Latest KFF Health News Stories
Measuring traces of the drugs in the wastewater can paint a detailed picture of the epidemic, and give a powerful tool to communities that are struggling. Other news on the crisis comes out of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Kansas.
Hospitals are also facing pressure from federal regulators who are demanding more transparency over health care costs. In other hospital news: the American Hospital Association submits ideas on how to reduce the backlog of denied Medicare claims; hospitals are expanding to fit the needs of transgender patients; and Washington state’s largest psychiatric hospital has lost its federal certification.
The thinking has been that requiring workers to shoulder more of the cost of care will also encourage them to cut back on unnecessary spending. But it didn’t work out that way. In other industry news: competition in the marketplace and General Electric’s plans to spin-off its health care business.
First Marijuana-Based Drug Approved By FDA In Expected Move
The drug, Epidiolex, is used to treat seizures in a very small population with a rare form of epilepsy. It does not create a high for patients.
While the VA called the data behind the analysis “fake news,” the report finds residents in a majority of the nursing homes serving nearly 50,000 veterans endured potential neglect and inadequate pain management. “They should be assessing individuals and doing what they can to manage it,” said Robyn Grant, director of public policy and advocacy at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. “And if it’s not working, they should be trying different things.”
Advocates Warn About Lingering Health Problems In Detained Children Even After Short Amount Of Time
Meanwhile, the administration has temporarily halted the prosecution of parents and guardians, unless they have a criminal history or the child’s welfare was in question, and Republicans are looking at a narrow fix for the crisis instead of a sweeping overhaul of immigration policy.
Not only is there a lack of abrupt exits from the marketplaces like there have been in the past, but insurers are also actually starting to expand their offerings to new areas. Experts say that if not for the legal and political uncertainty surrounding the law, the marketplace would be “very robust” right now.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers focus on these and other health issues.
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Florida, Ohio, Kansas, Arizona, California and Wisconsin.
Internet-connected locks, speakers, thermostats, lights and cameras that have been marketed as the newest conveniences are now also being used as a means for harassment, monitoring, revenge and control. In other public health news: pandemics, breathing tubes, precision medicine, pregnancy vaccines, and more.
Michigan Poised To Become Fifth State To Impose Work Requirements On Medicaid Beneficiaries
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill on Friday to add the restrictions, which need approval from the Trump administration. Medicaid news comes out of Pennsylvania, Texas and Kansas, as well.
Reproductive Rights Groups See Hope In Judge’s Questions About Family Planning Grants
The groups sued the administration after officials announced major changes to the $260 million federal Title X family planning grant process. After appearing in court, the groups expressed optimism for their case. Clare Coleman, president and chief executive of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, said: “I think we had a great day. I think the judge knew the importance of Title X. … I feel confident he heard the arguments we were advancing.”
Direct primary care is similar to concierge medicine but supporters say it is available to people across the economic spectrum. Advocates of the model hail it as better for patients looking for more personal, convenient care and as a solution for harried doctors who want to focus on patients, but critics worry those patients may be overpaying for care.
Hospice Care Has Become Booming Multibillion-Dollar Industry — And More And More Companies Want In
Humana is planning on buying two chains that together would create the industry’s biggest operator. But there’s more to hospice care than just profits. Meanwhile, some not-for-profit health systems are using methods to get around penalties on high employee compensation.
Most Doctors Missing A Crucial Tool In The Fight Against Opioid Addiction
Science shows that buprenorphine, a medication that helps suppress the cravings and withdrawal symptoms, works in addiction treatment, but only about 5 percent of doctors are able to prescribe it. In other news on the crisis: a chat with the Trump administration’s director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; a look at how the epidemic tracks how people voted; and more.
Congress has been working on passing more than 50 bills aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic, many of which will pour money into an industry that’s been hungry for funds. “When you hear they’re investing $3 billion in this in 2018 and $3 billion in 2019, everyone’s ears are going to perk up,” said Andrew Kessler, the founder of behavioral health consulting firm Slingshot Solutions.
Law Aims To Help Medicare Tackle Expensive Problem Of Costs From Chronic Illnesses
Half of Medicare patients are treated for five or more chronic conditions each year, and they account for three-fourths of Medicare spending. The law, which has bipartisan support, allows Medicare to focus on the social factors outside the reach of traditional medicine.
There’s little chance that any mentions are going to break though the cable news cycle that tends to focus on the latest stories coming out of the administration. So, the candidates are going to have to pay for their airtime. Meanwhile, polling data shows that Republicans are on the hook with voters when it comes to high premiums.
Separation Policy May Be Over, But The Psychological Trauma Isn’t, Mental Health Experts Warn
There are no clear plans to reunite the migrant children who were separated from their parents, and mental health experts say that continued stress is bound to take a psychological toll. “People have been very focused on technical pieces of this process, and the egregiousness of children in cages,” said Jennifer Rodriguez, executive director of the Youth Law Center, an advocacy group based in San Francisco and focused on protecting the rights of children. “But they’re not thinking about most basic fundamental trauma we’re inflicting on people.”
