Latest KFF Health News Stories
Lawmakers Turn Up The Heat On Painkiller-Makers In Investigation Of Their Role In Opioid Crisis
The House Energy and Commerce Committee wants Purdue Pharma, Mallinckrodt, and Insys Therapeutics to provide documents about their relationships with doctors and sales reps, among other things. Meanwhile, singer Demi Lovato speaks out about her addiction after being hospitalized for an overdose.
But U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw also directed the ACLU to create a steering committee to work with the federal government in its efforts to locate the parents. Meanwhile, new numbers show that far fewer parents than the government first reported waived the chance to be back together with their children before being deported.
Just Because Extended Short-Term Plans Are Allowed Doesn’t Mean Insurers Are Ready To Offer Them
With such short notice for the upcoming year, experts predict consumers will see more changes in insurers’ plans in 2019 rather than an immediate rush to make sweeping changes.
Gubernatorial Candidates Banking On ‘Medicare For All’ Enthusiasm Instead Of Playing It Safe
Although the Democratic party is split on whether to champion a progressive idea that could make candidates vulnerable to attack from Republicans, many on the trail are being vocal about their support for “Medicare for All.”
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Powerful Lessons On Depression, Health Hardships For Shelterless Homeless People
Opinion writers express views on these and other health care topics.
Editorial pages focus on the opioid crisis.
Opinion writers express views on the changes facing health care.
Research Roundup: Firearm Injuries; Mortality Among Homeless; And Opioids
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Media outlets report on news from Puerto Rico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, Iowa and Illinois.
The bill’s sponsor says medical marijuana is often necessary for children with debilitating conditions to be able to attend school. News on marijuana also comes out of New York, Oregon, Colorado and Missouri.
‘I Heard The Screams, The Horrific Screams’: Woman Says She Was Given C-Section Without Anesthesia
The lawsuit claims that the anesthesiologist wasn’t responding quickly enough, so the hospital started on the emergency procedure anyway. The woman passed out from the pain, and her baby was delivered successfully.
Samples that are stripped of any identifying details are extremely lucrative to pharmaceutical companies and other medical organizations, but the consumers have no way of knowing when their data is used. In other public health news: birth defects, Ebola, scooter injuries, brain surgery, and more.
Medicaid Beneficiaries Sue New York For Expanded Coverage For Medically Necessary Dental Work
New York’s program has a ban on dental implants and limits on replacement dentures that some beneficiaries say is affecting their overall health. Medicaid news comes out of Illinois as well.
Case On Pregnant Immigrant Teen Offers Glimpse Of Where Kavanaugh Stands On Roe V. Wade
Although critics of Brett Kavanaugh are focusing on abortion rights to oppose the Supreme Court nominee, there is not a lot in his record that reveals his stance on the issue.
Token Concessions From Pharma Give Trump Victories While Costing Companies Almost Nothing
There has been a lot of fine print in all the price cutting talk from the pharmaceutical industry in recent weeks. For example, most targeted old products that no longer produce much revenue.
FDA Had ‘Fox Guarding The Henhouse’ When It Came To Regulating Powerful Class Of Fentanyl
The agency entrusted enforcement of the drugs to the companies that were making them, documents show. “People were getting hurt — and the FDA sat by and watched this happen,” Dr. Andrew Kolodny, an opioid policy researcher at Brandeis University, tells The New York Times. Meanwhile, under pressure, another pharmaceutical wholesaler agrees to boost oversight of its opioid distribution.
Planned Parenthood To Continue To Receive Family Planning Funds Despite Push To Cut It From Program
But the announcement from HHS did not specify how much the organization would receive in Title X grants, so there’s a possibility it could receive less money than previous years.
Trump Administration Puts Burden On ACLU To Locate Deported Parents Of Separated Children
The American Civil Liberties Union is pushing back, saying that the White House’s “unconstitutional separation practice” precipitated the crisis and that the federal government has far more resources than non-governmental organizations to find the parents.
Bipartisan Majority Knocks Down Cruz’s Attempt To Kill D.C.’s Version Of Individual Mandate
Following the defeat of the measure, Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “Senator Ted Cruz — who otherwise loathes federal government intrusion — launched the most recent attempt to undermine the will of Washingtonians, and we are grateful that a bipartisan majority in the Senate tabled his amendment.” News on the health law comes out of Missouri and Illinois also.
