Latest KFF Health News Stories
Oakland Calculates The Real Cost Of Homelessness: 6% Of Its Budget
The “true” cost of homelessness, from direct to indirect, was estimated by Oakland officials to be $122 million out of their $2 billion annual budget. Also: how homelessness worsens in older populations; deaths of unhoused people in Anchorage, Alaska; and more.
Viewpoints: We Can See The Negative Impact Of Covid Misinformation; Is Influenza Overtaking Covid?
Editorial writers delve into these public health topics.
Special Report: Chronic Pain Hits Kids, Adults And Wallets, But Can Be Tackled
A special report in USA Today looks at different aspects of chronic pain, including how expensive it is to manage the condition. The report also looks into which treatments work for children, how drug alternatives can make a difference, whether cannabis helps, and the future of treatment.
‘What Took You So Long?’: San Francisco Has ‘Scary’ Shortage Of 911 Dispatchers, First Responders
Chronic understaffing has led to employee burnout and lower-quality services for residents because the city is failing to meet standards for 911 call response times, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Other news is from Missouri, Massachusetts, Texas, Connecticut, and Colorado.
Mpox Infection Led To Myocarditis In 3 Men, Study Finds
The men had no history of heart problems, and all of them recovered. Other news is on mental health in the military, the opioid crisis, fibroids, menopause, and more.
Study: Smaller Surgeries Are An Option For More Breast Cancer Patients
AP reports on a study showing lumpectomies, compared with mastectomies, are an effective option for many women with two or three breast tumors, challenging usual dogma. Other news includes genetically targeted drugs for treating leukemia, a multiple myeloma treatment, and more.
Juul To Pay $1.7 Billion To Settle More Than 5,000 Vaping Lawsuits
Reports say Juul Labs has agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle suits, which include a consolidation of cases from Northern California. Separately, Walgreens is said to sell off AmerisourceBergen stock to cover its purchase of Summit Health; Amgen is trying to buy Horizon Therapeutics; and more.
MedPAC Endorsing 2024 Medicare Payment Increases To Congress
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has hammered out draft recommendations asking Congress to boost 2024 Medicare payment rates for hospitals and clinicians by at least 1% over what the law prescribes, and likely higher for safety-net facilities.
Appeals Court: Catholic Providers Can Deny Gender Care To Trans People
News outlets report on a unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which supported an earlier North Dakota federal judge’s ruling against HHS rules barring sex discrimination. Thus the Catholic health providers can deny trans care on religious grounds.
CDC Gives Green Light To Omicron Vaccines For Some Infants
Children ages 6 months old through 5 years may now receive a third shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine as long as they already received their first two doses. In other vaccine news, a study of people in 21 countries found that vaxxed people look down on unvaxxed people, but not vice versa.
OSHA About To Set Permanent Health Worker Rules On Masks, Covid Vaccines
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent a final version of the health worker safety regulation to the White House budget office for review. The draft version has already sparked controversy in the medical community.
Masks Again Recommended By Officials In NYC, Other Major Cities
With the “tripledemic” of covid, flu, and RSV filling up hospitals and medical offices, health authorities in New York City, Los Angeles, and elsewhere are urging people to again break out the face coverings.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Who Is Suffering The Worst Effects Of Covid?; Theranos Debacle Has Many Consequences
Editorial writers examine these public health topics.
New Colorado Parents Leave Hospitals With Their Babies — And Naloxone
The Colorado Sun reports on an initiative to tackle the opioid crisis that has expanded from giving take-home naloxone doses to overdose patients to people in the labor and delivery unit. Other health news from across the states include bacteria in hospital water, an oyster recall, and more.
Want To Lower Risk Of Death? Try Moving Vigorously A Few Times A Day
NBC News reports on new research showing bursts of intense movement for a few minutes three to four times a day is associated with up to 40% lower risk of premature death over seven years. Separately, data show watching a stressful soccer game is linked to risks of cardiovascular events.
Citing Concerns, Medical Centers Resist Being A ‘Rural Emergency Hospital’
Side Effects Public Media reports on how some overstretched rural hospitals, suffering inflation impact and staff shortages, are rebuffing the new federal Rural Emergency Hospital designation over concerns about its possible effect on in-patient services.
New Alzheimer’s Drug Reopens Medicare Coverage Possibility: Official
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the “door is really open” for evaluating Alzheimer’s drug coverage now that a new therapy has shown more promising patient data compared to Aduhelm.
Studies Show Mpox Vaccine Works Well, Is Safe
News outlets report on studies into the effectiveness of the Jynneos vaccine which showed that people who got one or two doses contracted mpox at substantially lower rates, and that the shots were safe. Separately, a CDC report examines the impact of vaccinations on the U.S. outbreak.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on bodybuilding, mental health, asbestos, and more.
