Weekly Edition February 8, 2019
Trump’s Pediatric Cancer Crusade A Drop In Bucket Compared With Past Presidential Pitches
By Victoria Knight
President Donald Trump wants Congress to allot $500 million over 10 years for pediatric cancer research. While it’s welcomed by researchers and advocates, it’s not a lot of money.
Measles Outbreak Sends Vaccine Demand Soaring, Even Among The Hesitant
By JoNel Aleccia
The number of health clinic orders and shots administered rose sharply in January compared with last year, Washington county officials say.
Scooter Madness In Austin Puts Safety Concerns In High Gear
By Sharon Jayson
As Austin and other cities across the USA deal with the invasion of e-scooters, injuries mount — along with calls for regulations. The findings from a CDC study may shed light on solutions.
What ‘Dope Sick’ Really Feels Like
By Brian Rinker
Just as each person’s journey into addiction is unique, different approaches work for people trying to find their way out. For me, detoxing was nightmarish. And a long-held dream come true.
Trump Pledges To End HIV Transmission By 2030. Doable, But Daunting.
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
The president’s promise to eliminate HIV transmission within 10 years is a goal long sought by advocates, but it won’t be an easy undertaking.
Ideas To Curb Surprise Medical Bills Percolate With Rare Bipartisan Push
By Shefali Luthra and Emmarie Huetteman
The recent declaration by President Donald Trump that taming unexpected medical bills would be a top priority for his administration echoed through the halls of Congress.
Transparent Hospital Pricing Exposes Wild Fluctuation, Even Within Miles
By Harriet Blair Rowan
A new federal rule requires hospitals to post their prices online. These lists reveal the wildly different charges for basic procedures and services, but consumers will have a hard time putting this information to use.
Task Force Outlines Strategy To Address California’s Shortfall Of Health Workers
By Anna Gorman
A new report by a coalition of health, education and labor leaders concludes that the state must build a larger and more culturally diverse pool of medical, mental health and home care professionals to meet the needs of a growing population. The findings point to a big challenge for Gov. Gavin Newsom as he seeks to extend health insurance to many of California’s nearly 3 million uninsured residents.
Shrinking Medicaid Rolls In Missouri And Tennessee Raise Flag On Vetting Process
By Phil Galewitz
State health officials say several factors, including the improved economy, are behind the 7 percent drop last year in Missouri and 9 percent reduction in Tennessee of Medicaid recipients. But advocates for the poor are worried the states’ efforts to weed out residents who are improperly enrolled has led to people mistakenly forced off the rolls.
Utah and Idaho Lawmakers Seek To Scale Back Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansions
By Phil Galewitz
The legislators say that despite voter support for expansion, they are concerned that a change in the Medicaid program will be a financial burden for the states.
Trump Administration Salutes Parade Of Generic Drug Approvals, But Hundreds Aren’t For Sale
By Sydney Lupkin and Jay Hancock
President Donald Trump and FDA officials have pointed to a surge in generic drug approvals, but a data analysis indicates almost half haven’t reached the market.
Trump Highlights Health Agenda With Vow To Lower ‘Unfair’ Drug Prices
By Julie Rovner
The president laid out a series of goals, including lowering prescription prices, pursuing an end to the HIV epidemic and boosting funding for childhood cancers.
John Dingell, ‘Dean Of The House,’ Remembered As A Force In Health Policy
By Julie Rovner
The Michigan Democrat chaired the House Energy and Commerce Committee and his impact on health care was immense.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A ‘Healthy’ State Of The Union
Health was a featured player in President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address. The president set goals to bring down prescription drug prices, end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and cure childhood cancer, among other things. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz about the current “Bill of the Month” feature.
For California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Resistance Is Personal
By Samantha Young
Xavier Becerra, the state’s first Latino attorney general, is one of President Donald Trump’s most relentless adversaries. He attributes his legal values — and his opposition to the current administration — to his upbringing as the son of Mexican immigrants.