Latest KFF Health News Stories
The city is the latest to take a stand against the Trump administration’s proposed policy that would penalize legal immigrants who are seeking green cards for accepting government aid such as Medicaid. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers at the national level are coming out against the proposal.
Obama Strikes Serious Tone As He Implores People To Sign Up For Health Law Coverage Before Deadline
“No jump shots. No ferns. No memes. Not this time. I’m going to give it to you straight: If you need health insurance for 2019, the deadline to get covered is December 15,” tweeted former President Barack Obama, who in the past has taken more light-hearted approaches. “Pass this on — you just might save a life.” Enrollment news comes out of Maryland and Georgia, as well.
Health Industry Groups: Congress Must Act To Protect Patients From Surprise Medical Billing
“When doctors, hospitals or care specialists choose not to participate in networks, or if they do not meet the standards for inclusion in a network, they charge whatever rates they like,” wrote the groups, which include powerful lobbyists like the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the National Business Group on Health, and the Consumers Union. “The consequence is millions of consumers receiving surprise, unexpected medical bills that can often break the bank.”
Next year, lawmakers are expected to take on various pieces of legislation and an array of investigations on such issues as preventing veteran suicide, the quality of VA nursing homes and the implementation of the Choice program, a comprehensive measure concerning veterans health care passed this year.
Planned Parenthood’s State Medicaid Funding Protected After Supreme Court Decides Not To Hear Case
The decision drew rebukes from the court’s more conservative judges, with Justice Clarence Thomas saying his colleagues’ refusal to hear the case over Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood was politically motivated. “What explains the court’s refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named ‘Planned Parenthood,’” Thomas wrote.
Experts offer tips to keep off those one or two pounds that many Americans gain in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
First Edition: December 11, 2018
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Planned Parenthood’s State Funding Protected With Supreme Court’s Decision Not To Hear Case
Five Supreme Court justices rejected an appeals case from Kansas and Louisiana in their effort to withhold Medicaid money from Planned Parenthood. As a result, two lower court rulings stay in place that block the states from stripping funds from the women’s reproductive health organization. Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the three dissenting judges, accused his colleagues of avoiding the case for political reasons.
Editorial pages focus on these health care topics and others.
Opinion writers weigh in on issues stemming from the opioid crisis.
Media outlets report on news from California, New York, Michigan, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Kansas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Florida and Minnesota.
Weeklong Strike Set To Start For 4,000 Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Professionals In California
“This strike is a clear message to Kaiser that its mental health clinicians won’t stand by silently while their patients can’t get the care they need,” union leader Sal Rosselli said in a statement. Kaiser Permanente claims the union is most interested in raising wages that are already among the best in the nation.
Aging Roundup: Emergency Care; Elder Abuse; Alzheimer’s; And Holiday Cheer
Media outlets take a look at various issues surrounding aging, including what to look for when trying to spot elder abuse; how difficult the emergency room can be for seniors; how to keep the aging body and brain healthy; and more.
Doctors Who Treat Gunshot Victims Tell NRA Why Gun Safety Is Their ‘Highway’
After the NRA said “anti-gun” physicians should stay in their lane, a growing number of doctors join the social media campaign with the hashtag “#ThisIsOurLane,” gaining support from the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Other gun violence news looks at a lack of CDC gun studies, a faulty high school active shooter drill and disturbing writings from the Sandy Hook shooter.
Hospital-Acquired Infections Dip, But Experts Say That There’s Still More Work To Do
Experts say there are certain infection types–such as pneumonia or C. diff–that aren’t showing any progress. Meanwhile, health care executives weigh in on what a politically divided Congress will mean to the hospital industry. And other hospital news comes out of Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas.
This Company’s Souped Up Hospital Bed Includes Sensors To Monitor Patients’ Vitals
The latest-generation bed’s sensors could also detect movement that would alert providers if the patient was falling out. The transformation of a low-tech medical staple reflects how much the hospital is undergoing a digital makeover.
Young Pa. Mayor’s Fatal Fentanyl Overdose A Snapshot Of Epidemic That Is Still Gripping Nation
Brandon Wentz was only 24 when he had to resign as mayor from a small Pennsylvania town because his family was moving. The day after he wrote his resignation letter, he died of an overdose. Other news on the national drug crisis is reported from Michigan, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Texas and California.
HHS Opens Public Comments For Virginia’s Work Requirements Waiver
Since the Trump administration has approved work requirements in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, it’s likely that Virginia’s will also get the green light. Medicaid news comes out of Ohio and Texas, as well.
A recent investigation also found that staff at a Texas facility haven’t even undergone FBI fingerprint checks, let alone child welfare screenings. The Florida and Texas facilities can operate unlicensed and without required checks because they are located on federal property and thus don’t have to comply with state child welfare laws.
The Ripple Effect Of Halting Fetal Tissue Research: Study Hunting For Cure For HIV Is Shut Down
When HHS began its review of fetal tissue in September, the National Institutes of Health put in place a “pause” in the procurement of that kind of tissue, a decision that has rippled across multiple labs around the country.
