Latest KFF Health News Stories
The Next Big Question Over Amazon’s Foray Into Prescription Drugs: What Will It Do About PBMs?
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Texas, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Missouri.
There’s currently no federal law for schools to test for lead. In other public health news: an Alzheimer’s test, chronic brain injuries, gene-editing, aspirin, vaping, sleep and more.
Study Sheds Light On Need For More Research About Teens’ Smartphone Usage, ADHD Symptoms
The research suggests that there’s at least a casual link, but experts don’t know the extent of the connection.
Trends With Anti-Anxiety Pills Hearken Back To Early Days Of Opioid Crisis
Experts say that not only is overprescribing of “benzos” putting people at risk for dependence, but are also exacerbating overdoses from opioids. News on the drug epidemic comes out of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Florida, as well.
Previous rulings have mostly come down on the side of the person who does not want to have the baby, with the idea that no one should be forced to become a parent. But new legislation in Arizona favors the party who intends to help the fertilized eggs “develop to birth.”
In other news on veterans health care, a new top health official is named at Veterans Affairs but only temporarily, and the Kansas medical board revokes the license of a former VA doctor.
Despite Topping Profit Expectations, UnitedHealth Underwhelms Some On Wall Street
The insurer lost customers from a core business: administering health coverage for large employers. CEO David Wichmann said that the company is not performing to its full potential and went on to tout digital health as a key part to its future success.
Doctors Sue Anthem Over Company Policy On Not Paying For Some Emergency Care Costs
The insurer instituted the policy with the goal of cutting down unnecessary emergency room visits, which drive up health care costs. But the doctors say Anthem violated legal requirements that insurers cover care in a situation where a “prudent layperson” would believe he or she was experiencing an emergency.
Court’s Decision On Kentucky’s Work Requirements Shouldn’t Discourage Other States, CMS Chief Says
CMS Administrator Seema Verma says the agency is working on ways to move forward while still respecting the court’s decision to block Kentucky’s work requirements. Meanwhile, in November, Idaho voters will get to weigh in on Medicaid expansion.
Appeals Court Delivers Latest Blow To Hospitals By Rejecting Challenge To 340B Changes
The program helps hospitals cover charity costs related to prescriptions drugs. Last July, the Trump administration proposed slashing its higher reimbursement for the drugs by about 27 percent. A judge ruled that the hospitals had challenged the changes prematurely as none of them had taken effect yet, and the court of appeals on Tuesday affirmed the decision.
FDA To Encourage Drugmakers To Seek Over-The-Counter Approvals With Aim Of Lowering Prices
“Our ultimate goal with modernizing our regulatory framework for nonprescription drugs is to help facilitate a market that is more competitive, enables greater access to medical products, empowers consumers in their health care decisions, and provides more affordable options for Americans,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said.
Simply housing more than 2,500 children separated from their families by the Trump administration has cost more than $30 million in the past two months, not to mention other costs. As the price tag continues to tick up, HHS scrambles to figure out ways to pay for the migrant crisis.
Chief Justice John Roberts has previously joined the four liberal justices to preserve the health law, so it is less likely that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s vote would be the one that sways any related decision. Meanwhile, an assessment finds that states’ efforts to protect consumers from high costs after the government ended certain health law subsidies last year is working.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Time To See Child Abuse As Public Health Crisis; Find A Solution To VA Job Vacancies
Editorial pages focus on these and other health topics.
Perspectives: Heartless Policies At The Border? Zero-Tolerance, Zero Asylum
Opinion writers weigh in on health impacts of the Trump administration’s policies at the border.
Media outlets report on news from Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, California, New Hampshire, Connecticut, North Carolina, Colorado and Ohio.
Texas Judge Mentions Possible Supreme Court Abortion Shift During Start Of Fetal Burial Trial
The state argues that required fetal burial will ensure the dignity of the unborn by treating the fetal tissue differently from other medical waste that is incinerated and spread in sanitary landfills.
Field Of Psychology Self-Evaluates As Foundational Experiments Keep Getting Overturned
There have been several attacks recently on the “classic” experiments that help make up the way we think about human behavior. In other news: cognitive tests, cancer treatments, eye infections, prion disease, ICUs and more.
