Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
Secret Drug Coverage Deals May Increase Consumers’ Costs
Meanwhile, Walgreens continues efforts to strengthen its relationship with the drug wholesaler, AmerisourceBergen; and investors fret over Gilead’s next steps.
Valeant Shake-Up: CEO Out, CFO Denies Accusations Of ‘Improper Conduct’
The company also announced hedge-fund manager William Ackman will be added to its board. Valeant has been plagued with troubles since last August, enduring stock-price stumbles, questions about its accounting practices, attacks on its strategy of raising drug prices, a lengthy medical leave by CEO Michael Pearson and the internal review that delayed the filing of its annual report.
The administration might have an advantage in front of the Supreme Court in its defense of the contraception mandate for not-for-profit groups, but it also faces questions about whether it has shown a compelling interest in making sure all women get contraception coverage.
As Increasing Numbers Gain Coverage Under Obamacare, GOP Faces Dilemma
The Associated Press looks at the difficult choice for Republicans who oppose the president’s health program but haven’t offered much to replace it for the millions of people who would be uninsured without it. Other health law news includes reports on broadening transgender rights, administration efforts to promote the law and possible changes to a program to help insurers deal with outsized risks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A selection of opinions from around the country.
News outlets report on health issues in California, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts.
Christie Proposes Moratorium On Nonprofit Hospitals’ Property Taxes
The plan faces an uphill battle in the state’s legislature though. Media outlets report on other hospital developments in Florida; Washington, D.C., and Illinois.
Once Secure Funding For Alabama Medicaid Is Now Imperiled
Lawmakers moving forward with budget that does not give officials their full request for the health program for low-income residents. News outlets also report on Medicaid issues in Connecticut and New Mexico.
The Supreme Court is considering whether the Texas law puts undue burdens on women seeking abortions. In other news, out-of-state women flock to New Mexico, a state that has few abortion restrictions, and an Oklahoma bill that would require schools to add an anti-abortion curriculum to their classes may be too expensive to implement.
Latest N. H. Opioid Death Numbers Show No Relief From Epidemic
The state is third in the country, behind West Virginia and New Mexico, for per capita drug deaths. In other news, a woman faces struggles with insurance and finding available treatment when she tries to find help for her son, who is addicted to pain killers.
Flint Just ‘Tip Of Iceberg’ On Lead In Schools
Most schools are not required to test for lead in their water under federal law, and even if districts do they don’t have to tell parents about the results. “Right now there is a yawning gap in our lead-testing protocols,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.
How A Vermont Law Is Turning The Food Industry On Its Head
Congress failed to block Vermont’s GMO labeling law, which goes into effect July 1, and because of the logistical headaches of only labeling products for one state, some companies will start labeling food across the country.
Puerto Rico’s Landscape, Climate and Economy Create Perfect Storm For Zika Outbreak
One-quarter of the population is expected to be infected with the virus within a year, and up to 80 percent could be eventually affected overall. In other Zika news, if the virus starts spreading in the U.S. it could set off a political debate just in time for the presidential election, the CDC adds Cuba to its travel warning list, Connecticut confirms its first case, and Democrats are calling for Republicans to pass Zika funding.
Johnson & Johnson Seeks To Settle Cases Linking Uterine Cancer To Surgical Device
The cases involve a laparoscopic power morcellator made by J&J that doctors now fear helped spread undetected cancers. Also, the Food and Drug Administration is looking at the possible malfunctioning of devices that measure blood clotting and are commonly used in homes and doctors’ offices.
Advocates Warn Return Of House Calls Puts Strain On Limited Physician Field
As new apps allow patients to bring a health care provider to their house with a click of a button, there are those who think the model won’t scale with the current shortfall of doctors. But in other news, home visits pay off for new mothers and kids with asthma.
