Drugs Archives - Page 15 of 66

The Policy, and Politics, of Medicare Advantage

Episode 290

March 23, 2023

Medicare Advantage, the private plan alternative to traditional Medicare, is embroiled in a growing controversy over whether insurers are being overpaid and what it would mean to reduce those payments. Meanwhile, even as maternal mortality in the U.S. continues to rise, providers of care to pregnant women say they’re leaving states with abortion bans that prevent them from treating pregnancy complications. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

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Fresh Produce Is an Increasingly Popular Prescription for Chronically Ill Patients

Fresh produce prescription programs are getting a boost in Montana as a way of helping people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The approach may be a model for other rural states to promote healthy eating in food deserts.

By Carly Graf

March 23, 2023

A photo of mifepristone and misoprostol abortion pills.

Judge Signals He Could Rule to Halt Sales of Common Abortion Pill

A U.S. District Court case is being widely followed because the judge’s decision could overturn the FDA’s approval of mifepristone two decades ago. With abortion rights polling well even in red states, anti-abortion activists are increasingly turning to the courts to achieve their aims.

By Sarah Varney

March 20, 2023

A photo of a syringe and an insulin vial.

California Picks Generic Drug Company Civica to Produce Low-Cost Insulin

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who blasted pharmaceutical companies for gouging Californians, is moving ahead with state-branded insulin. He’s also eyeing other generic drugs.

By Angela Hart

March 18, 2023

New CDC Opioid Guidelines: Too Little, Too Late for Chronic Pain Patients?

In November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for prescribing opioids for pain, allowing physicians more flexibility. But doctors, patients, and advocates wonder if the updated standards will be too little, too late to help chronic pain patients in a country still focused on fighting the ongoing opioid crisis.

By Sam Whitehead and Andy Miller

March 15, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Biden Budget Touches All the Bases

Episode 288

March 10, 2023

Very little in the proposed budget released by the Biden administration is likely to become law, particularly with Republicans in charge of the U.S. House. Still, the document is an important statement of the president’s policy priorities, and it’s clear health programs are among those he feels are important. Meanwhile, five women who were denied abortions when their pregnancies threatened their lives are suing Texas. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the two latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” features. Both were about families facing unexpected bills following childbirth.

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A photo of protesters holding signs that read, "Stop pharma's price abuse" and "Diabetes community dying."

Why Does Insulin Cost So Much? Big Pharma Isn’t the Only Player Driving Prices

Big Pharma may be moving on from squeezing diabetes patients on insulin prices, but it’s the arbitrators that jack up prices for those who can least afford them.

By Arthur Allen

March 9, 2023

Watch: Walgreens Won’t Sell Abortion Pill in 21 States Under GOP Threat of Legal Action

Under pressure from Republican attorneys general, the nation's second-largest pharmacy chain says it will not dispense the abortion pill mifepristone.

By Sarah Varney

March 6, 2023

A photo shows a Customs officer reviewing mail as a dog alerts him.

Despite Pharma Claims, Illicit Drug Shipments to US Aren’t Full of Opioids. It’s Generic Viagra.

The FDA has long blocked the importation of cheap medicine, agreeing with pharmaceutical manufacturers that it opens the door to opioids. The agency’s own data shows that rarely happens.

By Phil Galewitz

March 6, 2023

KHN On Air

Journalists Discuss Insulin Prices, Gun Violence, Distracted Driving, and More

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

March 4, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

March Medicaid Madness

Episode 287

March 2, 2023

President Joe Biden and Republicans in Congress spent last month sparring over whether to shield Medicare and Social Security from budget cuts — leading some to wonder if Medicaid was on the table instead. Biden and Democrats say no, but some Republicans seem eager to trim federal spending on the health program for Americans with low incomes. And ready or not, artificial intelligence is coming to medical care. Benefits, as well as unintended consequences, are likely. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of STAT News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more.

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Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.

Eli Lilly's news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Samantha Young

March 2, 2023

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Urgently Plea for a Proper ‘Role’ Call in the ER

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Feb. 27, 2023

A photo shows a box containing an EpiPen.

After Capping Insulin Copays, Colorado Sets Its Sights on EpiPens

Colorado’s proposed legislation to cap the copay for the EpiPen is part of a nationwide trend as more states try to shield patients from skyrocketing drug prices.

By Helen Santoro

Feb. 27, 2023

A photo shows a box of Mifepristone pills.

One Texas Judge Will Decide Fate of Abortion Pill Used by Millions of American Women

“What happens in Texas doesn't stay in Texas,” warns an abortion rights advocate bracing for a district judge’s ruling on whether the abortion pill mifepristone was properly authorized by the FDA. His decision could force the medication off the U.S. market.

By Sarah Varney

Feb. 24, 2023

A photo shows an older woman sitting in a chair and looking to the left.

A Bitter Battle Over the ‘Orphan Drug’ Program Leaves Patients’ Pocketbooks at Risk

Patients who depend upon special drugs to treat rare diseases are caught in the crossfire as drugmakers and the FDA battle over regulations that reward companies for developing treatments for relatively small pools of patients.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Feb. 22, 2023

A photo shows Mark Cuban speaking into a microphone at a tech conference.

Mark Cuban Has Been Taking On the Drug Industry. But Which One?

The billionaire entrepreneur and NBA team owner is making waves with his new drug company. But his generics aren’t always the lowest-priced deal.

By Darius Tahir

Feb. 17, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The Kids Are Not OK

Episode 285

Feb. 16, 2023

A new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that teenagers, particularly girls, are reporting all-time high rates of violence and profound mental distress. Meanwhile, both sides in the abortion debate are anxiously waiting for a district court decision in Texas that could effectively revoke the FDA’s 22-year-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more.

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An illustration of two hands holding phones as large chat bubbles pop out from each phone. The chat bubble on the left shows a voting ballot box and exclamation points. The bubble on the right shows an insulin vial with dollar signs.

Armed With Hashtags, These Activists Made Insulin Prices a Presidential Talking Point

Twitter has been a hotbed for the burgeoning insulin access movement and activism surrounding other medical conditions. For people with diabetes, the platform has helped propel concern about insulin prices into policy. Can it continue to win with hashtags?

By Bram Sable-Smith

Feb. 15, 2023

Postcard From a Philadelphia Neighborhood

As Opioids Mixed With Animal Tranquilizers Arrive in Kensington, So Do Alarming Health Challenges

The veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, the choice du jour of local drug dealers to cut fentanyl, leads to necrotic ulcers and leaves street medics and physicians confused about how best to deal with this wave of the opioid crisis.

By Courtenay Harris Bond

Feb. 15, 2023

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