Weekly Edition: June 26-30, 2017
McConnell Has About $200B In ‘Candy’ To Make Deals On Obamacare Repeal
By Michael McAuliff
As many as a dozen GOP senators may oppose the Senate majority leader’s Obamacare repeal bill. But the dealmaking is just beginning.
Men Wrote The Senate Health Care Bill. This Woman Could Stop It.
By Julie Rovner
Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate’s parliamentarian, will be in the hot seat as she is called upon to decide which provisions of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s bill draft fit the tight rules that allow for it to be passed without a filibuster.
Health Care Battle On Hill Has Veterans Defending Obamacare Benefits
By Stephanie O'Neill
It's too early to know just how many veterans might lose coverage as a result of the Medicaid reductions wrapped into the Republicans' repeal effort. But many already feel boxed in.
Podcast: What The Health? Senate Bill Sparks Fireworks Before The Fourth
By Julie Rovner
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post discuss the state of the Senate’s effort to replace Obamacare.
Safe Under The ACA, Patients With Preexisting Conditions Now Fear Bias
By Charlotte Huff
Thinking they were protected from insurance discrimination, many people got tested to see if they were likely to develop serious diseases. Legislation pushed by Republican leaders in Congress would leave them vulnerable.
Drop In Sudden Cardiac Arrests Linked To Obamacare
By Jenny Gold
A study published by the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that sudden cardiac arrests dropped by 17 percent in one Oregon county after people gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Calif. Officials Sound Alarm, Envisioning $114B Hit To Medi-Cal Under U.S. Senate Bill
By Anna Gorman
“Nothing is safe — no population, no services,” the director of the nation’s largest Medicaid program said Wednesday. GOP leaders say they seek to cut costs and widen consumer choices.
For Millennials, Both Good And Bad News In Senate’s GOP Health Bill
By Anna Gorman and Kellen Browning
Provisions in the Senate’s “repeal and replace” bill could help some young adults by lowering the cost of premiums but could hurt others who gained insurance through a massive expansion to Medicaid.
Postcard From Capitol Hill: Doubts, Dissent Over Health Bill Rescue July Fourth Holiday
By Rachel Bluth
Scenes from Capitol Hill Tuesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s effort to pass a health care bill this week crumbled.
Analysis: Mitch McConnell Plans To Hide Trumpcare’s Pain Until After Midterms
By Michael McAuliff
The Senate health bill to repeal Obamacare hews closely to the electoral calendar, delaying much of the pain until after Republicans face re-election in Congress, statehouses and the White House.
CBO Deals Blow To Senate Health Bill With Estimate Of 22 Million More Uninsured
By Mary Agnes Carey and Phil Galewitz
The much anticipated score by the nonpartisan agency could make it more difficult for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to round up the 50 votes he needs to pass his plan to replace Obamacare.
Senate And House Take Different Plans To Scrap Individual Mandate
By Jordan Rau and Anna Gorman
The Republicans' penalty would affect people buying insurance who had a lapse in coverage of more than 63 days over a year.
In The End, Even The Middle Class Would Feel GOP Squeeze On Nursing Home Care
By Jordan Rau
Medicaid pays for two-thirds of nursing home residents, but some recipients don’t even know they’re on it.
House Seeks To Cap Malpractice Awards As Part Of Health Care Update
By Michelle Andrews
The bill would limit non-economic damages to $250,000, but it faces opposition from across the political spectrum.
Hospitals Ramp Up Hyperbaric Therapy For Diabetics, Despite Concerns
By Phil Galewitz
Medicare is trying to deter overuse of hyperbaric therapy, and some experts question its effectiveness for healing diabetic wounds, one of the treatment’s fastest-growing uses.
Patients With Mental Disorders Get Half Of All Opioid Prescriptions
By Vickie Connor
A study finds that nearly 19 percent of people with mental illnesses use prescription drugs, while only 5 percent of other people do.
California Joins States That Protect Patients Against Nasty Surprise Bills
By Emily Bazar
A California law that takes effect July 1 prohibits out-of-network charges if you visit a medical facility that’s in your health plan’s network. New York and Florida also offer strong consumer protections.
Kaiser Permanente Cited — Again — For Mental Health Access Problems
By Jenny Gold
California’s HMO watchdog agency says the HMO giant still is making mental health patients wait too long for treatment despite previous warnings and a large fine.
Insect Venom Shortage Stings Allergy Sufferers This Summer
By JoNel Aleccia
Allergists warn of scarce supplies of honeybee, wasp and other venom extracts used to prevent deadly reactions.
Seniors Miss Out On Clinical Trials
By Judith Graham
Among hurdles: Older adults may have multiple illnesses that could complicate research or they might be unable to manage the commute.
Texas Hospitals Fear Losing $6.2B Medicaid Deal
By Phil Galewitz
Texas is asking the Trump administration to renew a 2011 agreement set to expire in December that helps pay hospitals’ costs of caring for the state’s uninsured residents.
‘No One Wants To Be Old’: How To Put The ‘Non-Age’ in Nonagenarian
By Sharon Jayson
Living a vital, active life well into your 90s requires positive thinking and activity.