Letters to the Editor
Readers Have Their Say … On Pain And Who Stands To Gain In Drug Market
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to respond, react and comment on our stories.
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Denial, Appeal, Approval … An Adult’s Thorny Path To Spinraza Coverage
The FDA granted approval for Spinraza in late December for use on children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy. Insurance coverage is mostly focused on infants and children.
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The Union That Roars: Nurses Aren’t Giving Up On California’s Single-Payer Push
The California Nurses Association, representing some 100,000 registered nurses, is regarded statewide and nationally as a progressive political powerhouse. “Politicians are afraid” of the activists they turn out, said one critic.
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Calif. Hits Nerve By Singling Out Cardiac Surgeons With Higher Patient Death Rates
The controversial practice — done by just a few other states — recently cast a spotlight on some prominent doctors. Supporters say it improves performance; detractors warn it discourages taking on complex cases.
By Anna Gorman -
Repeal & Replace Watch
For Millennials, Both Good And Bad News In Senate’s GOP Health Bill
Provisions in the Senate’s “repeal and replace” bill could help some young adults by lowering the cost of premiums but could hurt others who gained insurance through a massive expansion to Medicaid.
By Anna Gorman and Kellen Browning -
California’s Aid-In-Dying Law Turns 1, But Not All Doctors Have Adopted It
At least 500 terminally ill Californians have asked for the medicine that allows them to end their lives, and nearly 500 health organizations have signed on to help.
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Obesity And Depression Are Entwined, Yet Scientists Don’t Know Why
As the link between obesity and depression becomes increasingly clear, so do the challenges of treating these distinct chronic conditions together.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
Blue Shield CEO Says GOP’s ‘Flawed’ Health Bill Would Harm Sicker Consumers
CEO Paul Markovich said he opposes the Republican plan because it would allow insurers to once again discriminate against people with preexisting conditions. "We are better than that," he said.
By Chad Terhune -
HMO Doctors Take Pains To Slash Opioid Prescriptions
A Kaiser Permanente pain management program in Southern California aims to help patients taper off addictive painkillers. Some doctors and patients see it as a godsend; others complain that patients have been cut off medications they need.
By Sam Quinones -
Kaiser Permanente To Open Medical School In Southern California
Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson says the new school is part of the HMO's effort to transform the "health care ecosystem" in the 21st century.
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New Kaiser Permanente Med School Part Of A Growing Trend
Twenty new schools opened in the past decade; but some doubt whether so many new doctors are needed.
By Julie Rovner -
California Hospitals Lose Ground In Quality Of Care, Report Card Shows
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.
By Chad Terhune -
‘Pre-Hospice’ Saves Money By Keeping People At Home Near The End Of Life
A San Diego program helps chronically ill people avoid the hospital by teaching them how to better manage their diseases and telling them what to expect in their final years. Other health providers and insurers around the country are trying similar approaches.
By Anna Gorman -
Aid-in-Dying Laws Don’t Guarantee That Patients Can Choose To Die
In California, Colorado and four other states, many hospitals, health systems and doctors just say no.
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Cancer Rates Dropped During The Recession. That’s Not Necessarily A Good Thing.
Researchers believe Californians, many of whom lost health coverage, delayed doctor visits that could have led to earlier detection. Now, with people seeking medical care under the Affordable Care Act, some experts expect to see an increase in late-stage cancers.
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In Battle Against Ovarian Cancer, A New Focus on Fallopian Tubes
Removing them during already-planned hysterectomies poses little risk and can help prevent a deadly cancer, researchers find.
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Social Isolation May Worsen Breast Cancer Prospects
A new study shows women fare worse without a support network.
By Liz Szabo -
Blue Shield, California’s Biggest Obamacare Insurer, Vows It’s Not ‘Running For The Hills’
The company’s CEO also dismisses Trump’s notion of selling insurance plans across state lines, calling it ‘perplexing.’
By Chad Terhune -
California Has High Aspirations For Lowering HIV Infections
The state’s five-year-plan — focused on prevention and ensuring rapid and equal access to treatment — is nothing if not ambitious.
By Elaine Korry -
California Tests Electronic Database For End-Of-Life Wishes
San Diego and Contra Costa counties are piloting a registry so emergency responders can know quickly how much treatment patients want.
By Anna Gorman