Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health care stories are reported from Florida, Connecticut, California, Ohio and Georgia.
Assisted Suicide Bill To Get New Hearings In California’s Special Legislative Session
In other state legislative news, Florida’s House forms a panel to advance health proposals. Meanwhile, medical marijuana proposals also are getting retooled and re-examined in these states.
Mass. General To Take On Children’s Hospital In Ad Campaign
News outlets from Florida, Pennsylvania and Kansas report on other hospital news.
17,000 Arkansans Lose Medicaid Despite Federal Change In Renewal Process
Meanwhile, allegations of Medicaid billing and bidding fraud are hot topics in Pennsylvania and Iowa. And news outlets in New Jersey and Florida offer additional coverage of Medicaid developments.
Legal Wrangling Heats Up Over Planned Parenthood Funding In Louisiana
Lawyers filed documents on behalf of the Louisiana health secretary in advance of a Wednesday court hearing in which Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast is seeking to keep the Jindal administration from removing its clinics as Medicaid providers.
Meanwhile, as the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs grab attention from lawmakers and government officials, Politico reports that disease advocacy groups have been conspicuously quiet in the debate.
Alaska Supreme Court Greenlights Medicaid Expansion
The state’s high court did not grant a temporary restraining order to opponents of the expansion plan and allowed enrollment to begin today.
Public, Private Employers Develop Plans, Strategies For Looming Cadillac Tax
In other news, a government report finds that fewer Americans are going without health care because of cost concerns and the number of people in Colorado who have health insurance reaches a historic high.
Judge Allows Group To Claim Moral Objection To Health Law’s Mandate On Birth Control Coverage
A federal judge ruled that employers, such as the organization March for Life, can claim an exemption to this requirement based on moral or ethical grounds, as well as religious ones.
Dr. Lisa Tseng pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges in the deaths of three of her patients who overdosed on pain killers she prescribed. Prosecutors accuse her of recklessly doling out pills in three-minute appointments while the defense says the victims abused their prescriptions.
Investigations Of Medical Errors At VA Hospitals, Clinics Down 18 Percent, GAO Report Finds
Over the same four-year time period, errors rose 14 percent through the Department of Veterans Affairs system. Meanwhile, the ongoing troubles at the agency and attempts to reform its issues with providing health care to vets has stifled doctor recruitment.
First Edition: September 1, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: GOP’s ‘Retread’ Health Plans; Mich. Faces Medicaid Bill; Dying With Dignity
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Health care stories are reported from Louisiana, Minnesota, Florida, Ohio, California, Washington and Illinois.
Expanding Access To Drug Treatment A Struggle In New Hampshire
Meanwhile, Maine ups its focus on drug enforcement as the heroin epidemic worsens.
Feds Say Arkansas’ 10-Day Medicaid Renewal Deadline Violated Regulations
News outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Georgia, California, New Jersey and Iowa.
Planned Parenthood Sues Alabama Gov. Over Cancelled Medicaid Funding
Planned Parenthood Southeast joined with the American Civil Liberties Union in a lawsuit against Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, alleging that his recent decision to to cancel Medicaid contracts with the reproductive health organization is in violation of federal law.
Insurers Evaluate New Expensive Cholesterol Drugs For Possible Preferred Designation Deals
Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare and NBC report on surprise out-of-network charges and balance billing while The Fiscal Times writes about 2016 Medicare premium jumps.
NLRB Ruling Could Alter Relations Between Health Care Facilities And Temporary Workers
The ruling states that staffing agency workers are jointly employed by both the agency and the organization — such as hospitals — where they are working. That means the health care employers may become involved in collective bargaining with the temporary workers, Modern Healthcare reports. Other news coverage explores whether nurse practitioners could be an alternative to physicians in efforts to address workforce shortages.
Planned Parenthood Funding On Lawmakers’ Post-Break Agenda Amidst Heavy Lobbying
As the women’s health organization has been holding rallies, commissioning polls and running ads, Republican congressional leaders debate the legislative options for holding a vote to try to defund Planned Parenthood.
