KFF Health News Weekly Edition: Jan. 12, 2024

Alex Azar’s Unusual Spin Through the Revolving Door
By Phil Galewitz Washington’s infamous revolving door took an unusual turn for former Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar. Azar spent about a decade with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. before coming to the nation’s capital to lead HHS in the Trump administration. But in September 2020, just a couple of months before former president Donald […]

Rural Hospitals Are Caught in an Aging-Infrastructure Conundrum
By Markian Hawryluk Small, community hospitals face challenges in paying for the capital improvement projects they need to stay open.

What Would a Nikki Haley Presidency Look Like for Health Care?
By Lauren Sausser Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s tenure in the Palmetto State — which overlapped with several tumultuous years of health care reform — and her recent comments offer clues to how her presidency might affect national health care policy.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': All About the (Government) Funding
With days to go until a large chunk of the federal government runs out of money needed to keep it operating, Congress is still struggling to find a compromise spending plan. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court agreed to hear — this year — a case that pits federal requirements for emergency treatment against state abortion bans. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Tami Luhby of CNN join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews American Medical Association President Jesse Ehrenfeld about the choppy waters facing the nation’s physicians in 2024.

In a Fractious Rerun, GOP Rivals Haley and DeSantis Debate Health Care. Trump Sits It Out.
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs The fifth debate of the 2024 GOP presidential primary season took place days before Iowa Republicans will caucus to determine their pick for the top of the party’s ticket. The front-runner, former President Donald Trump, once again did not participate.

The AMA Wants a Medicare Cut Reversed – And Lawmakers To Stay Out of Care
By Julie Rovner Congress is back this week and feverishly working on a bipartisan agreement to fund the government for the rest of the 2024 fiscal year. Ahead of a potential vote, I spoke with Jesse Ehrenfeld, the president of the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest lobby group for doctors, about his organization’s priorities in Washington.  Some […]

Hoping to Clear the Air in Casinos, Workers Seek to Ban Tobacco Smoke
By Sandy West Casinos in several states are fighting efforts to ban smoking, and trying to roll back existing anti-smoking laws. One planned facility even moved outside a city’s limits because of voter-approved smoking restrictions.

Delicate Labor-Industry Deal in Flux as Newsom Revisits $25 Minimum Health Wage
By Don Thompson In spite of labor concern about any rollback, Gov. Gavin Newsom is revisiting California’s planned $25 minimum wage for health workers less than three months after approving the measure despite an uncertain price tag. The projected $4 billion first-year cost forms part of the state’s estimated $38 billion deficit.

Delays in State Contracts Leave Montana Health Providers Strapped
By Katheryn Houghton The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is months behind in paying organizations contracted to connect people to care. The interruption is likely to have lasting effects, even after the state catches up.

California Offers a Lifeline for Medical Residents Who Can’t Find Abortion Training
By Laurie Udesky Abortion restrictions in 18 states have curtailed access to training in skills that doctors say are critical for OB-GYN specialists and others. A new California law makes it easier for out-of-state doctors to get experience in reproductive medicine.

Mammography AI Can Cost Patients Extra. Is It Worth It?
By Michelle Andrews Artificial intelligence software to aid radiologists in detecting problems or diagnosing cancer has been moving rapidly into clinical use, where it shows great promise. But it’s a turnoff for some patients asked to pay out-of-pocket for technology that’s not quite ready for prime time.

These Patients Had to Lobby for Correct Diabetes Diagnoses. Was Their Race a Reason?
By Bram Sable-Smith Adults who develop one autoimmune form of diabetes are often misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Those wrong diagnoses make it harder to get the appropriate medications and technology to manage their blood sugar. Many Black patients wonder if their race plays a role.

Rising Malpractice Premiums Price Small Clinics Out of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
By Cecilia Nowell Even in states where laws protect minors’ access to gender-affirming care, malpractice insurance premiums are keeping small and independent clinics from treating patients.

There’s a New Covid-19 Variant and Cases Are Ticking Up. What Do You Need to Know?
By Julie Appleby The covid-19 virus is continually changing, and a recent subvariant, the JN.1, is rapidly climbing the charts.

Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week.

Journalists Track Medical Device Malfunctions, Opioid Settlement Payments, and Abortion Bans
KFF Health News and California Healthline staffers made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.