Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ States Race To Reverse ‘Roe’
May 16, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the new abortion bans passed in Alabama and Georgia; bipartisan congressional efforts to end “surprise” out-of-network medical bills; and a new public option health insurance plan soon to be available in Washington state.
Republicans Want A $250B No-Strings-Attached Small Business Bill. Democrats Say That’s A Non-Starter.
April 9, 2020
Morning Briefing
Democratic leaders balked at the Trump administration and Republicans’ legislation, saying any package that included $250 billion in new small-business funding would need to include more than $250 billion in extra money for hospitals, state and local governments and food stamp recipients. Senate Republicans are set to vote today, but it’s unlikely the package, even if it’s successful in the upper chamber, would pass the House as is.
‘We Decided Enough’s Enough’: California Secures 200M Masks A Month At Cost Of $1B
April 8, 2020
Morning Briefing
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his government has struck a deal with a consortium of suppliers to receive 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks for front line workers. In other news from the state, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti orders all city residents to wear a mask or bandana when shopping. And news outlets report developments from other areas of the state, as well.
No-Go On Drunken Driving: States Deploy Breathalyzers In Cars To Limit Road Deaths
By Ana B. Ibarra
January 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
On New Year’s Day, California joined the majority of U.S. states that require people convicted of drunken driving to install ignition-linked breathalyzers in their vehicles. If the devices detect alcohol above a predetermined level, the cars don’t start.
Senate Approves $2T Stimulus Package With Checks To Some Americans, $100B In Grants For Hospitals
March 26, 2020
Morning Briefing
The deal is the product of a marathon of negotiations among Senate Republicans, Democrats and President Donald Trump’s team that nearly fell apart as Democrats insisted on stronger worker protections, more funds for hospitals and state governments, and tougher oversight over new loan programs intended to bail out distressed businesses. “A fight has arrived on our shores,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said. “We did not seek it. We did not want it. But now, we are going to win it.” The House is set to vote on Friday.
Proveedores de medicamentos en el mercado negro enfocan en inmigrantes
By John M. Glionna
September 16, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Inmigrantes, no sólo de países hispanos, sino de todo el mundo, y algunos no inmigrantes también, están comprando una amplia gama de medicamentos ilegales en todo el país,
I’m A CPAP Dropout: Why Many Lose Sleep Over Apnea Treatment
By Victoria Knight
July 17, 2019
KFF Health News Original
An estimated 18 million American adults have sleep apnea. The go-to treatment — a CPAP machine — offers a healthy restful night’s sleep, but many people struggle to use it. As many as 50% of patients stop using the device.
Providers Walk ‘Fine Line’ Between Informing And Scaring Immigrant Patients
By Ana B. Ibarra
January 15, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Some doctors and clinics are proactively informing patients about a proposed policy that could jeopardize the legal status of immigrants who use public benefit programs such as Medicaid. Others argue that because this “public charge” proposal isn’t final — and may never be adopted — disseminating too much information could create unnecessary alarm and cause some patients to drop benefits.
Even As Many Go Hungry, Farmers Dump Crops. Trump Administration Aims For Win-Win Fix With $19B Plan.
April 24, 2020
Morning Briefing
With the usual food distribution chain disrupted due to the coronavirus outbreak, farmers are plowing unused produce back into the field. Yet food banks struggle to feed millions of newly unemployed Americans. While a federal plan will throw $19 billion dollars at the problem, it must still overcome the transportation challenges that created it in the first place. Other food supply issues reports on the meat industry, food plant safety and alleged price gouging on eggs.
‘This Should Not Be About Politics’: House Overwhelmingly Passes $8.3B Coronavirus Funding Bill
March 5, 2020
Morning Briefing
The bill includes about $7.7 billion in new discretionary spending to bolster vaccine development, research, equipment stockpiles and state and local health budgets, as government officials and health workers fight to contain the outbreak. The House moved unusually quick in a rare sign of bipartisanship in a highly divided Congress. It next goes to the Senate.
West Virginia Reaches Opioid Settlement Deal With Most Drug Companies For $1.25B
March 3, 2020
Morning Briefing
This would be the first deal among about 3,000 lawsuits that exist nationwide. Details must still be resolved on payments to local, state groups as well as hospitals and others. The plan also does not apply to two key drugmakers, Purdue Pharma and Mallinckrodt. News on the national drug epidemic is from California, as well.
Federal Grants ‘A Lifesaver’ In Opioid Fight, But States Still Struggle To Curb Meth
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez Elizabeth Lucas Orion Donovan-Smith
June 17, 2019
KFF Health News Original
The federal government has doled out at least $2.4 billion in state grants since 2017 to address the opioid epidemic, which killed 47,600 people in the U.S. that year alone. But local officials note that drug abuse problems seldom involve only one substance.
Hospitals Say $100B Allocated From Stimulus Package Is Woefully Inadequate–And They Can’t Even Get Those Funds
April 17, 2020
Morning Briefing
Only about $30 billion has been distributed thus far from a pot of $100 billion earmarked for hospitals and health-care providers. In addition to that, the distribution of the relief money didn’t take hot spots into account, so the places that in most need say they are getting shortchanged.
A ‘No-Brainer’? Calls Grow For Medicare To Cover Anti-Rejection Drugs After Kidney Transplant
By JoNel Aleccia
July 17, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Banking on new cost estimates, a bipartisan coalition in Congress is poised to try — once again — to end a three-year limit on coverage for lifesaving medication required to keep the organs functioning.
NO a manejar ebrio: estados imponen alcoholímetros para prevenir muertes
By Ana B. Ibarra
January 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Los alcoholímetros son dispositivos que se colocan en el volante y evitan que el auto arranque si se detecta aliento etílico en el conductor.
Americans Cross Border Into Mexico To Buy Insulin At A Fraction Of U.S. Cost
By Bram Sable-Smith, Side Effects Public Media
February 12, 2019
KFF Health News Original
For one patient, a three-month supply of insulin is $3,700 in the U.S. versus $600 in Mexico. But is it legal?
$1.25B Opioid Settlement Date Set In West Virginia Where Death Rate Is Highest
March 6, 2020
Morning Briefing
The Aug. 31 trial date serves as a deadline for the proposed settlement, the nation’s first as businesses consider thousands of other lawsuits. Other news on the epidemic comes from Missouri, Vermont and Kansas.
Why It’s So Hard To Predict How Much Funding 9/11 First Responders Need
By Michael McAuliff
July 23, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Eighteen years ago, most first responders were not thinking about their future health when they spent hours searching “The Pile” for the remains of terror victims. Today, their illnesses are a slow-moving epidemiological nightmare that has been as difficult for scientists to study as it has been easy for politicians to overlook.
Lawmakers Barrel Toward $7.5B Emergency Funding Plan With Unusual Speed For Divided Congress
March 3, 2020
Morning Briefing
Negotiators worked through the weekend to try to finalize the spending bill, which is looking like it will far exceed the amount President Donald Trump requested. But disagreement over provisions intended to ensure affordability of vaccines and other medications may hold up agreement. Meanwhile, local and state health departments, already stretched to their limits, are eager to get the aid.
Brechas profundas: fronteras estatales resaltan la enorme disparidad en Medicaid
By Laura Ungar
October 2, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Las fronteras estatales se han convertido en líneas divisorias arbitrarias entre los que tienen Medicaid y los que no, y los pacientes con problemas financieros similares enfrentan destinos de salud muy diferentes.
