Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Preventing A Rise In Health Costs; Monitoring Artificial Hips; Veterans Care
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: Tenn. Cancer Group Probed; KanCare Not Working For Disabled, Advocates Say
News outlets report on health care developments from Tennessee, California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Calif. Supporters Withdraw Aid-In-Dying Bill After Momentum Stalls In Assembly
The proposal, which would allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication for people with terminal illnesses, was shelved shortly before a legislative hearing.
FDA OKs Drug Said To Dramatically Cut Risks Of Death From Heart Failure
Entresto, made by Novartis, has been shown to reduce death and hospitalizations from heart failure in a large clinical trial. The drugmaker said the pills would cost about $4,500 a year.
Heroin Use Surges As More Young Women, Whites Become Addicted, CDC Says
The federal report finds that heroin deaths quadrupled over the last decade and are closely related to the nation’s prescription drug addiction epidemic.
Aetna’s Bid To Buy Humana Driven By Market Forces
The plan highlights the company’s efforts to exploit business opportunities related to the expansion of coverage under the Affordable Care Act and the rush of baby boomers to Medicare Advantage plans.
CVS Quits U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Over Smoking Issue
The drug store chain — the first to remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from its stores last year — said it was leaving over the lobbying group’s stance on smoking. The chamber has led a global campaign against anti-smoking laws, according to a report in The New York Times.
Consumer Group Asks Colo. To Cut Insurers’ Proposed Premiums
The group says insurers can’t justify premium increases of 20 to 30 percent. Also, North Carolina’s largest insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is eligible for $295 million in federal payouts related to the costs incurred by its sickest enrollees.
Montana Releases Key Plans For Medicaid Expansion
The expansion, approved by the legislature in a bitter fight this year, will now undergo public review and then will be submitted to federal officials. Several aspects could raise concerns with the Obama administration, however. Also, Utah officials say they are not going to meet their self-imposed, end-of-the-month deadline to have a plan for Medicaid expansion.
Health Law’s Contraceptive Coverage Requirements Show Significant Savings For Women
The average woman using the birth control pill saved $255 in the year after the requirement took effect, a new study found. A woman using an intrauterine device (IUD) saved $248.
Republican Lawmakers See Opening In Spending Bills To Thwart Obama
The efforts by Republican members of Congress seek to turn back a wide variety of administration initiatives, including implementation of the health law and other spending on health-related programs.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Paying For Healthy Behaviors; Calif. Anti-Smoking Efforts And Individual Rights
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: New Era For Troubled LA Hospital; Judge Blocks Fla. Abortion Law
News outlets report on health care issues in California, Colorado, Iowa, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas.
Democratic Split Could Torpedo Passage Of Calif. ‘Right To Die’ Bill
As the legislation heads toward a crucial vote in an Assembly committee Tuesday, analysts say it looks unlikely that California will become the latest state to legalize physician-assisted suicide this year. Some point to a split among Democrats from more affluent, white districts and those from Latino districts.
Detroit-Area Cancer Doctor Faces Possible Life In Prison
Dr. Farid Fata, who pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud in September, overtreated hundreds of patients, a government witness testified Monday.
Study Raises New Questions About Mammogram ‘Overdiagnosis’
The research in JAMA Internal Medicine finds that the number of breast cancer diagnoses rose with more aggressive screenings, but the number of deaths remained the same. Also highlighted by a JAMA editorial is the controversy over whether the FDA should approve a “female Viagra.”
Nonprofit, For-Profit Groups Vie For Control Of Lucrative Breast Milk Market
The nonprofit groups generally say milk distribution should be altruistic, while for-profit companies argue mothers deserve to be compensated, The Associated Press reports. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines why paying cash for prescription drugs may be cheaper than using your insurance card.
Recent Outbreaks From Food Infections Signal Safety Gaps In Supply Chain
Some of the outbreaks have been noted in foods that in the past rarely caused problems. Other public health issues in the news include articles on FDA consideration of new rules for vape shops, the increasing use of antipsychotic drugs among teens and concerns about Lyme disease.
Medicaid Uncertainty Means Drug Treatment Expansion On Hold In N.H.
The state is also scheduled to hold more public hearings on a transition to Medicaid managed care. Elsewhere, after securing Medicaid for some children in California illegally, advocates mull coverage for the rest of the family, and Illinois and Maryland deal with their own issues in the safety-net program for the poor.
