KHN Weekly Edition: Dec. 16, 2022
KHN Investigation: The System Feds Rely On to Stop Repeat Health Fraud Is Broken
Sarah Jane Tribble and Lauren Weber
A months-long KHN examination of the system meant to bar fraudsters from Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal health programs found gaping holes and expansive gray areas through which banned individuals slip to repeatedly bilk taxpayer-funded programs.
Is Legislation to Safeguard Americans Against Superbugs a Boondoggle or Breakthrough?
Liz Szabo and Arthur Allen
While supporters cheer the PASTEUR Act as an essential strategy to stem the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, critics call it a multibillion-dollar giveaway to Big Pharma.
Why Medicaid Expansion Ballots May Hit a Dead End After a Fleeting Victory in South Dakota
Rachana Pradhan and Daniel Chang
Since 2017, Medicaid expansion has been adopted in seven states where a question was placed directly on the ballot. But campaign leaders say that strategy may not work in Florida and Wyoming, where Republican opposition remains strong.
To Combat Gun Violence, This Artist Turns Ammunition Into Art
Cara Anthony
In a city plagued by gun violence, Mykael Ash is turning ammunition into art. Ash, who lives in East St. Louis, Illinois, frequently walks through parts of the city where bullet shells aren’t hard to find. The shell casings represent a cycle of inequality, Ash says, and the art he makes with it serves as a call to action.
Mass Shootings Reopen the Debate Over Whether Crime Scene Photos Prompt Change or Trauma
Lauren Sausser
After almost every mass shooting, a debate is renewed over whether to publish the photos of the carnage the guns have inflicted.
Squeezed by Temp Nurse Costs, Hospital Systems Create Their Own Staffing Agencies
Andy Miller
Hospitals have depended on travel nurses to fill shifts, especially during covid surges. Now some larger systems, reeling from high contract labor costs, have created staffing units, aiming to lure nurses who want more work flexibility and better pay than staff RNs get.
In Rural America, Deadly Costs of Opioids Outweigh the Dollars Tagged to Address Them
Aneri Pattani and Rae Ellen Bichell
Some people say it’s reasonable for densely populated areas to receive more settlement funds, since they serve more of those affected. But others worry this overlooks rural communities disproportionately harmed by opioid addiction.
States Challenge Biden to Lower Drug Prices by Allowing Imports From Canada
Phil Galewitz
Colorado has joined Florida, New Hampshire, and New Mexico in seeking federal permission to import prescription drugs from Canada. President Joe Biden endorsed the approach in his 2020 campaign but has yet to approve any state plan.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Dodged Auditors and Overcharged Taxpayers by Millions
Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker
Facing rare scrutiny from federal auditors, some Medicare Advantage health plans failed to produce any records to justify their payments, government records show. The audits revealed millions of dollars in overcharges to Medicare over three years.
Are You an Optimist? Could You Learn to Be? Your Health May Depend on It.
Judith Graham
Multiple studies show a strong association between higher levels of optimism and healthy aging. We ask some dedicated optimists what might explain the connection.
What Germany’s Coal Miners Can Teach America About Medical Debt
Noam N. Levey
Coal mining ended in Germany’s Saarland a decade ago, but the transition away from coal has been smoother than in West Virginia, which has more medical debt than any state in America.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Health Spending? Only Congress Knows
Top negotiators in Congress have agreed to a framework for government spending into next year, but there are details to iron out before a vote — such as the scheduled Medicare payment cuts that have providers worried. Also, the Biden administration reopens its program allowing Americans to request free covid-19 home tests, as hopes for pandemic preparedness measures from Congress dim. Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rebecca Adams of KHN join KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Journalists Explain Medicaid Work Requirements and Hospital Price Transparency
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Readers and Tweeters Chime In on Disability Rights and Drug Discounts
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.