Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Is It An Obamacare Replace, Repair Or Cleanup?; Rolling Back A ‘Sensible’ Gun Limit
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on news from Kansas, Florida, California, New Jersey and Minnesota.
Not All Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers Are Created Equal
The New York Times breaks the options down by what pain they treat, side effects and other information the consumer should know before buying the drugs. In other public health news, breast cancer surgeries, crash test dummies, mysterious illnesses, supplements and salads.
Advocates, Officials Warn Repeal Would Undermine Progress Made Against Opioid Epidemic
Medicaid expansion and the law’s mandate that all insurers cover addiction treatment at the same level as medical and surgical procedures have helped states make strides in the battle against opioid addiction.
Medicaid Block Grants Advocated By GOP Could Reduce Federal Spending By $150B Over 5 Years
The analysis by consulting firm Avalere also suggests states would have to put in more money to keep the same services. In other news, efforts to overhaul the health law raise concerns about new Medicaid coverage among the homeless, Medicaid issues are on the agenda in the Kansas legislature and a doctor staffing company agrees to pay $60 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicaid and Medicare.
An Iraqi Doctor In Trump Country
Dr. Chalak Berzingi was looking for a place he was needed. He found it in medically underserved Elkins, West Virginia. But now, the immigration ban could prevent doctors like him from practicing in towns that need them the most.
Administration Sends Rule To OMB To Stabilize Insurance Market, But The Clock Is Ticking
Since Republican efforts to revamp the health law have slowed down, insurers and consumer advocates have raised concerns that the uncertainty could keep companies from offering coverage in the law’s marketplaces in 2018.
Republicans Have Been Quietly Chipping Away At Health Law For Years
Ever since it was enacted, the health law’s funding has been a target for appropriators, which Democrats say contributed to the current problems people are experiencing.
Covered California Enrollment Slips In Tandem With Federal Trend Of Fewer Sign-Ups
But state officials said they met their projections of 400,000 new enrollees. Media outlets report on the health law and enrollment in Colorado, Ohio and Minnesota as well.
Effects From Repeal Would Ripple Through Entire Economy, Creating ‘Noticeable’ Slowdown
Most of the job cuts would result from two factors: the loss of federal spending for premium tax credits that help people pay for marketplace coverage, and the loss of spending for Medicaid services. In related news, Massachusetts officials say reviving the old system in their state if the health law is repealed is unrealistic; Minnesota’s efforts to stabilize its marketplace may offer a peek into the future; the medical device industry is on tenterhooks over a tax on its products; and more.
Anxiety Mounts Among Conservative Members Who Fear Momentum Is Fading On Repeal
Uneasy with the new, deliberative tone coming from both the president and other Republicans, some lawmakers are intensifying their efforts to make sure the House takes swift action on dismantling the health law.
Trump, GOP Lawmakers Pump The Brakes On Replacement Amid Political Backlash
The president walked back his promises to rapidly dismantle the health law, and Republicans on Capitol Hill are now using tamer rhetoric when they talk about “repair” instead of “replace.”
First Edition: February 7, 2017
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Grading Obamacare; The Thorny Challenges Involved In Repeal
Opinion writers analyze the GOP’s fortitude in its push to dismantle the health law, as well as offer thoughts on how well Obamacare worked, what this year’s enrollment numbers mean and how to proceed with Medicaid.
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Outlets report on news from Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida.
‘I Just Couldn’t Hang On’: Students Seeking Mental Health Help Often Stranded On Waiting Lists
There’s a booming demand for mental health services for college students, and the institutions just can’t keep up. In other public health news, cancer rates and geography, a rare brain disease, heart stents, e-cigarettes and more.
In New Trend, Counties Are Going After Opioid Makers
“Their greedy, soulless drive for ever-expanding profits is destroying our society and we must take steps to reduce the damages and fix this problem,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a statement about the latest lawsuit targeting the companies.
Researchers, Business Interests Anxiously Await Patent Decision On CRISPR
The patent dispute over the gene-editing technology has been with the court for two months, but some observers believe a decision could be coming soon.
Utah Seeks To Expand Medicaid To Cover Up To 5,000 More Low-Income Parents
The state last year asked federal officials to approve a plan to expand Medicaid to 9,000 to 11,000 Utahns but that hasn’t yet received a review. Also in the news, Indiana officials are asking the Medicaid program to not cover one form of the drug Suboxone, which is used to treat addiction, because they are concerned about its proliferation in the state’s prisons and jails, where some people use it to get high.
