Research Roundup: Medicaid Work Requirements; 340B Program; And Title X Funding
May 25, 2018
Morning Briefing
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Liquid Gold: Pain Doctors Soak Up Profits By Screening Urine For Drugs
By Fred Schulte and Elizabeth Lucas
Photos by Heidi de Marco
November 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
With the nation’s opioid crisis, urine testing has become a booming business and is especially lucrative for doctors who operate their own labs, a Kaiser Health News investigation finds. And dozens of practitioners have earned “the lion’s share” of their Medicare income exclusively from urine drug screens.
Watch: 7 Moments That Battered The GOP Health Bills
July 19, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The debate over whether to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act has been heated — and many of those moments have captured a wide audience on YouTube and Twitter.
KFF Health News Conversation On Advance Care Planning: What You Need To Know Now
November 8, 2017
Page
KFF Health News senior correspondent JoNel Aleccia moderates a discussion of the pressing issues surrounding end-of-life advance care planning.
Trump’s Proposed $15B In Spending Cuts Passes Through House On Closer-Than-Expected Vote
June 8, 2018
Morning Briefing
Some lawmakers have been reluctant to pass the legislation as it targets unused funds for the popular CHIP program. But the measure, which passed 210-206, would take a mostly symbolic whack at government spending because it would basically eliminate leftover funding that wouldn’t have been spent anyway.
Critical Of Athenahealth’s Performance, Hedge Fund Offers To Buy It For $6.5B
May 8, 2018
Morning Briefing
If successful, the campaign by Paul Singer and his Elliott Management Corp. would be a dramatic turn for a successful startup that had bridged two of Massachusetts’ core industries — software and health care.
House Republicans Signal Support For $1.1B Fix For Unexpected Shortfall With Veterans’ Health Care
June 6, 2018
Morning Briefing
The funding gap cropped up after Congress passed a major overhaul of the veterans’ health care system, which opened up more avenues for patients seeking private care. Meanwhile, a new review of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Arizona that was at the heart of the national crisis over veterans’ health finds further safety and care issues at the facility.
Sickle Cell Patients Suffer Discrimination, Poor Care — And Shorter Lives
By Jenny Gold
November 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
People with the genetic blood disorder that mainly afflicts African-Americans can live into their 60s with competent care. So why is life expectancy slipping down to around age 40?
In Midst Of Raucous Debate Over 340B Drug Discount Program, Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Address Concerns
June 14, 2018
Morning Briefing
The measure from Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) could clarify the intent of the program and define which patients are eligible — two bones of contention over the program, which requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients. In other news from Capitol Hill: CHIP funding, an Indian Health Services bill, and gun control.
For Doctors, A Clamp Down On Visas Could Have An Uneven Effect In The U.S.
By Michelle Andrews
April 21, 2017
KFF Health News Original
New research shows that physicians getting H-1B visas account for just over 1 percent of all doctors, but some areas are much more likely to be seeking their services.
Private Equity Firm KKR Snaps Up Physician Provider Envision In Massive $5.57B Deal
June 12, 2018
Morning Briefing
Envision contracts with hospitals and health systems to provide doctors and clinicians for emergency medicine, anesthesiology and radiology, among other specialties. It also owns 261 surgery centers and a surgical hospital.
Senate Approval Of VA Health Care Reform Expected With Extra $5.2B In Funding
May 23, 2018
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, NPR looks at the challenges caregivers of disabled vets face while trying to appeal for stipends offered by Veteran Affairs.
WellCare Joins In Health Industry Merger Trend With $2.5B Deal To Acquire Meridian
May 30, 2018
Morning Briefing
The move is just the latest in an industry seeking to survive through consolidation and deals with other insurers, ambulatory care providers and pharmacy benefit managers.
California Valley Fever Cases Highest On Record
By Pauline Bartolone
July 24, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Nearly 5,400 cases of the soil-borne fungal disease were reported in 2016, the largest number since the state began tracking the illness in 1995, according to public health officials.
Una enfermera por cada 4.000 alumnos = no parece el mejor acuerdo
By Ana B. Ibarra
Photos by Heidi de Marco
October 23, 2017
KFF Health News Original
La escasez de enfermeras diplomadas en escuelas pone en riesgo a estudiantes con condiciones médicas que requieren de atención diaria.
One Nurse Per 4,000 Pupils = Not The Healthiest Arrangement
By Ana B. Ibarra
Photos by Heidi de Marco
October 23, 2017
KFF Health News Original
School districts in California and around the country face a long-standing shortage of nurses, mostly because of tight budgets. But some districts are finding creative ways to reduce the problem.
Another Way For Anti-Vaxxers To Skip Shots For Schoolkids: A Doctor’s Note
By Ana B. Ibarra and Barbara Feder Ostrov
September 5, 2017
KFF Health News Original
No longer able to get exemptions for personal beliefs in California, parents opposed to inoculations seem to be obtaining medical exemptions for their children, according to a new study.
Experts Tell Congress How To Cut Drug Prices. We Give You Some Odds.
By Sarah Jane Tribble
December 12, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Some of the nation’s most influential scientists recommend eight steps to lower drug prices. KHN takes the political temperature and tells you the chances of Congress acting on them.
State Highlights: Single-Payer Could Cost Maryland $24B A Year; Red-Flag, Waiting Period Gun Bills Signed Into Law By Illinois Governor
July 17, 2018
Morning Briefing
Media outlets report on news from Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, California, New Hampshire, Connecticut, North Carolina, Colorado and Ohio.
Calif. Officials Sound Alarm, Envisioning $114B Hit To Medi-Cal Under U.S. Senate Bill
By Anna Gorman
June 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
“Nothing is safe — no population, no services,” the director of the nation’s largest Medicaid program said Wednesday. GOP leaders say they seek to cut costs and widen consumer choices.