Weekly Edition: September 14, 2018
4 Takeaways On Puerto Rico’s Death Toll, In The Wake Of Trump’s Tweet Storm
Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
The controversy over the death toll from Hurricane Maria continues as the president tweets that the official estimate adopted by territory officials is a political ploy.
Trying To Protect Seniors, The Most Vulnerable, From Formidable Foe Florence
Liz Szabo and JoNel Aleccia and Doug Pardue
With Hurricane Florence predicted to slam the Southeast's coastline Friday, health officials scramble to dodge the storm and keep older residents safe.
In Trump’s First Year, Nation’s Uninsured Rate Unchanged
Phil Galewitz
The Census Bureau reports that the nation’s uninsurance rate was 8.8 percent in 2017 but notes that the rate did increase in 14 states.
Discreetly Tracking Down Sex Partners To Stop A Surge In STDs
Kristian Foden-Vencil, Oregon Public Broadcasting
In response to a spike in syphilis and gonorrhea cases, one Oregon county is sending medical sleuths to break the bad news in person. Some people have no idea they've been exposed to an infection.
Insurer To Purdue Pharma: We Won’t Pay For OxyContin Anymore
Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
Embattled drugmaker Purdue Pharma defends OxyContin as some insurers are dropping the drug in favor of other abuse-deterrent opioid painkillers.
The Remedy For Surprise Medical Bills May Lie In Stitching Up Federal Law
Michelle Andrews and Julie Appleby
The wide-ranging law has the potential to blindside many consumers whose health care comes from company and union health plans that are “self-funded,” meaning they pay claims out of their own funds.
Unwitting Patients, Copycat Comments Play Hidden Role In Federal Rule-Making
Sarah Jane Tribble
As HHS decided to cut $1.6 billion in drug payments to hospitals, it weighed thousands of comments generated by a pharmaceutical-funded advocacy group.
Doctor To The Stars Disciplined Over Use Of Controversial Menopause Therapy
Barbara Feder Ostrov
Dr. Prudence Hall has made a name for herself in the field of “bioidentical hormones” — plant-based compounds purportedly customized for each patient’s needs. Experts say the popular approach is unproven; California regulators say she was grossly negligent in her care of two patients.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A Detour On A Smoking Off-Ramp
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call talk about the Food and Drug Administration’s latest actions to address teenagers’ use of e-cigarettes, Arkansas’ Medicaid work requirements and news about the uninsured from the latest federal Census report.
Much Touted For Cancer, ‘Precision Medicine’ Often Misses The Target
Liz Szabo
Doctors and hospitals love to talk about the patients they’ve saved with precision medicine, and reporters love to write about them. But the people who die still vastly outnumber the rare successes.