Latest KFF Health News Stories
Federal Medicaid Officials Approve Extension Of Kansas’ Managed Care Program For One-Year
The Obama administration had denied the extension and said the program did not have sufficient oversight. Kansas officials submitted a corrective action plan and the Trump administration has approved that.
Walden Says Democrats Are Failing To Negotiate On Funding For Children’s Insurance Plan
Democrats have objected to Republicans’ plans for securing the money to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, says Democrats have not made any counteroffers.
Pharma Is Still ‘Getting Away With Murder,’ Trump Says Hinting At Intent To Bring Down Costs
President Donald Trump railed against high drug prices, reiterating a talking point from the campaign, but though he promised to get prices “way down,” he offered little detail on how to accomplish that.
Drug Czar Nominee Withdraws Following Reports That He Helped Undermine DEA’s Power On Opioids
President Donald Trump says in a tweet that Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) withdrew his name from contention to be the next drug czar after a Washington Post and “60 Minutes” report revealed deep ties to the drug industry. Many lawmakers voiced strong objections to the nomination and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) called for a repeal of a controversial law pushed by Marino that hindered the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to regulate opioids.
Across the country, the health care industry has become a ceaseless job producer. But especially in rural areas where the options are more limited, changing the Affordable Care Act could disrupt already fragile economies.
CMS Letting Plans Adjust Premiums After News That Trump Is Cutting Off Insurer Subsidies
“Insurers in the vast majority of states on the federal exchange submitted rates for the upcoming plan year assuming that CSR payments would not be made, so no rate adjustment is needed,” said spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley. Meanwhile, Bloomberg takes a look at the history of the health plans President Donald Trump is supporting through his executive order.
Trump: Creating Crisis Was Necessary To Get Congress To Negotiate On Health Care
President Donald Trump wants Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to work out a short-term fix for the insurance marketplaces.
First Edition: October 17, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Birth Control Backlash: Trump Should ‘Rethink’ Policy On Contraception Coverage
Editorial pages also take a tough stance on President Donald Trump’s move last week to roll back Affordable Care Act provisions regarding birth control coverage.
Some opinion writers defend the White House’s actions last week regarding the Affordable Care Act — both in terms of the executive order and the announcement that federal payments for cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA will be halted.
Tough Talk: Trump’s Open Warfare Against Obamacare; Ideas That Deepen Health Care ‘Inequality’
Across the country, editorial and opinion writers offer tough talk about the Trump administration’s actions last week to loosen some health insurance restrictions and to stop federal payments for cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act.
Outlets report on news from New York, California, Texas, Puerto Rico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Wisconsin and Kansas.
Childhood trauma plays a large role in the path someone might take in life. Experts think it might be time to start taking that into account when looking at criminals. In other public health news: tuberculosis, fertility, diabetes, cancer and anxiety, breastfeeding, stem cells and more.
How Industry-Friendly Lawmakers Undermined DEA’s Power At Height Of Opioid Crisis
Members of Congress pushed through a law to weaken aggressive Drug Enforcement Administration efforts against drug distribution companies that were supplying corrupt doctors and pharmacists who peddled narcotics to the black market. The Washington Post and “60 Minutes” investigate.
When Maine Voters Decide Whether To Expand Medicaid, Other States Will Be Watching
Health law advocates in Utah are also proposing a referendum on the issue, and the outcome in Maine could influence other states that have put the decision on hold. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, critics of the expansion program point to signs the state budget is in trouble, and a commission in New Hampshire looking at the insurance marketplace there is considering whether the state should move more people with serious medical issues into Medicaid to make the health law’s marketplace plans more stable.
Investigation Finding VA Conceals Shoddy Care, Staff Mistakes Prompts Action At The Agency
A USA Today investigation found that Veterans Affairs managers do not report troubled practitioners to the National Practitioner Data Bank, and that the agency failed to ensure that VA hospitals report disciplined providers to state licensing boards.
VA Secretary Shulkin Has White House Interview To Head HHS
David Shulkin, a physician and a holdover from the Obama administration at the Department of Veterans Affairs, is believed to be one of several candidates to replace former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
Will My Insurance Now Be More Expensive?: Questions Abound After Busy End Of The Week
There’s lots of confusion for consumers about exactly what all this news about the health law means. A handful of different media outlets try to break it down for people.
‘We Anticipated This’: Insurers Not Exactly Floored By Trump’s Decision
It could be hard for insurers to pull their plans off the market for next year, but most companies say they were prepared for the money to evaporate anyway and had baked the contingency into their 2018 premium increases. However, the industry is calling on Congress to fund the payments.
