Hospitals and Doctors Are Fed up With Medicare Advantage
By Julie Appleby
November 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Medicare Advantage plans are pretty popular with both lawmakers and ordinary Americans — they now enroll about 31 million people, representing just over half of everyone in Medicare, by KFF’s count. But among doctors and hospitals, it’s a different story. Across the country, provider grumbling about claim denials and onerous preapproval requirements by Advantage plans […]
Bristol Myers Squibb Warned Over Drug Prices; FDA Has New Concerns Over Philips Sleep Apnea Machines
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Viewpoints: Calling PTSD A Disorder Is Affecting Its Treatment; How Long Should One Stay In Hospice Care?
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle PTSD, hospice care, total abortion bans and racism in health care.
Senators Debate Whether Gun Violence In US Is A Public Health Emergency
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee heard from health care professionals on the frontlines of the gun crisis during a hearing Tuesday. Democrats on the panel argued that violence levels should be considered a public health emergency.
Abortion Rights Ballot Effort In Arkansas Thwarted By Republican AG
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
State Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected a proposed ballot measure to enshrine limited abortion rights in the state constitution. The proposal won’t appear on the 2024 ballot. Also in the news, Texas Supreme Court justices hear arguments over the state’s strict law.
Biden Admin Presses RSV Shot Makers To Step Up Deliveries
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
White House officials met with RSV immunization manufacturers this week, with expected rising demand for the shots as cases among children soar during winter. Also in the news, a study suggests getting a flu shot may reduce the risk of heart attack.
FDA Warns Anti-Cancer CAR-T Treatment May Itself Cause Cancer
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
CAR-T has been approved for life-threatening blood cancers for several years, but the FDA reported it had learned of a limited number of patients with new cancers after the treatment. Some experts disagree, and note other cancer treatments may have higher known risks.
Mayo Clinic To Build $5 Billion Health Care Campus In Minnesota
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
The plan, Minnesota Public Radio reports, is to change traditional health care models by creating a technology-laden health care “neighborhood,” in Rochester, Minn. Also in health industry news: Kaiser Permanente; Community Health Systems; ChatGPT; and more.
Florida Lawmaker Floats Low-Cost Housing Effort For Health Workers
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
The proposal includes state money to help the hospital build a multi-unit housing project to help attract health care workers. In Iowa, a lawsuit claims an insurance company helped influence state lawmakers to reform tort law. Other state health news is from New Hampshire, Wyoming, and elsewhere.
Researchers Identify Optimal Walking Speed To Reduce Diabetes Risk
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
A brisk walk can deliver the greatest benefit — around 87 steps per minute for men and 100 steps per minute for women — according to the new analysis. Separate research focuses on the impact of exercise on brain health as we age.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, November 29, 2023
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
Medicaid enrollment, forever chemicals, life expectancy, gun violence, suicide rates, RSV shot shortages, cancer, and more are in the news.
Life Expectancy In US Recovering From Pandemic Dive But Has Ways To Go
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
U.S. life expectancy rose in 2022 for the first time since the covid pandemic started, according to new CDC data. That rebound does not compensate though for the years of life lost to the virus, as well as other causes like drug overdoses, homicides, and chronic illnesses.
More Americans Died By Suicide In 2022 Than Any Year On Record
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
The CDC says nearly 50,000 lives were lost in 2022 through intentional self-harm — up 3% from 2021’s figure. The CDC data is provisional, too, and the final count may rise.
Biden Campaign, Pelosi Take Aim At Trump’s Call To Repeal Obamacare
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is leaning into President Donald Trump’s pledge to overturn and replace the Affordable Care Act if voted back into the White House, enlisting former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to attack that stance.
First Edition: Nov. 29, 2023
November 29, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
‘Forever Chemicals’ in Thousands of Private Wells Near Military Sites, Study Finds
By Patricia Kime
November 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
New research finds that private wells near more than 82% of select military sites were contaminated with PFAS chemicals.
Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Makes Other Public Assistance Harder to Get
By Katheryn Houghton and Rachana Pradhan and Samantha Liss
November 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The bottleneck caused by states’ reevaluation of Medicaid enrollees has swept up low-income families that rely on other safety-net services.
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Use Trump’s Covid Record to Court Vaccine Skeptics
By Darius Tahir and Daniel Chang
November 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Candidates see former President Donald Trump’s embrace of his administration’s covid-19 vaccine policies as an opportunity to gain ground. So far, their efforts haven’t found traction.
Estrategia de Trump y sus adversarios de campaña: desinformar sobre las vacunas contra covid
By Darius Tahir and Daniel Chang
November 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
La dinámica resultante podría impactar más allá del ciclo electoral, y afectar la política de salud pública en los próximos años. Y afectar a otras importantes vacunas.