Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Some Things Old, Some Things New
October 4, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner discuss final action on bills in Congress to address the opioid epidemic and fund federal health agencies. They also look at new efforts by the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on teen nicotine use.
Escalating Global Recall Of Zantac Doesn’t Have Roots In Government Oversight But Rather A Tiny Online Pharmacy
November 11, 2019
Morning Briefing
The startup with only 14 employees raised flags with U.S. regulators over the safety of Zantac leading to an ever-growing recall of the product. “I had a fairly dim view of drug quality in the United States going into this, but we’ve discovered tons of problems I never even thought of — and they’re all over the place,” said Adam Clark-Joseph, one of Valisure’s founders. In other pharmaceutical news: the patent battle over the HIV prevention drug; 340B payment cuts; and Congress’s struggle to contain high drug prices.
The Steep Financial Toll Of Cancer Deaths: Lost Earnings Costs U.S. $94B
July 8, 2019
Morning Briefing
In 2015, 600,000 Americans died of cancer. Compounding the losses to loved ones, the country’s economy also took a hit from the estimated $94.4 billion in lost earnings that year. In other cancer-related news: scientists aim to use “nanobodies” as a potential new treatment against the disease; and new physical activity guidelines for breast cancer survivors.
Tobacco Tax Battle Could Torch Montana Medicaid Expansion
By Eric Whitney, Montana Public Radio
November 5, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A ballot initiative in Montana would tax cigarettes $2 a pack to help pay for the state’s Medicaid expansion. But the tobacco industry has spent more than $17 million fighting the effort.
Emergency Medical Responders Confront Racial Bias
By Kristian Foden-Vencil, Oregon Public Broadcasting
January 11, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In a recent study of patients treated by emergency medical responders in Oregon, black patients were 40 percent less likely to get pain medicine than their white peers. Why?
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ (Almost) Live from Austin!
September 28, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico talk about how health issues will play in midterm elections, the Trump administration’s move that could penalize legal immigrants who use government aid programs, and other topics. Due to technical difficulties, the original discussion taped Sept. 27 at the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival could not be broadcast, so the panelists reconvened from Austin and Washington on Sept. 28.
UnitedHealth’s $4.3B Purchase Of Physician Group Approved By FTC With Conditions
June 20, 2019
Morning Briefing
The FTC alleged the UnitedHealth-DaVita deal would create a monopoly in the Las Vegas area and that the combination would have resulted in higher health-care costs and weaker competition for on quality, services and other amenities.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Drug Prices And Unicorns
July 19, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico, and Erin Mershon of Stat News discuss a series of health policy court decisions on everything from prescription drug discounts to soda taxes. Plus, Rovner, interviews health care futurist and consultant Jeff Goldsmith.
Health Care Simmers On Back Burner In California Heartland’s Hot House Races
By Ana B. Ibarra
June 4, 2018
KFF Health News Original
After rallies and protests in the San Joaquin Valley congressional districts, the urgency over protecting coverage under the ACA seems to have waned — at least in the primaries. Three of four seats in the region are likely to remain red, political forecasters say.
Midterm Results Show Health Is Important To Voters But No Magic Bullet
By Julie Rovner
November 7, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Even though they are taking control of the House, Democrats will be unlikely to advance many initiatives on health that don’t meet Republican approval since the GOP controls the Senate and the White House. But they can block any efforts to weaken the Affordable Care Act or change Medicaid or Medicare.
A Jolt To The Jugular! You’re Insured But Still Owe $109K For Your Heart Attack
By Chad Terhune
August 27, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A Texas teacher, 44, faces a “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary for a heart attack he never expected to have.
Massachusetts Stroke Patient Receives ‘Outrageous’ $474,725 Medical Flight Bill
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR
December 21, 2018
KFF Health News Original
After a 34-year-old woman suffered a stroke in Kansas, doctors there arranged for her to be transferred to a Boston hospital, via an Angel MedFlight Learjet. The woman and her father believed the cost of the medical flight would be covered by her private insurance. Then they got the bill.
KHN Investigation On Opioid Prescribers Pains Some Readers And Tweeters
July 18, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
FDA Allows Food Makers To Fortify Corn Masa To Halt Birth Defects, But Few Do
By JoNel Aleccia
October 16, 2018
KFF Health News Original
The decision aimed at adding folic acid — a vitamin that can prevent devastating defects of the brain, spine or spinal cord — to flours, chips and tortillas hasn’t caught on with many makers of widely used corn products.
Dónde se pelearán las batallas sobre el aborto en 2019
By Julie Rovner
January 9, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Ambos lados del debate creen que pueden avanzar. Pero la mayoría demócrata en la Cámara de Representantes puede cambiar las reglas de juego.
Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Face Quandaries Over Questionable Billing Schemes
By khndianew
July 3, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Two Missouri hospitals handed over their operations to a private company that has vastly increased the money the hospitals bring in through their laboratories, even though the lab tests are not done on-site.
In Health Insurance Wastelands, Rosier Options Crop Up For 2019
By Jordan Rau
November 23, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Premiums are lower as choices increase in many parts of the country. But the financial relief is not enough to erase the price hikes that have been imposed in recent years.
Trump Administration Sinks Teeth Into Paring Down Drug Prices, On 5 Key Points
By Sarah Jane Tribble
August 10, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Instead of waiting for congressional action, federal regulators are looking at a series of actions to spur competition and drive down the cost of medicines.
Centene, WellCare Turn To Insurance Regulators For Approval Following Shareholders’ Overwhelming Support Of $17B Merger
June 25, 2019
Morning Briefing
Centene and WellCare said more than 99% of their shareholders supported the merger that would cover nearly 22 million people. They are now working to obtain approvals from insurance regulators in 26 states. Other industry news is on: PatientsLikeMe, uBiome Inc., and Highmark Health.
VA Adding Opioid Antidote To Defibrillator Cabinets For Quicker Overdose Response
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR
October 3, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A project that started in a Boston Veterans Affairs facility will soon go nationwide. It puts naloxone, also known as Narcan, into emergency supplies cabinets throughout the VA system.
