KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': More Medicaid Messiness
September 27, 2023
Podcast
At least 30 states are reinstating coverage for children wrongly removed from the rolls under Medicaid redetermination, the federal government reported. It’s just the latest hiccup in the massive effort to review the eligibility of Medicaid beneficiaries now that the program’s pandemic-era expansion has expired. And federal oversight of the so-called unwinding would be further complicated by an impending government shutdown. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Samantha Liss, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about a hospital bill that followed a deceased patient’s family for more than a year.
As Covid Infections Rise, Nursing Homes Are Still Waiting for Vaccines
By Jordan Rau and Tony Leys
September 27, 2023
KFF Health News Original
“People want covid-19 to be in the rearview mirror,” one nursing home official says. Faced with a slow rollout of the updated covid vaccines, and without state mandates for workers to get vaccinated, most skilled nursing facilities are relying on persuasion to boost vaccination rates among staff and residents.
Perspectives: Psychedelics Potential As Therapy Undermined By Unregulated Use
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read recent commentaries about pharmaceutical issues.
Viewpoints: Congress Can Help Fix The Doctor Shortage; People Are Confused By The Word ‘Tripledemic’
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle the physician shortage, the “tripledemic,” Medicaid and suicide prevention.
California Governor Signs New Gun Control Measures Into Law
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The laws will toughen the rules around concealed-carry, as well as imposing new taxes on sales of firearms and ammunition. Also in California: a last-minute labor deal has ended worries over a health worker strike at a lon-profit provider. Other health news is from Missouri, Massachusetts, Oregon, Louisiana, and elsewhere.
Molnupiravir May Be Triggering Covid Mutations; New FDA Guidance On Antibiotics In Food Animals
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Firearm Access Is Driving Up Teenage Boy Suicide Rates Dramatically
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Data show teenage boys’ suicide rates were more than three times higher than for girls between 2018 and 2020, and the majority were by firearm. Another report covers suicides among nursing staff. Other research shows: high suicide rates for nurses; and that teens’ days are punctuated by phone notifications, even at night.
Centene To Lay Off 3% Of Workforce To Lower Costs
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The move impacts about 2,000 employees and is part of an effort to lower costs. In other news, reports say health tech startups have fallen since high numbers in 2021; consulting company McKinsey will pay $230 million in opioid settlements; Eli Lilly’s $176.5 million patent loss is overturned; and more.
Study Finds Exposure To Tear Gas Impacts Reproductive Health Outcomes
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Anecdotal evidence after protests following the murder of George Floyd suggested a link between tear gas exposure and protestors’ menstrual cycles and reproductive health, and now scientists have confirmed the links. Also: research into spider venom as an erectile dysfunction drug; and more.
CMS: Medicare Advantage Premiums To Slightly Rise Next Year
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that Medicare Advantage plan premiums will increase from $0.64 per month on average in 2024. Separately, GAO says that CMS does not have useful data on private equity investments in the nursing home industry.
Ohio Supreme Court To Hear Abortion Case Over State’s 6-Week Ban
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, will ask the state’s Supreme Court to lift a lower court’s injunction against the six-week ban and to provide him with standing to challenge the case. The justices’ decision could have a big impact on a November abortion ballot initiative.
Survey: 46% Of Adults Likely To Get New Covid Vaccine, With Partisan Attitudes In Play
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The KFF poll finds that 23% of adults in the U.S. will “definitely” get the new covid vaccine, while another 23% say they will “probably” do so. A stark political divide emerges in the data: 69% of Democrats, in contrast to 25% of Republicans, fall into those categories. A separate Gallup survey also surfaces partisan differences in attitudes toward the trajectory of covid cases.
Senate Stopgap Funding Measure Protects Hospitals, Health Programs
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The stopgap funding measure the Senate is advancing includes provisions that would temporarily reauthorize hospital payments, the federally qualified health centers program, the National Health Service Corps, and some other health policy initiatives until Nov. 17.
ARPA-H Announces First Regional Hubs, New Cancer Research Programs
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
The brand new biomedical research agency announced its first two hubs will be in the Dallas and Boston areas — all part of its decentralized plan. The agency also revealed $115 million in funding for three new cancer research programs, plus a nationwide network for health innovation deployment.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, September 27, 2023
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Covid vaccine attitudes, shutdown watch, ARPA-H hubs, Medicare Advantage premiums, abortion law, drug pricing, and more are in the news.
What Happens to Health Programs if the Federal Government Shuts Down?
By Julie Rovner
September 27, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Medicare and Medicaid shouldn’t be affected, but confusion can be expected.
First Edition: Sept. 27, 2023
September 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Florida Foster Kids Are Given Powerful Medications, but Feds Find State Oversight Lacking
By Christopher O’Donnell, Tampa Bay Times
Illustration by Oona Zenda
September 27, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services raises troubling questions about the use of powerful medications within Florida’s child welfare system and the risk of overdoses or dangerous side effects if children are given the wrong combination of drugs.
Labor Conditions, Burnout Drive Health Care Workers To Picket Line
September 26, 2023
Morning Briefing
A multi-state strike is now planned by over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers for Oct. 4-7, unless a deal is struck. Nurses in St. Louis and dialysis workers in California are also participating in a short work stoppage. It’s part of an increasing trend as health care workers say the they are still experiencing work pressures caused by the covid pandemic.
Dec. 1 Set As Date For North Carolina’s Medicaid Expansion
September 26, 2023
Morning Briefing
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the expansion date Monday, when an estimated 600,000 of the state’s poorest residents will become eligible for Medicaid coverage. Among other news: medical malpractice matters in Florida; youth mental health service in Michigan; more.