed computer billing system, and Minnesota will pay the federal government $3.1 million after accounting errors are discovered.
VA Develops ‘Game Changer’ For Helping Doctors Predict Veteran Suicide Risks
Using a range of factors, including age, gender, medical conditions and homelessness, the Department of Veterans Affairs came up with a computer formula for identifying groups of vets likely to be the most suicidal. The goal is to target those at risk with aggressive treatment and aid. Meanwhile, the family of an Iraq war veteran who killed himself after seeking help from a VA hospital is calling a government report on the incident a “whitewash.”
Democrats Scuttle Effort To Pay For Trade Bill Provision With Medicare Cuts
The funding cuts had been planned to help pay for worker retraining, but House Democrats balked at using Medicare money.
Doctors Told To Watch For MERS After South Korean Outbreak
The illness, called Middle East respiratory syndrome, has been seen in South Korea, prompting concerns it could move to the U.S. In the meantime, public health officials consider graphic warnings for tanning bed use, and USA Today looks at new health care tech.
Prisoners Seeking Hepatitis C Drugs Sue Mass. Officials
The drugs can cost as much at $90,000 to cure the disease. Meanwhile, the high costs of two cholesterol medications endorsed this week by an FDA panel reinforce growing concerns about the affordability of new treatments. Also in the news, The New York Times examines the hopes surrounding Chinese drug makers’ efforts on an Ebola drug, as well as the possibility of patent issues arising.
Lindsey Graham Introduces Senate Bill Banning Most Abortions After 20 Weeks
The Republican presidential candidate’s measure includes exemptions for some cases when the life of the mother is endangered or for victims of rape or incest. The U.S. House approved a similar bill last month. Support of such legislation by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, another likely White House hopeful, helped push a similar 20-week measure through the Wisconsin Senate. Meanwhile in Florida, two groups are suing the state to try to stop a 24-hour abortion waiting period from taking effect.
Indiana Begins Ads For Expanded Medicaid Program
Also in news on health law implementation in the states, Georgia officials are at odds about the state’s ability to expand Medicaid and one paper examines how North Carolina might react if the Supreme Court strikes down premium subsidies for people who buy health plans on the federal government’s marketplace.
Many Patients Find Unexpected Medical Bills, Even With Obamacare
Some states are trying to stem the bills for consumers who face high costs for getting care from out-of-network providers. Elsewhere, KHN looks at high insurance rate hikes, Ted Cruz fights his own party on health law subsidies and President Barack Obama takes to TV to defend the law.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Nerves Getting Rattled On Health Subsidies; Battle On Abortion; Seniors In Poverty
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Obama And Smoking; ‘Poster Child’ For Chemical Regs; Abortion Training
Each week, KHN’s Alana Pockros finds interesting reads from around the Web.
State Highlights: Dental Care Issues In Md., Mo.; Nurse Staffing Requirements Advance In Mass., D.C.
News outlets report on health issues from Maryland, Missouri, Massachusetts, D.C., Kansas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Arizona Cancels Planned 5 Percent Cut In Medicaid Payments
The state’s Medicaid program announced that doctors, hospitals and other health care providers would be given a reprieve from the scheduled cut. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, people got a first look at a long-awaited Medicaid reform plan.
Legal Experts Expect Texas Abortion Ruling Will Push High Court To Provide Clarity
In other news, a fight is beginning to brew in the Indiana legislature over a clinic law set to take effect in July.
The Doctor Will See You … On Your Smartphone
Walgreens plans to offer a smartphone app that will link doctors and patients in 25 states, while insurers UnitedHealth Group and Anthem will make their telemedicine services available to about 40 million additional people by next year. Meanwhile, an FDA panel backs a second cholesterol drug for patients with dangerously high levels of the artery-clogging substance.
Tranquilizers Among Most Commonly Prescribed Drugs For Seniors
ProPublica reports that Medicare spent $377 million for anti-anxiety medications in 2013, the first year after Congress had lifted a ban on such drugs. Meanwhile, Stanford researchers use electronic health records to discover that people who take commonly used heartburn medications are at greater risk of heart attacks.
Obama’s Supreme Court Comments Stand Out Among Presidents
A soon-to-be-released study says President Barack Obama’s comments on Supreme Court cases differ from past presidents’ because of their intensity. His legacy, however, hangs in the balance as the High Court considers his signature health care law.
Judge Denies Florida’s Request For Mediation In Dispute With Federal Officials On Hospital Funds
Gov. Rick Scott has argued that the Obama administration is pressuring the state to expand Medicaid by reducing funds for hospitals that treat large numbers of uninsured patients.
Advocates Say Some Insurers Pushing To Exclude Sick Customers
Costs are so high for some with preexisting conditions that the plans have little value, some say. In Oregon, a top public health official had been previously fired from a similar post in Ohio for disparaging that agency.
Even With Insurance, Millions Who Still Can’t Afford Care Skip It
With high deductibles and copays, many people with coverage under the health law are still struggling with their part of the bill, and many turn to community resources to fill the gap. The Fiscal Times reports on community health centers that have seen an uptick in patients while KHN tells the story of a Georgia woman faced with a tough decision over eye surgery.
