Latest KFF Health News Stories
Different Takes: No Going Backwards On ‘Medicare For All’; Mining The GOP For New Health Care Ideas
Opinion writers weigh in on health care policies.
Research Roundup: Health Law Coverage; HPV Vaccine; And Medicare Part D
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Michigan, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Georgia and Arizona.
It is not uncommon for patients to share the same name and birthday, which can get confusing for traditional record-keeping systems. But technology that relies on things like fingerprints or other physical characteristics could hold the key to eliminating some of the mistakes can result from those mix-ups. In other health technology news: the challenges of telemedicine, virtual reality and childbirth, and electronic health records.
African-Americans have long complained of being ignored by doctors and having their concerns downplayed, with several studies over the years even showing that white doctors sometimes think black patients are less likely to feel pain. The controversy over Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who was graduating from medical school at the time the blackface photo was published, has, for some, reaffirmed that mistrust. In other public health news: Alzheimer’s, wildfires, e-cigarettes, HIV-tainted blood and more.
An outbreak of measles in the Pacific Northwest has cast a new spotlight on the anti-vaccination movement, and officials are encouraging any parents who haven’t vaccinated their kids to make sure to get the shot as more states are hit with cases. Demand for the vaccine is surging in the area, even from families who were previously hesitant.
After Rape Of Comatose Woman, Arizona Governor Requests New Regulations To Protect Disabled Patients
“All Arizonans deserve to be safe — and we have a special responsibility to protect those with disabilities,” Gov. Doug Ducey said in a statement. Arizona in the 1990s created an exemption from state regulation for intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities, and now lawmakers are trying to close that loophole.
Many commercial and Medicare Advantage plans use Medicare fee-for-service rates as a benchmark for most medical services, but a new study showed those rates aren’t comparable for mental health services.
But Florida activists face additional obstacles to get the measure in front of voters. While in Idaho, Maine, Nebraska and Utah, advocates only needed a simple majority for approval, Florida ballot measures must get at least 60 percent support. However, supporters have been cleared by the Florida Division of Elections to begin collecting signatures. Medicaid news comes out of North Carolina, as well.
New Opioid-Rehab Experiment: Alphabet Joins With Ohio Health Care Provider For Tech-Focused Approach
Ohio is one of the states hardest hit by the drug epidemic. The Google parent company said on Tuesday that it will help launch an independent nonprofit called OneFifteen that plans to set up an addiction-treatment facility in Dayton with housing and a behavioral health treatment center. Other news on the epidemic looks at using Twitter to spot usage trends; the impact of antidepressants; the restructuring of the White House drug office and more.
The debate over safe-injection sites has been growing across the country, with advocates saying they will save lives and help get users into treatment. On the flip side, many lawmakers and other leaders worry that it condones drug use in the midst of an aggressive epidemic. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who’s visited a safe injection program in Vancouver, said U.S. Attorney William McSwain is relying on the failed drug policies of the past.
GOP Lawmakers Call For Hearings To Discuss Pitfalls Of ‘Medicare For All,’ But Democrats Shy Away
“Who are you kidding?” asked Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). “Oh sure, we’re going to have a hearing on something that you think will destroy the country.” Pallone’s response was to a letter from Reps. Greg Walden (R-Oregon) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas) asking the committee to address the issue. Meanwhile, some 2020 Democrats are treading carefully when it comes to the controversial issue.
President Donald Trump and his administration have been using the consumer price index for drugs — a figure that experts say doesn’t tell the full story about drug prices at any given time. Questions about the usefulness of the consumer price index for drugs have been raised for years before Trump took office. In other news, pharma companies come out in support of Trump’s plan to target drug rebates.
The initiative largely focuses on target HIV hot spots and expanding access and use of medication to curb the crisis. Advocates say President Donald Trump’s goal is achievable, but it will take more than just an increased push for more medications. Things like health insurance, racism, poverty and other social determinants need to be considered.
“‘Late term’ is an invention of anti-abortion extremists to confuse, mislead and increase stigma,” says Dr. Jennifer Conti. President Donald Trump pointed to recent controversies surrounding abortion procedures later in pregnancies during his State of the Union speech as he called lawmakers to pass a ban on “late-term abortions.” Trump has had success in reaching out to the anti-abortion movement for political support. Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) defends his state’s legislation that Trump criticized in the address.
Democrats Launch Mostly Symbolic Campaign To Roll Back Trump’s Changes To Health Law
Democrats say they have a mandate from the voters to protect preexisting conditions coverage and other popular provisions in the health law. Their new measures to shore up the ACA, which are in direct response to the Trump administration’s efforts to chip away at it, would likely die in the Republican-controlled Senate. But the move lets Democrats create talking points for the 2020 elections.
First Edition: February 7, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health issues and others.
Media outlets report on news from New York, Texas, Hawaii, Arizona, New Hampshire, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee.
When Religion Harms Mental Health, These Groups Help People ‘Be OK With Not Being OK’
A growing awareness of the dangers of “religious perfectionism” is behind the practices some therapists and pastors use to treat post-traumatic stress disorder-type symptoms, including anxiety, self doubt and feelings of social inadequacy. Other news on public health looks at hazardous chemical reports; over-exercise dangers; Alexa patient care and children’s bedtime screen use, as well.
