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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
California Hospitals Lose Ground In Quality Of Care, Report Card Shows
By Chad Terhune
April 19, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The nonprofit Leapfrog Group shows nearly half of California hospitals got a grade of C, D or F in patient safety measures — an increase from two years ago.
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.
Some GOP Congress Members Could Pay Politically For ACA Repeal Vote
By Emily Bazar and Ana B. Ibarra
May 5, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Some political analysts and community advocates say members of California’s Republican congressional delegation, which voted unanimously for the House bill, could be haunted at the polls.
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.
Threat Of Losing Obamacare Turns Some Apolitical Californians Into Protesters
By Ana B. Ibarra
February 9, 2017
KFF Health News Original
New advocacy groups like Indivisible California weigh strategies for long-haul political activism, including protests.
House’s New ‘Right To Try’ Legislation Ensures FDA’s Oversight Of Terminally Ill Patients Getting Untested Drugs
March 12, 2018
Morning Briefing
The House is expected to vote on the legislation this week. Both the Senate and the president have backed the right-to-try movement in the past. Also on Capitol Hill, the Senate is turning its focus on the contentious debate over the 340B drug discount program, the pharmaceutical industry is trying to get lawmakers to undo a deal that would force drugmakers to pick up more of the tab for prescription spending in the Medicare doughnut hole, and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) wants more donations transparency.
Cronología: las experiencias cercanas a la muerte del Obamacare
By Julie Rovner
July 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Nunca una norma sufrió tantos intentos de homicidio como la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible. Los republicanos han tratado de derogarla por años, pero hasta ahora, sigue vigente.
Con el fin de DACA, jóvenes inmigrantes temen por su salud
By Barbara Feder Ostrov and Anna Gorman
September 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
La polémica decisión de la administración Trump de eliminar el programa DACA hace más que poner a casi 800.000 “dreamers” bajo el miedo a la deportación. Amenaza el cuidado de salud de miles de adultos jóvenes.
Dying At Home In An Opioid Crisis: Hospices Grapple With Stolen Meds
By Melissa Bailey
August 22, 2017
KFF Health News Original
As more patients receive hospice care at home, some of the powerful, addictive drugs they’re prescribed are ending up in the wrong hands.
Medical Transportation Provider Accused Of Disserving L.A.’s Frail Patients
By Anna Gorman
Photos by Heidi de Marco
July 14, 2017
KFF Health News Original
LogistiCare often shows up late, if at all, and compromises patient safety, according to a public interest firm’s lawsuit. The company says the allegations are inaccurate.