Latest KFF Health News Stories
Eyes Turn Back To Future Of Insurance Subsidies After Replacement Bill Collapse
Republicans could gut much of the Affordable Care Act by taking action to halt insurer payments, which House GOP lawmakers are already challenging in court. Meanwhile, insurance companies seek help from the government to stabilize the marketplaces and look ahead to next year’s plans.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A collection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Taking Stock: After The Smoke Clears, The Health Insurance Issues Remain
Premium costs, essential benefits, Medicaid expansion and the fact that the health industry has a huge impact on the financial markets are among the thoughts on which opinion writers continue to focus.
What Happens Next?: How To Move Forward On Fixing The Nation’s Health Care
Opinion writers speculate on what will happen now for the future of Obamacare.
State Reviews Of The GOP’s Health Plan Implosion
Editorial pages examine who dodged the bullets in their states and detail what went wrong with the American Health Care Act.
Perspectives From Monday Morning Quarterbacks: How The Health Bill Unraveled
Opinion writers analyze what happened last week in Congress when the House GOP’s health law replacement plan came undone.
Media outlets report on news from Massachusetts, Texas, Kansas, Connecticut, Washington, Tennessee, California and Wisconsin.
Iowa Officials Secretly Agree To Help Medicaid Managed Care Companies Cover Some Losses
The three companies that won contracts to manage the state’s Medicaid program have been seeking government help on their $450 million in losses. State officials agreed to contract changes that will cost about $10 million in February but the information was only released Friday in response to a Des Moines Register open-records request. In other Medicaid news, South Carolina nursing homes accept a state offer to settle a dispute, and New Hampshire officials ponder how to improve their funding formula.
New ‘War On Drugs’ Needed To Battle Opioid Crisis, Sen. Manchin Argues
Stat interviews the West Virginia senator about his focus on a national epidemic that has hit his state particularly hard. In related news about the crisis: a New Jersey family files suit against a fentanyl manufacturer, doctor and pharmacy; Maryland lawmakers rush to pass an opioid bill; a New Hampshire physician assistant faces criminal charges over his Subsys prescriptions; and more.
Doctor’s Social Media Promos For His Company’s Cancer ‘Breakthrough’ May Violate Federal Rules
Following questions from Stat about promotion of a non-Food and Drug Administraiton approved treatment, NantKwest softened the language. Meanwhile, The New York Times writes on how more surgeries are being conducted while patients are awake. And other news outlets report on tuberculosis, the flu vaccine, Zika, another virus that can cause birth defects called Cytomegalovirus and more public health stories.
In news from other states’ debates on the abortion issue, an Oklahoma lawmaker defends his antiabortion legislation that does not include an exception for cases of rape or incest, saying such pregnancies are instances when “God can bring beauty from ashes.” And in Montana, state senators advance a measure seeking to protect “pain-capable” fetuses.
Though Convenient, Telehealth Appointments Don’t Cut Costs
A study finds that total annual spending was $45 more per patient for people who used telehealth to treat acute respiratory illnesses than it was for patients who saw doctors for the same conditions.
New Head Of HHS Civil Rights Office Is Opponent Of Transgender Patients’ Rights, Planned Parenthood
Former Heritage Foundation staffer Roger Severino is now listed as the head of the civil rights office, which is in charge of enforcing patient privacy and civil rights protections including that services are free from discrimination and that patients have access to services such as interpreters.
Emboldened By Win, Some Democrats Begin To Dream Big Over Single Payer System
Now that the Republican health plan has failed, some lawmakers look to pull health care further left, including Sen. Bernie Sanders who plans to introduce a “Medicare-for-all” bill.
GOP Turns Attention To Tax Reform, But Grand Plans Take A Blow From Health Law Failure
Not only has Trump’s aura of political invincibility been shattered, but without killing the Affordable Care Act, Republicans will have to take a different approach to rewriting the tax code than previously planned.
Pence Says Health Law Supporters’ ‘Victory Won’t Last Long’
At a rally in West Virginia, the vice president blamed Democrats and a few Republicans for the failure to get a replacement bill through the House. Also, The Washington Post checks out Pence’s statements about selling insurance across state lines.
Already-Jittery Insurers Eye Uncertain Future With Concern
A crisis for the marketplaces could be brewing after the defeat of the American Health Care Act.
Just Because GOP’s Health Plan Was Pulled, Doesn’t Mean Obamacare Won’t Change
A look at what the Trump administration can do to further water down the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act Is Here To Stay For Now — So What Does That Mean For Consumers?
Media outlets offer guidance to anxious consumers on what’s going to happen now that the Republicans’ plans to dismantle the Affordable Care Act have failed.
