Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Veterans Courted In California’s Ballot Fight Over Curbing Drug Prices
The initiative would prohibit California state agencies from paying more for a prescription drug than what the Department of Veterans Affairs pays. Both sides are deploying veterans’ sympathetic and trusted image to win over voters.
FDA Approves First Drug To Treat Rare Form Of Muscular Dystrophy
The FDA, reacting to lobbying by patients and families, has approved a drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and lethal disease.
California Aims To Limit Surprise Medical Bills
The problem, known as balance billing, happens when patients are treated by an out-of-network professional at an in-network facility. Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to sign the legislation.
Candidates Decry High Drug Prices, But They Have Few Options For Voters
Drug prices rise for a variety of reasons but opportunities for the government to control them is limited.
Studies: Employer Costs Slow As Consumers Use Less Care, Deductibles Soar
Cost pressures may induce patients to forego needed care, some worry.
Study: Elderly’s Family Caregivers Need Help, Too
A study by the National Academies finds more support is needed for nearly 18 million people giving care to family members 65 and older.
Study: Health Spending Related To Opioid Treatment Rose More Than 1,300 Percent
Based on an analysis of insurance company payments, emergency room visits and lab tests were responsible for much of the overall spending.
Tossing Unused Surgical Supplies Wastes Millions Of Dollars, Study Finds
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco estimate that hospitals could lose nearly $1,000 per surgery by throwing away opened but unused supplies, such as gloves and sponges.
Consumer Group Questions Role of Drug Costs In California Premium Hikes
Consumers Union says Anthem Inc. and Blue Shield of California may be exploiting furor over prescription drug prices. State regulators are looking into the issue.
Behind The EpiPen Monopoly: Lobbying Muscle, Flailing Competition, Tragic Deaths
A closer look shows that industry lobbying was just one factor in EpiPen’s sales explosion.
Study Says Concerns About Orphan Drug Spending Are Unjustified
A study in Health Affairs concludes that orphan drugs for rare diseases are not having a widespread or deep impact on health care spending.
EpiPen Controversy Fuels Concerns Over Generic Drug Approval Backlog
Four years after a huge push to speed generics to market, the FDA has more than 4,000 generics waiting for approval.
Taxpayers Foot 70 Percent Of California’s Health Care Tab, Study Finds
The public spending on health care outpaces the nation.
Cardiac Rehab Improves Health, But Cost And Access Issues Complicate Success
Research shows exercise-based cardiac rehab programs help heart patients heal faster and live longer. But fewer than a third take part. Time and cost are the main barriers, doctors and patients say.
FAQ: Hospital Observation Care Can Be Costly For Medicare Patients
A guide to help Medicare patients receiving observation care.
Teaching Medical Teamwork Right From The Start
In a joint project, the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University are banking on a new building to kick start efforts to bring health professionals together by introducing collaboration into medical training.
Report For State Insurance Commissioners Offers Options To Improve Drug Access
The report describes steps that states could take to address a number of drug-coverage issues in the commercial insurance market.
Hidden Stroke Victims: The Young
The number of hospitalizations for stroke is rising quickly among young people, even as it drops across the U.S. population as a whole.
Government-Protected ‘Monopolies’ Drive Drug Prices Higher, Study Says
Researchers at Harvard University examined thousands of studies to determine why drug prices have climbed and what might be done about it.
CMS Identifies Hospitals Paid Nearly $1.5B In 2015 Medicare Billing Settlement
A year after settling billing disputes with 2,022 hospitals for 68 cents on the dollar, the government has revealed who got paid and how much.
