Latest KFF Health News Stories
Research Roundup: Medicaid Expansion And Consumers’ Costs; Better Use Of Brokers
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
State Highlights: Va. Budget And New Mental Illness Money; Medicaid Dilemmas In Rhode Island, Ohio
A selection of health policy stories from Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, Ohio, Kansas and Arkansas.
FDA Chief Margaret Hamburg Announces Departure Plans
Media outlets review the agency’s accomplishments and controversies during her six-year tenure. The Wall Street Journal speculates that Robert Califf, a widely regarded Duke University cardiologist, who was just hired as the agency’s deputy commissioner, may be her successor.
Medicare To Cover Lung Cancer Screening For Those At Highest Risk
The decision takes effect immediately and applies to Medicare beneficiaries aged 55 to 77 who are smokers or who quit within the last 15 years and racked up at least 30 “pack years.”
Conservative Republicans Ally With Vaccine Skeptics
Elsewhere, The Washington Post factchecks some assertions that illegal immigration is to blame for the recent measles outbreak. And, new vaccine legislation is considered in California and other states.
Democrats Skewer GOP ‘Replacement’ For Obamacare
Democrats say the proposal would leave Americans with less coverage and higher costs. Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal condemns ‘Democrat-Lite Republicans’ who are insufficiently tough on the health law — some say to boost his 2016 presidential prospects.
Arkansas Lawmakers Extend Landmark Medicaid Expansion Plan
The plan, which won federal approval to use health law funds to buy private insurance for the poor, had been under attack by some Republicans. News outlets also track Medicaid expansion developments in Idaho and North Carolina.
Can A Strapped IRS Enforce Obamacare Rules?
The agency’s added responsibilities come as Congress slashed its budget by $346 million this year, reports The Fiscal Times. Other stories look at the continued sign-up problems of legal immigrants and the Virginia man whose name is on the legal challenge to the health law’s subsidies that will be heard this spring by the Supreme Court.
What Consumers Need To Know About The Anthem Hack
News outlets offer tips to help people protect themselves if they are among the tens of millions of customers whose health and personal information was stolen.
Hackers Who Stole Anthem’s Database Got Names, Birthdates, Social Security Numbers
Officials warn customers of possible identity theft from one of the biggest data breaches on record.
Cyber Attackers See Potential Bounty In Targeting Medical Information
Criminals are increasingly seeking to use hacking abilities to collect health information that can be sold for a premium on the black market.
First Edition: February 6, 2015
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Vaccines Aren’t Red Or Blue; Doc Fixes May Be Good For The Budget
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Longer Looks: Hospitals On A Weekend; Health Care Costs; Latino Enrollment
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
State Highlights: Conn. Hospital Acquisition Talks End
A selection of health policy stories from Connecticut, Colorado and Florida.
Nursing Assistants Face More Workplace Injuries Than Any Other Profession
There are more than 35,000 back and other injuries among nursing employees annually, according to surveys by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, pharmacists urge Medicare to protect seniors from insurance changes that make it difficult to fill prescriptions.
Report: Health Costs For Alzheimer’s To Soar
A report from the Alzheimer’s Association projects that as the population ages, Medicare and Medicaid costs related to the disease will more than double by 2030.
Calif. Lawmakers Push To End Vaccination Exemption Based On ‘Personal Beliefs’
State legislators introduce a bill that would end the ability of parents to cite their personal beliefs to gain an exemption from the requirement for children to be fully vaccinated before entering school, and the state’s two U.S. senators also called for a change in the law.
Gilead Stock Dips On Details About Discounting Of Hepatitis Drugs
Despite record sales of its new hepatitis C drugs, Gilead Sciences saw its stock price drop as much as 10 percent after the company acknowledged that it planned to double the discounts given on those drugs in 2015. The average discount was more than investors had anticipated.
Tennessee Lawmakers Reject Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan would have covered 280,000 low-income Tennesseans. Although it contained market -based elements and hospitals had pledged to cover the state’s portion of the bill, lawmakers defeated it in a committee vote.
