Latest KFF Health News Stories
Should Health Care Trainees Be Treated As Paid Employees?
A bill pending in California’s Legislature, sponsored by an influential health care union, would require hospitals and clinics to pay minimum wage to student trainees.
Exodus By Puerto Rican Medical Students Deepens Island’s Doctor Drain
Interest in medical schools is high in Puerto Rico, but many students look to the U.S. mainland for residencies because of higher pay and the commonwealth’s declining economy. The migration of young talent is both a symptom and an exacerbation of the island’s medical woes.
Widespread Hype Gives False Hope To Many Cancer Patients
Doctors and drug developers have a stake in making cancer treatments seem better than they really are.
Health Care In America: An Employment Bonanza And A Runaway-Cost Crisis
The Trump administration has pledged to create jobs and shrink health care spending — almost a contradiction in a country where health care is a roaring engine of the economy.
A Spoonful Of Kids’ Medicine Makes The Profits Go Up
Even as drug pricing issues continue to draw scrutiny, federal safety regulations and incentives offer drug companies a new avenue to get a sweet return on their development costs.
Marathon Pharmaceutical Drops Out Of PhRMA Following Drug Price Controversy
Two companies that faced criticism for high-priced drugs, Marathon and Mallinckrodt, have dropped out of the PhRMA trade association.
Also Made In Mexico: Lifesaving Devices
The medical supply industry makes a particularly revelatory case study of the difficulties of untangling global trade.
‘The Trump Of Georgia’ Goes To Washington
With high-level connections in the Capitol, Parker “Pete” Petit aims to resolve regulatory issues that have haunted his wound care company.
Senators Demand Answers About Possible Probe Of HHS Secretary Price
Democratic senators want the Justice Department to reveal what it knows about ProPublica’s recent report that HHS Secretary Tom Price’s stock trades were under investigation by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara before the Trump administration fired him.
$89,000 Orphan Drug Gets A New Owner — And Likely A New Price
Marathon, maker of an expensive treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sells the drug for $140 million in cash and stock to PTC Therapeutics.
By The Numbers: Trump’s Choice For FDA Chief Is Versatile, Entrenched In Pharma
The numbers show that President Trump’s choice for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, has long-standing ties to pharmaceutical companies as a board member or consultant and that he had to recuse himself multiple times while working at the FDA.
Two Words Can Soothe Patients Who Have Been Harmed: We’re Sorry
For patients killed or maimed by medical errors, doctors and hospitals still often deny wrongdoing. But newer programs offering prompt disclosure of medical errors, an apology and compensation for them or their families are growing.
California Medical Board President Faces Questions Over Vote In Sexual Misconduct Case
After the medical board reinstated the license of doctor who molested patients, one member –now president — secured a $40 million donation for a pet project from the doctor’s relative. He says the two events are unrelated. Critics are demanding an investigation.
Travel Ban Spotlights U.S. Dependence On Foreign-Born Doctors
One in four doctors practicing in the U.S. is an international medical doctor. Many foreign-born doctors practice in parts of the country where there are doctor shortages.
Grassley Launches Inquiry Into Orphan Drugs After KHN Investigation
Citing a Kaiser Health News investigation, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley vows to examine the orphan drug program and possible fixes.
Trump’s Immigration Ban Fuels Fear For Young Doctors Whose Jobs May Be In Limbo
With announcements of placements in residencies expected in March, medical education groups and hospitals say they’re unsure how to proceed.
Women Fear Drug They Used To Halt Puberty Led To Health Problems
Despite questions about Lupron’s lasting side effects and minimal study into its safety, the FDA sped approval of the drug to market. Years later, some young women are still living with the consequences.
Democrats Say Cabinet Choice Tom Price ‘Misled’ The Public. Here’s What We Know.
Concerns over U.S. Rep. Tom Price’s answers about stock trades led Senate Democrats to boycott a committee vote that would have moved his nomination to the Senate floor.
Getting Patients Hooked On An Opioid Overdose Antidote, Then Raising The Price
The device, known as Evzio, administers just enough naloxone to stabilize someone who has overdosed on drugs. But its manufacturer, Kaleo, may be positioning itself to find profits in a dire health care crisis.
Tackling Patients’ Social Problems Can Cut Health Costs
Intense, “high touch” care that focuses on housing as well as health care brings down medical costs for the most expensive patients. But it’s been hard to replicate successful programs.
