Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Outdated Rules Hamper Telehealth Progress; New Plan In Minnesota To Broaden Nursing Pool
Editorial pages delve into these public health topics.
Opinion writers examine these covid related issues.
Perspectives: Insulin Is The ‘Poster Child For Illogical Drug Pricing’
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Insulin And Aduhelm: Are Ultrahigh Prices Really Necessary?
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Study: Medicaid Expansion Hasn’t Boosted Critical Hospital Operations
A new study found hospitals that were covered by the expansion of Medicaid haven’t seen an improvement in quality scores or better staffing levels. Water quality issues, HIV/AIDS matters, toxic gas, legal marijuana and more are also in the news.
Shkreli’s Former Company To Pay $40M Over Alleged Drug Price Gouging
The Federal Trade Commission’s investigation centered on alleged 4,000% boosts in the price of toxoplasmosis treatment Daraprim. Meanwhile, news outlets cover the testimony from ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes over the failure of the blood-testing company.
Vice President Harris Aims To Reduce High US Maternal Death Rate
A report in Bloomberg detailing the plan calls the U.S. maternal mortality rate “alarmingly high.” The strategy calls for extending postpartum coverage under Medicaid to 12 months. Meanwhile, USA Today details where to find the best hospitals in which to have a baby.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Plans To Add $3.4B For Health Care Research
The Facebook founder and his wife are adding the money to their charitable foundation over 15 years. In other health industry news, United Healthcare loses a $60 million lawsuit, and Centene settles with the state of Kansas with a $28 million payment.
Young People Face ‘Devastating’ Mental Health Crisis: Surgeon General
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says there was a mental health crisis among younger Americans even before the pandemic struck, with one in three high school students reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness. News outlets cover other mental health issues.
Taking Viagra Linked To Huge Reduction In Risk Of Alzheimer’s
A study of health insurance data for more than 7.2 million people showed a nearly 70% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the next six years among those who took sildenafil (originally designed as a heart drug) versus those who didn’t. News outlets note, however, that correlation isn’t causation.
Biden Panel Disagrees On Adding More Justices
A plan to shift the political leanings of the Supreme Court did not get support from a bipartisan presidential panel on judicial reform.
House Passes Bill To Ease Debt Ceiling Crisis And Avert Medicare Cuts
The legislation would halt planned reductions in Medicare reimbursements. Senate Republican leaders say they will support the measure.
A Plant-Based Covid Vaccine Shows Promise
Medicago and GlaxoSmithKline reported positive results for a clinical trial of what they said is the first plant-based coronavirus vaccine. Other vaccine news is more discouraging: only 60% of Americans are vaccinated and those who won’t get a shot are unlikely to let their children get a shot either.
U.S. Military Largely Complies With Vaccine Mandate
Among news about vaccinations, vaccination mandates and vaccination refusals, 27,000 active-duty military personnel have refused orders to get covid shots. But that translates to over 95% compliance. Businesses in New York City react to the mayor’s proposal that all employers in the city force their employees to vaccinate.
Biden Vaccine Mandates Blocked Again
A federal judge in Georgia blocked nationwide the Biden mandates that federal contractors’ employees must be vaccinated. Meanwhile Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana expressed frustration Tuesday at the “absurd” reasons some cite for refusing vaccinations.
Worst Covid Cases Concentrated In Six States
Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois account for the majority of the country’s increase in covid hospitalizations. And an Illinois lawmaker wants unvaccinated hospital patients in Illinois to pay their own coronavirus medical bills out of pocket.
Covid-Spreader Event At Anime Convention Studied
CDC hopes that an investigation of the omicron variant spread at a New York City anime convention provides insights. Other news on the spread of the variant.
Early Lab Work Heightens Worry Omicron Resists Antibodies
The covid variant may elude some of the protections offered by antibodies and the Pfizer vaccine, but boosters may counter the virus.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
