Latest KFF Health News Stories
After House Health Bill Collapses, Some States Reconsider Implementing Medicaid Expansion
Some states have been reluctant because they feared Congress was going to end the expansion, and that is now less of a concern, experts say. But in Tennessee, the governor says he’s not ready to make that move.
Kansas Lawmakers Send Medicaid Expansion Bill To Brownback
Many conservatives expect the governor to veto the legislation since he has in the past been very critical of the health law’s Medicaid expansion. But he has not yet said what he will do.
Republicans Hold High-Risk Maneuver To Sabotage ACA
But if they employ it, the blame for the resulting chaos could fall at their feet. Meanwhile, insurers now have only a few months to decide if they’re going to participate in next year’s marketplace.
Republicans Get Second Wind On Replacement, But Set No Definitive Timeline This Go-Round
House Republicans are pressing leadership to not give up on repeal and replace, but many know they face long odds. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, at a bipartisan event held out the White House, said he expects everyone to be able to reach a deal “very quickly.”
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Short Shrift For Mental Health Coverage; Medicare’s Firewall From ‘Harmful’ Changes
A collection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On What Happens Now: Can Obamacare Be Fixed Or Will It Be Left To ‘Explode’?
Opinion writers offer their thoughts on this question, outline ways the health law can be spared and examine the direction in which the political winds could send the ongoing debate.
Different Takes On Who’s To Blame For The Demise Of The House GOP Health Plan
Editorial pages across the country offer their thoughts on the blame game as well as the policies and politics that led to last week’s dramatic outcome.
Media outlets report on news from D.C., California, Missouri, Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Clinic Seeks To Turn Marijuana From ‘Gateway Drug’ To Gateway To Treatment
A small but growing number of pain doctors and addiction specialists are overseeing the use of marijuana as a substitute for more potent and dangerous drugs. In other public health news: the opioid epidemic, lead standards, childhood trauma, multiple sclerosis, Zika, HPV vaccines and concussions.
White House Shies Away From Planned Parenthood Defunding Talk
Press secretary Sean Spicer says the Trump administration won’t commit to including the hot-button issue in the upcoming spending bill. In other women’s health news, some states are still moving to protect access to contraception and Democrats try to reconcile their platform with a need to include anti-abortion voters.
McAuliffe Says Health Bill’s Collapse In Congress Signals Need For Virginia To Expand Medicaid
But the state’s Republican lawmakers, who have consistently opposed such a move, appear unlikely to accept the governor’s suggestion. News outlets also examine a proposal in Georgia to revamp Medicaid, a look at how the program for low-income Americans has evolved since the 1960s and a request from Wisconsin to add drug tests for eligibility.
Kansas Senate Gives Preliminary Approval To Medicaid Expansion Bill
Moderate Republicans join with Democrats to easily push through the legislation. But Gov. Sam Brownback has criticized the measure and may veto it.
Federal Government Takes In $22 Billion In Fines Paid By Health Companies Since 2010
Stat looked at data from 39 agencies to analyze which segments of the health care industry have settled with the government. It found that pharmaceutical companies paid the most, accounting for almost 80 percent of penalties.
Price, A Fierce Opponent Of The ACA, Now Stuck Holding The Reins On Administering It
Many expect new Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to shift the regulations onto a more conservative path, but don’t expect him to try to sabotage it completely.
As Big Beneficiaries Of ACA, Hospital Stocks Jump On News Of Replacement Defeat
The stock increases stood out on an otherwise dour day for the markets, as investors fret that President Donald Trump’s failure to push through the health care overhaul bodes poorly for the rest of his economic agenda.
The ACA Is Not Yet Exploding. Here’s What’s Working And What’s Not In Obamacare
NPR and Bloomberg challenge the president’s claim that the Affordable Care Act is “exploding.”
With 2018 Midterms In Not-Too-Distant Future, Each Move On Health Is Politically Fraught
Republicans may be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to addressing health care. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump hits a new low in the polls after his failure to make a deal on the Republican plan, and ads are already running against a lawmaker who supported the American Health Care Act.
Bipartisanship, Once A Four-Letter Word, More Appealing To GOP After Failure To Pass Bill
Both President Donald Trump and congressional lawmakers have signaled a new willingness to work with Democrats. Meanwhile, media outlets offer a look at what comes next, now that the American Health Care Act has been pulled.
Blame Is The Name Of The Game In Aftermath Of GOP Health Bill Collapse
There’s plenty of finger-pointing to go around and it highlights just how hard it will be for Republicans to move forward on any issues despite having control of both chambers and the White House.
