Latest KFF Health News Stories
Some Worry Trade Deal Will Make It Harder To Bring Generic Drugs To Market
Patient advocate groups and some pharmaceutical firms are watching a trade deal closely to see how its provisions could impact big drug makers’ ability to block generic versions of blockbuster drugs. Elsewhere, the Food and Drug Administration approves a generic version of a popular multiple sclerosis drug.
UnitedHealth Reports 29% Increase In Earnings Last Quarter, Share Values Soar
The largest health insurer in the U.S. raised its 2015 forecast after experiencing lower medical costs and diversifying its business beyond insurance.
McConnell Says GOP Will Use Spending Bills To Extract Policy Concessions
The Senate’s majority leader says his party is eager to cut back on government regulations. Also, Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, pledges to fight hard to get past the abortion debate to a vote on Loretta Lynch’s nomination for attorney general.
Veterans’ Children Struggle To Handle The Wounds Of War
The Washington Post examines how families work to restore normal lives after veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan.
E-Cigarette And Hookah Use By Teens Sharply Increases
While traditional smoking rates are declining, the number of high school students who used e-cigarettes or water pipes jumped to 13 percent, according to a CDC report. About one in four teens use some form of tobacco product.
Few Hospitals Get Five Stars For Patient Satisfaction
National and regional media outlets analyze the newly released star ratings for hospitals based on patient satisfaction surveys.
Obama Signs ‘Doc Fix’ Bill Overhauling How Medicare Pays Doctors
The signing brings to an end years of last-minute fixes and contentious debate over how Medicare pays doctors while also tying doctors’ compensation to the quality of care they provide. The law also continues funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program for two years.
Government OKs Financial Incentives, Penalties For Workplace Wellness Programs
In a victory for business groups, federal regulators proposed new rules for workplace wellness programs that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to push workers to participate. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also proposed safeguards for employees, but consumer advocates say they don’t go far enough.
Study Shows Steep Drop In Uninsured In Medicaid Expansion States
Also, news outlets examine efforts in Utah and Alaska to implement Medicaid expansions, while in Minnesota advocates are worried about GOP plans to cut back a health program that also serves low-income residents. And Politico checks in on a program championed in Florida by Marco Rubio to help expand insurance coverage.
Obamacare Draws Praise, Criticism In Appalachia
USA Today and The Louisville Courier-Journal examine how the Affordable Care Act has put down roots in Floyd County, Ky., in ways both surprising and expected. And Kaiser Health News notes there’s still time to avoid next year’s tax penalty for not having health insurance.
Enforcement Of Birth Control Mandate Temporarily Halted For Pa. Catholic Groups
The Supreme Court stopped enforcement of the health law’s birth-control mandate against several Catholic organizations in Pennsylvania, pending a response from the Obama administration. Meanwhile, a Kaiser Family Foundation report finds that some women are paying hefty fees for contraception, despite a health law requirement that insurers provide no-cost access to FDA-approved methods.
Florida Governor Vows To Sue Obama Administration Over Hospital Funding
Gov. Rick Scott says the federal government is illegally trying to coerce Florida into expanding its Medicaid program by withholding funds for hospitals.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Changing Views About Right To Health Care; Fla.’s ‘Fiscal Folly’ On Medicaid
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: A Son’s Mental Illness; Medicare And Nursing Homes; Revamping The MCAT
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
State Highlights: Vaccination Bills Pending in Calif., Colo.; N.J. Cities Pass Paid Sick-Leave Laws
News outlets offer articles on health care issues from California, Colorado, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, Vermont and Mississippi.
Health IT Chief Wants More Patients To Seek Electronic Medical Records
Elsewhere, the government’s $30 billion push to encourage hospitals and doctors to adopt electronic health records is slow to achieve its goals.
Over-Budget VA Hospital Construction Causes ‘Heartburn And Angst’ For Congress
Lawmakers grilled Veterans Affairs officials over a hospital being built outside Denver, Colo., that is $1 billion over budget, years behind schedule and needs $830 million more to complete. A VA employee also says he was fired for being a whistleblower over that project.
Warning Issued Over Possible Budget-Busting Cost Of New Cystic Fibrosis Drug
In other treatment news, Amgen Inc.’s Corlanor becomes the first new heart failure medication in a dozen years to receive Food and Drug Administration approval. And the health-insurance industry is calling for new rules and oversight of medical devices.
UnitedHealth, HCA Raise Forecasts Based On Quarterly Returns
UnitedHealth Group, the largest U.S. insurer, and HCA Holdings, one of the largest hospital chains, reported better-than-expected first quarter results. But while investors are bullish on the managed care sector, The Wall Street Journal reports signs that medical costs are inching up and could dampen future earnings.
