Weekly Edition: October 25, 2019

A Million-Dollar Marketing Juggernaut Pushes 3D Mammograms
By Liz Szabo Companies are aggressively touting 3D mammograms, although there’s no evidence they save lives.

Compression Garments Can Ease Lymphedema. Covering Costs? Not So Easy.
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez Private insurance plans vary in coverage for compression garments, and some fall short of meeting patients’ needs. Although Medicaid programs cover some of these expenses, Medicare does not.

Pharma Sells States On ‘Netflix Model’ To Wipe Out Hep C. But At What Price?
By JoNel Aleccia and Barbara Feder Ostrov and Donna Gordon Blankinship Manufacturers of lucrative drugs say they’re offering discounts off the high sticker prices ― but taxpayers footing the big bills might never know what the state is paying or if it’s getting a good deal.

Los Angeles Vape District A Black-Market Gateway
By Heidi de Marco A seedy section of downtown Los Angeles has become the go-to place for those who trade in wholesale — and sometimes counterfeit — vaping products. As more people fall ill with a mysterious lung disease linked to e-cigarette use, the manufacture and distribution of vaping products face increased scrutiny.

As Vaping Devices Evolve, New Potential Hazards Emerge
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez The technology for vaping has changed over the years, and researchers are finding more evidence that the way vaping devices and e-liquids interact could harm consumers.

For Generation Juul, Nicotine Addiction Happens Fast And Is Hard To Shake
By Elly Yu, WAMU One in 4 high school seniors report vaping in the previous month. Teens talk about how quickly vaping became ingrained in teen culture and how hard it is to quit vaping nicotine.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: All About Medicaid
Medicare’s sister program actually covers more people than Medicare. It’s complex and sometimes confusing, but Medicaid is critical to states, health care providers and the more than 70 million people it serves. In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” host Julie Rovner interviews Diane Rowland, formerly EVP and Executive Director of the Medicaid Program at the Kaiser Family Foundation and one of the nation’s top Medicaid experts. Then Rovner, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Tami Luhby of CNN and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss some of the current debates surrounding Medicaid and its future.

For Boomers Reframing Aging, Age-Proofing A Home Won’t Come Cheap
By Sharon Jayson More baby boomers look forward to aging in place — in their homes, rather than in a care facility. But the costs of retrofitting a house is likely prohibitive for many Americans.

Washington State Law On Behavioral Care Balances Parental Rights, Teens’ Autonomy
By Michelle Andrews Many states have rules that keep parents from knowing about or consenting to certain types of care for their children, including mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Washington state, however, has revised its policies.