Latest KFF Health News Stories
Business Gears Up To Provide Services To Retired NFL Players With Dementia
One company plans to build 33 facilities over five years in or near N.F.L. cities across the country. That move comes as businesses look to meet the needs of aging population. Modern Healthcare looks at the move to build units specifically for dementia patients.
Seniors May Face Some Frustrations When Turning To Medicaid To Help Cover Care
USA Today examines some of the difficulties in having Medicaid pay for elder care. Also in Medicaid news, Arkansas’ governor lays out his plans for revamping the state’s Medicaid system.
Insurers’ Bargaining Muscle Gains Strength
As major insurers are set for some big mergers, Anthem files suit against the pharmacy-benefit-management company Express Scripts, a move that could bring insurers even more clout. In other insurance industry news, America’s Health Insurance Plans — the health insurance trade association — plans to figure out more efficient ways to update provider directories.
Jury Finds Merck Patents Valid In Dispute Over Gilead’s Hep C Drug
The jury hasn’t yet decided how much in damages Gilead will have to pay, but Merck has asked for $2 billion and a royalty of 10 percent of the sales going forward.
FDA To Institute Safety Warning Labels For Opioids
They will include messages about the serious risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose and death from the medications, and the Food and Drug Administration expects to warn doctors that the immediate-release opioids should be limited to cases of severe pain where there are inadequate treatment alternatives.
N.H. Senate Begins Debate On Continuing Medicaid Expansion
State lawmakers are considering whether to keep the expansion of the health program for low-income residents that was implemented under the federal health law. Other outlets look at Medicaid expansion news in Montana and Kentucky.
Medicare To Target Diabetes With Proposed Plan To Pay For ‘Lifestyle Change Programs’
Sylvia Mathews Burwell will announce the proposal in which trained counselors would help adults with prediabetes make healthier decisions on the sixth anniversary of the health law that made the program possible.
On Anniversary Of Health Law, Contraception Mandate Goes In Front Of Supreme Court Again
If the court splits 4-4, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, it could leave a patchwork of confusion in place created by conflicting opinions in the lower courts.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Drug Cost Control Plans Based On Misunderstanding; Valeant In The Headlines Again
A selection of opinions from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in Oregon, Kansas, California, Wisconsin, Colorado and Puerto Rico.
Mass. Community Hospitals Struggle With Low Payments
In other Massachusetts hospital news, a heated debate is taking place in the statehouse regarding how hospitals can press insurers to cover virtual visits. Elsewhere, Marketplace reports that hospital mergers within state borders may drive up treatment prices and the CEO of Chicago’s Presence has diagnosed the hospital chain’s financial ills. In Dallas, Parkland Hospital is experimenting with how patients with complex conditions can care for themselves at home.
Ala. Governor Threatens Budget Veto Over Medicaid Appropriation
Gov. Robert Bentley says the budget, which lawmakers are expected to approve this weekend, falls far short of the amount necessary for the program. Meanwhile, Bentley told health workers at a Monroe Country hospital that a lottery might be the most realistic option to raise adequate funding for the health insurance program for low-income people. And, in Mississippi, the Senate approved a bill calling for regular audits of the state’s electronic records system and program beneficiaries.
Even With Universal Lead Testing Some Baltimore Children Fall Through The Cracks
Despite an 86 percent decrease in lead poisoning cases since 2002, hundreds of Baltimore children are still poisoned every year. The city is taking more steps, but some say its not enough. In other news, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder releases goals to help Flint recover from its lead crisis.
Houston Health Officials’ Message: Zika Virus Is Coming, We’d Better Get Ready
Several elements — its location as a “gateway city,” the fact that it is home to the mosquitoes that carry Zika and its economic struggles — combine to create a fertile ground for the virus. In other news, during President Barack Obama’s historic visit with Cuban President Raul Castro, the two leaders discussed the countries’ collaboration over Zika research, among other health care related topics.
Sickle Cell Adults Find Health Care System Not Ready For Them
Before advances in care, patients with sickle cell anemia died in childhood or adolescence. But now that they are living to make the switch from pediatric to adult care, they’re finding an inadequate supply of physicians who have expertise with the condition and a dearth of infusion centers that could help reduce hospitalizations and the lengths of crises, among other struggles.
One City’s Plan To Fight Its Heroin Crisis: Supervised Injection Centers
The mayor knew the idea would spark backlash, but he also knew he had to do something drastic to battle the crisis that held his city in its grip. Meanwhile, STAT offers an interactive graph that shows how the epidemic has spiked in the past 15 years.
Health Care Industry Braces For Its Enemy No. 1: The Republican Front-Runners
With both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz promising to repeal the health law, hospitals, insurers, consulting firms and others whose businesses have boomed see headaches ahead. In other news, Hillary Clinton talks about how she would expand health care of undocumented immigrants.
FDA Proposes Ban On Powdered Surgical Gloves
The Food and Drug Administration said the powder added to some latex gloves can cause breathing problems, wound inflammation and scar tissue on internal organs when used during surgery. It would only be the second time the agency banned a device on the market.
Anthem Files Lawsuit Against Express Scripts Over Prescription Drug Prices
Anthem’s suit said it determined that it was paying “massively excessive prices” to Express Scripts, generating “an obscene profit windfall” for the pharmacy-benefit manager. Express Scripts President Tim Wentworth, who will take over as CEO in May, said he doesn’t intend to lose Anthem as a customer.
