Latest KFF Health News Stories
Biden’s Annual Physical Takes Place In Spotlight Of Possible 2024 Campaign
President Joe Biden heads to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Thursday for yearly physical exams. The White House promises transparency on the outcome in the shadow of an expected presidential campaign in which Biden’s age is already an issue raised by opponents.
Federal Spending On Medicare, Social Security Will Outstrip Revenues: CBO
The Congressional Budget Office has new estimates about federal spending on Social Security and Medicare over the next decade, warning it may rise faster than revenues and the whole economy. Funds for Social Security would hit a shortfall in 2032 — a year earlier than expected.
Narcan Moves Closer To Being Sold Over The Counter
Two panels of addiction experts recommended Wednesday that the FDA allow naloxone, an overdose-reversing nasal spray, to be sold without a prescription. Doctors and other advocacy groups have also pressed the Biden administration to make such a move to combat the opioid epidemic.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Medicaid Bill Targets Private Firms Offering Trans Care In Tennessee
Republican lawmakers are behind a new effort to target trans health care in Tennessee, AP reports, with a new bill that would ban private companies from TennCare contracts if they cover gender-transitioning medical care. Meanwhile, in Idaho, a bill banning gender care for minors was passed.
Experimental Marburg Virus Vaccine May Be Deployed In Equatorial Guinea
News outlets report on a concerning outbreak of Marburg fever in Equatorial Guinea, which has prompted the World Health Organization to consider an experimental vaccine. No current vaccine or antiviral treatment is approved. Chikungunya and malaria are also in global health news.
Residents Told To Drink Bottled Water Near Ohio Train Incident
News outlets shine a spotlight on the health and environmental impact of toxic chemicals from the train derailment in Ohio, as locals’ and experts’ concerns continue. Officials told residents Tuesday to drink bottled water until testing shows local water supplies are safe.
Viewpoints: America Has Failed Its Gun-Scarred Youth
Opinion writers weigh in on the shootings at Michigan State and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.
Perspectives: It’s Absurd That Our Judicial System Allows 1 Judge To Undo Decades Of FDA Science
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Factory Inspection May Be To Blame In Biocon’s Recent FDA Rejection
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Study Shows Penis Length Has Increased, But Experts Are Concerned
USA Today covers a startling piece of data from a global multi-decade meta study of average erect penis size: It’s grown 24% over 30 years. But experts say the implications for fertility are complex, as are the reasons behind the change. Separately, a study says a pill could “curb” binge drinking.
Centura, One Of Colorado’s Largest Hospital Systems, To Break Up
Centura Health has long operated as a partnership between CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth, but an announcement Tuesday said the Catholic- and Seventh-day Adventist-aligned partners would split. Cedars-Sinai, Outcome Health, Ben Taub Hospital, and more are also in the news.
A Novel Male Birth Control Method Shows Promise — In Mice
While previous medication-based efforts at developing male birth control sometimes used hormonal methods, the new injection targets sperm motility and rendered mice “temporarily infertile” after one shot. Testing shows it also works on human sperm, in a petri dish — human testing is likely a few years away.
Tennessee Moves To Add Limited Exemptions To Strict Abortion Ban
Tennessee’s abortion ban, one of the strictest in the country, AP reports, may be slightly loosened thanks to a new bill that adds “narrow” exemptions despite reported “threats” from anti-abortion advocates. Meanwhile, in Utah, abortion clinics would be forced to shut in 2024 if a new bill is passed.
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.
