Latest KFF Health News Stories
Prison Workers Not Owed Hazard Pay For Being Exposed To Covid: Court
Federal employees of a Connecticut prison said they deserved hazardous pay because they worked with people who had covid. But the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 10-2 that the federal Office of Personnel Management does not address extra pay for people who work in contagious situations, and that it was up to Congress to step in.
Some MSU Students Have Now Survived 2 Shootings, Including At Sandy Hook
Jackie Matthews was in sixth grade at Sandy Hook Elementary when a gunman killed 26 students, teachers, and staff. Now, as a senior at Michigan State University, she was in a building directly across from where some of the shootings occurred Monday night. And several other students at MSU survived a November 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School that killed four people.
Number Of Americans Carrying Medical Debt Dropped 18% Since 2020
A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report reveals that 8.2 million fewer people in the U.S. had medical debt on their credit report from 2020 to 2022. Despite the progress, such unpaid bills account for over half of all debt in collections. Meanwhile, some localities are using covid relief fund to try to tackle the financial challenge.
Medicare And Medicaid To Pilot 3 Experiments Aimed At Lowering Drug Costs
The Biden administration Thursday announced a roadmap to test three drug pricing models. The programs would offer some generic drugs to Medicare beneficiaries for $2 a month, experiment with new ways for Medicaid to pay for expensive cell and gene therapies, and explore ways to pay for drugs approved under accelerated FDA review.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Worries As Nerve Pain Medication Hits Maine’s Illegal Drugs Scene
Bangor Daily News reports that gabapentin, which is also an anticonvulsant, is now a part of Maine’s illicit drug market, and notes it’s part of a national trend of the drug being found in fatal overdoses. The veterinary drug xylazine, worsening the fentanyl crisis as “Tranq,” is also in the news.
Carcinogen Among 3 New Toxic Chemicals In Ohio Train Incident
An evacuation order has been lifted in the aftermath of a train derailment in Ohio, but three more chemicals have been discovered in the train’s rail cars, the EPA said, with ethylhexyl acrylate being particularly worrying. NBC News says residents in the area have been finding dead fish and chickens.
Eating Lots Of ‘Free Sugars’ Linked To Heart Disease, Stroke Risk
Researchers have uncovered more proof that sugar consumption has harmful effects, with a new study linking diets high in free sugars to heart disease and stroke risk. Separately, a new study links healthier school lunches with less obesity. And the ongoing baby formula shortage is among other news.
Analysis Shows How Often FDA OKs Drugs Despite Mixed Or Failed Results
The joint Harvard-Yale research found that of 210 new therapies approved from 2018 through 2021, 21 of the drugs didn’t meet one or more of their goals, or end points. Those 21 drugs were approved to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses, USA Today reported.
Cigna Rebrands Into 3 Business Units
Cigna Corp. will become Cigna Group, Cigna Healthcare, and Evernorth Health Services — which includes its PBM Express Scripts. Meanwhile, a report says Amazon’s merger with One Medical may fall afoul of the FTC. Hospital labor shortages, medical debt, and more are also in the news.
South Dakota Bans Gender-Affirming Health Care For Minors
The bill signed by Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, outlaws surgical and non-surgical interventions for trans minors. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, Republican lawmakers are said to be targeting minors’ trans care again with an effort to reinstate an earlier ban by enabling easier malpractice lawsuits.
White House Orders 1.5 Million More Novavax Covid Shots
The Wall Street Journal reported that the deal would ensure a supply during the period before private buyers take over purchases, which the government expects would be in the fall, according to people familiar with the planning.
Testimony From Fauci, Biden Officials Sought In House GOP Covid Probe
The House’s new Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic kicked off its investigation by sending letters to Dr. Anthony Fauci and other Biden administration officials seeking their documents and testimony.
States Turn Up Their Efforts To Overturn FDA’s Abortion Pill Approval
News outlets note the state of Alaska joined a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to overturn a decades-old approval of a pill used for abortions. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey are reportedly “urging” the judge to effectively ban medication abortion.
5th Anniversary Of Parkland Massacre Marred By Yet Another School Shooting
At Michigan State University on Monday night, a gunman killed three people and injured five others. The gunman, who killed himself, was not a student or employee. The shooting happened as the nation remembers the 17 students and teachers killed five years ago in Parkland, Florida. Little has changed since then: There have been at least 67 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year.
CMS Proposes Greater Transparency By Private-Equity Backed Nursing Homes
With research showing that ownership can impact quality of care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a draft rule that would require nursing homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to disclose more information about care that is backed by private equity companies or real estate trusts.
Teen Girls Experiencing ‘Alarming’ Levels Of Sadness: CDC Report
An annual CDC survey provides more evidence of a growing mental health crisis among distressed American adolescents — with an increase that is particularly high for girls, Black youth, and LGBTQ+ teens who are more likely to report suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
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