Latest KFF Health News Stories
Change Healthcare’s Claims Center Is Back Online Months After Cyberattack
Change Healthcare is the largest clearinghouse for billing and payments in the U.S. The company is still working to restore other technology platforms affected by the ransomware attack in February.
Bay Area Child Recovering From Bird Flu Of Unknown Origin
Health officials are investigating whether wild birds might have infected the child, whose family members all tested negative. Meanwhile, as we head into cold and flu season, roughly 60% of Americans say they are skipping this fall’s updated covid jab.
Legislators Prod Texas To Add Exceptions To Abortion Ban
Two measures filed last week would allow doctors to intervene to preserve the mental or physical health of a patient or when the fetus has a catastrophic anomaly.
Wide-Ranging Bill Aimed At Expanding Veteran Care Outside VA Passes House
Stars and Stripes reports on the bill’s intent to expand private-sector health care for veterans, noting that among other elements, it addresses issues related to in-home care, mental health counseling, ambulance transportation, and breast screening. Also in the news from Capitol Hill: the bathroom bill introduced by GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.
Trump Chooses Dr. Mehmet Oz To Run Medicare And Medicaid Agency
A former cardiothoracic surgeon and professor at Columbia University, Dr. Oz is better known to the public as a TV personality and has no experience running a government agency. If confirmed as the CMS administrator, he would be influential in major policies around how states run their Medicaid programs and regulations on Medicare Advantage private plans.
First Edition: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: We Are Failing In Our Bird Flu Response; RFK Jr. Plans To Destroy Health Protections
Editorial writers discuss current public health issues.
Smoking Rates Decline But Disparities Remain, Surgeon General Warns
A report released Tuesday by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy shows higher rates of smoking among indigenous populations and people living in poverty. In other public health news: undiagnosed diabetes rates; the link between sitting and heart health; and more.
Study: 38% Of Surgical Patients Have Complications, 1 In 5 Are Preventable
CNN reports on a new study, published Thursday in the BMJ, which seems to suggest that hospitals haven’t made significant progress on patient safety. Other health industry news is on CVS Health, Ascension Wisconsin, UnitedHealth, and more.
Can Covid Cure Cancer? Study Suggests Maybe
In a study by the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute in Chicago, the RNA in the SARS-CoV-2 virus was found to “trigger the development of a unique type of immune cell with anti-cancer properties,” which could lead to the development of cancer-fighting treatments in the future.
Bird Flu Strain In Canadian Teen Mutated Into Easier-To-Spread Version
Stat reports there’s no evidence that the teen has infected anyone else. The source of the infection has not been determined. Meanwhile, Hawaii — which has strict agricultural rules to prevent the spread of disease from the continental U.S. — has announced its first bird flu outbreak in poultry.
Asheville, NC, Finally Has Clean Water To Drink, Nearly 2 Months After Helene
A boil-water notice — put in place because of lingering sediment from the destructive September storm — was lifted Monday. In related news, the Biden administration has asked Congress for $100B in emergency disaster funds.
RFK Jr.’s Role As Possible HHS Chief Faces Pushback On Multiple Fronts
The FDA doesn’t have the resources to take on the food industry as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed, an expert says. Moreover, those in the agriculture community see problems ahead if tariffs are imposed. His stance on vaccines — he’s still sowing doubt about them in courts — rankles the public health community. And the American Public Health Association wants to see a qualified pick.
As Trump Allies Plan To Pare Safety Net Programs, States Rush In Requests
New York is among the states looking to shore up Medicaid funding while President Joe Biden, whose administration is amenable to social services, is still in office.
Abortion Bans, By Pills Or Otherwise, Ruled Unconstitutional In Wyoming
The bans go against the will of the people, who in 2012 voted for a Republican-backed amendment to guarantee adults the right to make their own health care decisions, the district judge determined.
First Edition: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Maryland Tracking Marijuana Trends
The health dashboard is intended to identify areas of concern so that officials can ensure residents use cannabis safely. Elsewhere, social services struggles in North Carolina, climate change in Florida, and more.
Viewpoints: The Newest Abortion Fight Is An Old One; The Danger RFK Jr. Poses To Our Health
Editorial writers discuss reproductive rights, forced sterilization, gun control, and more.
Multistate E. Coli Outbreak Traced To Organic Carrots From California
Fifteen people have been hospitalized and one has died after eating the tainted carrots, CDC officials say. More public health news is about vape sales, MeRT therapy, cow fat, and more.
Small Study Finds ChatGPT Outperforms Docs At Diagnosing
In the study, ChatGPT operating alone outperformed both doctors who were using ChatGPT to help them diagnose and those who were using only conventional resources. Other health industry news is on CareMax, Indiana University Health, and more.
