Many COPD Patients Struggle To Pay For Each Medicinal Breath
By Sarah Jane Tribble
June 5, 2017
KFF Health News Original
One in 9 Medicare enrollees have COPD and many of them can’t afford the inhalers that keep them out of the emergency room.
Senate Democrats Push For Additional $25B In Opioid Funding In Federal Budget
January 10, 2018
Morning Briefing
“Make no mistake: This is a national public health emergency, and we still don’t see a robust federal response. The current federal budget negotiations give us an opportunity to right this wrong,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is working with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to get more money. In related news, journalist Sam Quinones testified as a rare single witness during a Senate hearing on the drug epidemic. And opioids emerge as a campaign issue in the primary election battle of onetime drug czar nominee Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.)
In Massachusetts, Proposed Medicaid Cuts Put Kids’ Health Care At Risk
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR
July 18, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Doctors, consumers and politicians say big federal cuts to Medicaid funding would jeopardize the treatment a lot of kids rely on. The state would either have to make up lost funding or cut benefits.
On The Air With KHN: What’s Next For The Affordable Care Act?
March 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Reporters with Kaiser Health News and California Healthline have appeared on numerous radio and television shows in recent days to assess what’s next for the health law.
Planned Parenthood Funding Could Thwart GOP Efforts On Health Bill
By Julie Rovner
May 12, 2017
KFF Health News Original
A provision in the House bill to strip funding from organizations that provide abortions may not meet the strict rules needed to bypass the filibuster in the Senate.
Many Californians Could Be Priced Out Of Exchange Coverage, Analysis Finds
By Ana B. Ibarra
March 16, 2017
KFF Health News Original
California’s health insurance exchange released an analysis showing that Republicans’ plan to trim subsidies, on average, by 40% would fall hard on elderly and very low-income people, especially in expensive areas like San Francisco.
CVS To Use $1.5B Windfall From GOP Tax Plan To Raise Hourly Wages For Workers
February 9, 2018
Morning Briefing
The company also said it will invest in technology that can help it track prescription drug use or monitor data like blood tests to determine if a patient’s health or a condition grows worse.
Proposed Law Would Require All California Children To Be Screened For Lead
By Ana B. Ibarra
March 14, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Under the current statute, kids are tested for lead only if they’re on certain government programs or live in older buildings. That leaves many other California children at risk, lawmaker says.
Federal Judge Clears Way For Sharp Cuts To Medicare’s 340B Program
January 2, 2018
Morning Briefing
Hospitals had sought to block $1.6 billion in Trump administration cuts to the program, which lets some hospitals buy drugs at discounted prices.
HHS And Texas Reach Accord For $25B Medicaid Funding For Hospitals
December 22, 2017
Morning Briefing
The funding, which runs for five years, helps cover uncompensated care provided at safety-net hospitals. Also in the news, Iowa penalizes a company that helps manage its Medicaid program, and federal officials releases information on health care challenges for Puerto Ricans.
Storm Brewing On Capitol Hill Over Drug Discount Program
December 20, 2017
Morning Briefing
Pharma and hospitals are going head-to-head over cuts to the 340B drug program, which requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients.
Medicaid Proves A Lifeline For Clients Of Crisis Pregnancy Centers
By Sarah McCammon
July 27, 2017
KFF Health News Original
For pregnant women in the United States, Medicaid is less a safety net than a building block of the maternity care system.
Pfizer Announces Plans To Invest $5B In U.S. Manufacturing Citing Positive Tax Law Revisions
January 31, 2018
Morning Briefing
The pharmaceutical giant said it will also hand out one-time bonuses this quarter to non-executive employees.
Are Virtual Doctor Visits Really Cost-Effective? Not So Much, Study Says
By Ana B. Ibarra
March 7, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Rand Corp. finds that telehealth encourages patients to seek care for minor illnesses they wouldn’t bother to make an office visit for, raising overall health costs.
KFF Health News Ethics Guidelines
January 23, 2018
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Introduction KFF Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health and health policy. It is an editorially independent program of KFF, a nonprofit organization focusing on national health issues. KFF serves as a nonpartisan source of facts, analysis, and journalism for policymakers, the media, the health policy community, and the public. KFF strives to […]
Lawmakers May Reverse ‘Devastating’ Cuts To 340B Drug Program, But There Will Likely Be A Trade-Off
January 11, 2018
Morning Briefing
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said his panel is going to be looking at changes Congress can make to the program, which has sparked a furor between the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals. “I think, that we need to bring transparency and accountability to this program for it to survive long term,” Walden said.
UnitedHealth Expects $1.7B Windfall From Republicans’ Tax Bill For Next Year
January 17, 2018
Morning Briefing
The country’s largest insurer says it will invest the money in new technology and local community-based health care initiatives.
Cuando los padres y el pediatra no hablan el mismo idioma
By Ana B. Ibarra
March 2, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Un nuevo estudio en California revela que los padres latinos que sólo hablan español son menos propensos a reportar buenas experiencias con los médicos de sus hijos que los que hablan inglés.
Lost In Translation: When Parents And Pediatricians Don’t Speak The Same Language
By Ana B. Ibarra
March 2, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Latino parents who speak only Spanish are less likely to report having satisfactory experiences with their children’s doctors than Latino parents who speak English, a new California study shows.
Fate Of 340B Drug Discount Program In Spending Bill Pits Hospitals, Pharma
December 14, 2017
Morning Briefing
The 340B program requires drugmakers to offer discounts on medicines sold to safety-net hospitals. Earlier this year, the Trump administration slashed funding for the program, and hospitals want it restored in Congress’ year-end spending bill. Meanwhile, lawmakers are turning their attention to pharmacy benefit managers in their efforts to bring down high drug costs.
