Pfizer-Allergan $150B Merger Thrown Into Doubt After Treasury Imposes New Rules On Tax Inversions
April 5, 2016
Morning Briefing
The move, which was more aggressive than expected, is aimed at companies that are attempting to move their tax addresses out of the U.S. to shift profits to low-tax countries using a maneuver known as earnings stripping. “They’ve addressed literally every benefit that one attempted to gain from an inversion and shut them all down systematically,” says Robert Willens, a New York-based tax analyst.
Fewer Black Men Apply To Medical School Than In 1978
By Lauren Silverman, KERA
October 26, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Just 1,337 black men applied to medical school in 2014 and 515 enrolled. Why?
A Sick Newborn, A Loving Family And A Litany Of Wrenching Choices
By Jenny Gold
November 16, 2015
KFF Health News Original
In deciding how far to go in treating their very sick and premature baby, one San Francisco couple acted out of hope, not always in sync with doctors and nurses.
Tax Group: Pfizer Would Avoid $35B In Taxes Through Merger
February 26, 2016
Morning Briefing
The Americans for Tax Fairness slammed the drugmaker in a new report that says Pfizer structured its deal with Ireland-based Allergan so that it could move its address out of the country, thus avoiding $35 billion in taxes.
‘Paying For Drugs To Go In The Trash’: How Americans Waste $3B On Medications A Year
March 2, 2016
Morning Briefing
The U.S. has taken a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to packaging for expensive high-tech drugs, which has led to extraordinary waste, a new study finds.
Controversies Made Preventive Services Panel Stronger, Says Retired Leader
By Michelle Andrews
June 23, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Dr. Michael LeFevre, who has stepped down as chairman of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force after 10 years, describes how the health law changed the group’s work and the need to improve communication about it.
Rising Obesity Puts Strain On Nursing Homes
By Sarah Varney
December 15, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Residences for older adults are increasingly overwhelmed, and unprepared, for huge patients, and facilities rarely accept more than a few.
Implementation Of Obamacare Remains A Work In Progress
July 6, 2015
KFF Health News Original
With the Supreme Court decision, it appears the Affordable Care Act will stand, but that doesn’t mean the law’s troubles are over. NPR’s Renee Montagne talks to KHN’s Julie Rovner.
Workplace Wellness Programs Put Employee Privacy At Risk
By Jay Hancock
September 30, 2015
KFF Health News Original
A large variety of information may be collected by wellness programs and shared with others, including businesses eager to make a buck off of it.
Surge In Statin Use Among Very Elderly Without Heart Trouble Raises Doubts
By Lisa Gillespie
September 21, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Preventive medicine trend highlights shortage of studies on drugs’ effects on very elderly.
IBM To Use $2.6B Truven Purchase To Bulk Up Health Data
February 19, 2016
Morning Briefing
The deal, part of a recent health-care spending spree by the company, will add the health information of about 300 million patients to the data trove used by IBM’s Watson cognitive supercomputer.
Oscar Wants To ‘Revolutionize’ Health Care. But Will It Even Survive Covered California?
By Dan Diamond, California Healthline
August 10, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Covered California made it official last week: After two years in the wilderness, UnitedHealthcare will return to the state’s individual insurance market and begin selling health plans on California’s exchange later this year. Not much can overshadow news about the nation’s largest insurer — except maybe a story about one of the smallest. Hi, Oscar. […]
Half Of Nation’s Hospitals Fail Again To Escape Medicare’s Readmission Penalties
By Jordan Rau
August 3, 2015
KFF Health News Original
The fines, in their fourth year, are assessed on hospitals that have patients frequently return and will cost nearly 2,600 hospitals $420 million in total.
New Preventive Health Services Approved For No-Cost Coverage
By Michelle Andrews
June 5, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Two new procedures have been added to the list of what should be covered by insurance without charge to consumers under provisions of the health law.
Too Soon To Deride High Obamacare Rate Hikes
By Eric Whitney, Montana Public Radio
June 12, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Prices for plans sold on the health law exchanges won’t be final until the fall, and some of the highest rate increases may be for plans that do not have very many people enrolled in them.
‘$1B Here We Come’: Congressional Memos Expose Shkreli’s Emails About Price Hikes
February 3, 2016
Morning Briefing
Ahead of Thursday’s House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on drug costs, congressional Democrats release documents from former Turing CEO Martin Shkreli and others that reveal how the company planned to maximize profits and control public perception.
Medicare Part B Premiums On The Rise But Could’ve Been Higher For Many
November 16, 2015
Morning Briefing
Health News Florida and USA Today round up the changes beneficiaries will face next year to their Part B premiums and deductibles.
When Turning 65, Consumers With Marketplace Plans Need To Be Vigilant In Choosing Health Coverage
By Susan Jaffe
June 25, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Seniors can opt to stay in their marketplace plans when they become eligible for Medicare, but most lose their access to subsidies and failing to move into Medicare promptly results in premium penalties.
Ouch! Vaccination Rates for Older Adults Falling Short
By Phil Galewitz
September 15, 2015
KFF Health News Original
Millions of Americans over 60 are risking illnesses by skipping their shots.
Clinton Reveals $20B Plan To Cure Alzheimer’s By 2025
December 23, 2015
Morning Briefing
About 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, and by 2050 that number is expected to grow to 15 million, disproportionately affecting women and minorities. By then, if the government’s spending on the disease stays the same, it would cost Americans $1 trillion a year.