Latest KFF Health News Stories
News outlets report on health issues in New York, Florida, Ohio, California, Maryland, Illinois, Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New Mexico,
Mo. Lawmakers Pass Bill Aimed At Preventing ‘Double-Dipping’ On Medical Costs In Courts
Media outlets also offer news out of state legislatures in Texas, Montana, Connecticut, Tennessee, Iowa and Kansas.
Alabama Medicaid Program May Benefit As Lawmakers Weigh Plans For BP Oil Spill Funds
The legislature did not fund Medicaid at the level that the governor requested, but one lawmaker says his plan for splitting up the oil settlement could help. News outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida.
New Report Touts E-Cigarettes As Best Hope For Helping Smokers Quit
The Royal College of Physicians, a major British medical organization, broke with American public health officials, saying that the benefits far outweigh the harms with e-cigarettes.
Opioid Epidemic Further Taxes Counseling Workforce Already Susceptible To Burnout, High Turnover
“We’re ready to expand, we have new opportunities and new funding sources. But it’s all sort of moot if we don’t have the people to provide the care,” says Becky Vaughn, vice president of addictions at the National Council for Behavioral Health. In other news, a Baltimore addiction treatment center inspires other states to adapt its collaborative model, bipartisan legislation addressing drug addiction passes through the House Judiciary Committee, and Prince’s death may shine a spotlight on the crisis.
McCain Introduces Bill To Remove Restrictions On Veterans’ Health Care Choices
The legislation would also expand VA clinic operating hours and medicine services. However, New Hampshire’s Veterans Choice program is facing problems, with some providers so frustrated they are refusing to participate.
Hospitals, Groups Eye Nurse Licensing Requirements As Impediment To Potential Telemedicine Benefits
Advocates are targeting rules that require nurses be licensed in each state they work, but they will come up against a powerful opponent: the nurses’ unions.
For Every Mile They’ll Save $100: Study Finds Health Care Costs Vary Widely Even Within Same State
A knee replacement in Riverside, Calif., is about $27,000 less expensive than it is in Sacramento. And that’s just one example of the wide discrepancies analysts found when they looked at costs across the country.
GlaxoSmithKline Reports Rise In Earnings Driven By Vaccine, Health Product Sales
The British drugmaker has also found that ending doctor payments did not undermine drug sales. Meanwhile, Sanofi bids $9.3 billion for cancer biotech Medivation and Vertex’s cystic fibrosis drug sees mixed results.
Pfizer Agrees To Pay $785 Million To Settle Medicaid Drug Discount Case
The suit grew out of allegations that Wyeth, which Pfizer acquired, had hidden from Medicaid officials the discounts that it was giving hospitals on ulcer drugs.
CMS Unveils Proposed Medicare Rule To Reward Or Penalize Physicians Based On Quality Of Care
The new physician payment system was unveiled Wednesday — a year after Congress approved the so-called “doc fix” bill.
Ryan Calls For End To Health Law’s Premium-Cost Protections For People Who Are Ill
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says the provisions that keep insurers from charging sick people higher rates has raised costs for healthy consumers while undermining choice and competition, Reuters reports. Also in health law news are stories on expected premium increases and insurer Anthem’s latest earnings report.
Wyden Introduces Bill Aimed At Protecting Seniors From High Drug Costs
The legislation, proposed by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would make sure Medicare recipients don’t face out-of-pocket costs past a cap of about $7,500.
Valeant Officials, Blasted By Lawmakers For ‘Immoral’ Pricing Practices, Admit To Making Mistakes
“Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. It’s time to slaughter some hogs,” Sen. Claire McCaskill said in opening the committee hearing on high drug prices. Valeant’s outgoing CEO J. Michael Pearson offered his regrets to a skeptical panel, while investor Bill Ackman promised a shift in pricing strategy going forward.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Outgoing Valeant CEO Tells Senators That Drug Price Boost Was ‘A Mistake’
Appearing before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, J. Michael Pearson tells lawmakers that he regrets significantly raising the price of certain drugs. Also testifying are Valeant investor and board member William Ackman and former CFO Howard Schiller.
Viewpoints: Zika Virus Raises Questions About Pandemic Readiness; Cheers And Jeers For Obamacare
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Perspectives On Drug Prices: Neediest Patients Aren’t Seeing Benefits From Rebates
A selection of opinions on drug costs from around the country.
Even Amidst Outcry Against Costs, Pharmaceutical Companies Are Still Hiking Prices
News outlets from across the country report on the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Outgoing Valeant CEO To Issue Mea Culpa For ‘Mistake’ Of Aggressively Boosting Drug Prices
At a Senate Committee on Aging, J. Michael Pearson will testify that he regrets pursuing transactions just to increase the price of the drugs.
