Latest Morning Briefing Stories
In Battleground Races, Health Care Lags As Hot-Button Issue, Poll Finds
The economy and jobs tend to eclipse health care as the top voter concern in competitive congressional and gubernatorial races.
Home Care Agencies Often Wrongly Deny Medicare Help To The Chronically Ill
Agencies sometimes turn away Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health problems by incorrectly claiming Medicare won’t pay for their services, say patient advocates.
Facebook Live: It’s 2018, Can Big Pharma Hold The Line Against Pricing Controls?
In this chat, KHN senior correspondent Jay Hancock discusses how drug-pricing battles could play out this year in D.C., state legislatures and beyond. What do we know about the drug industry’s agenda to quiet the drumbeat of cost control and transparency proposals? How will they officials target their efforts? Will the battles take place at the state level? Senior editor Stephanie Stapleton moderates.
Readers Have Bones To Pick, From Health System Flaws To Covering Pot Beat
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Trump Administration Rule Paves Way For Association Health Plans
Proponents say the proposed regulation will give some consumers more affordable insurance options. Critics warn that the coverage could be less comprehensive.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ While You Were Celebrating …
In this episode of “What The Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss this week’s news, including release of the administration’s new rules on association health plans, as well as some health-related court rulings and other events that happened around the holidays.
Biosimilars, Biologics And New Legal Challenges For RA Treatments
As biosimilar products reach the market and rival more established RA treatments, the players are exploring legal challenges involving antitrust and anti-competitive behavior.
No Sweeteners Added To Tax Bill To Spread Use Of Health Savings Accounts
These accounts are exempt from taxes and linked to high-deductible health plans. Republicans tried last summer in their unsuccessful efforts to replace the health law to make the accounts more enticing for consumers, but they didn’t make those changes in the current tax bill.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Is Health Care Spending Still The Hungry, Hungry Hippo?
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of the Wall Street Journal, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Margot Sanger Katz of The New York Times discuss new health spending numbers from the federal government, as well as how the year-end legislating in Congress is being complicated by health issues.
Cities, Counties and Schools Sidestep FDA Canadian Drug Crackdown, Saving Millions
Medicines are up to 80 percent cheaper north of the border and overseas, so U.S. localities are greasing a pharmaceutical pipeline that the feds warn is illegal and possibly unsafe.
Your Plumber Offers A Money-Back Guarantee. Should Your Doctor?
Even though consumers don’t expect to pay for faulty service or goods, they are often forced to pay for bad health care. But a small number of hospitals and doctors are seeking to change that practice.
Patients With Rare Diseases And Congress Square Off Over Orphan Drug Tax Credits
The House and Senate want to reduce or eliminate federal tax credits for “orphan drugs” used to treat rare diseases, but patients are fighting against the plan.
The Ratcheting Price Of The Pneumococcal Vaccine: What Gives?
The price for Pfizer’s Prevnar 13 has increased 5 to 6 percent each year since its 2010 approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
Heated And Deep-Pocketed Battle Erupts Over 340B Drug Discount Program
Drugmakers, hospitals and lawmakers are taking sides in a showdown over a discount program that covers drug purchases at some hospitals.
Parents Are Not Liable For Medical Debts Of Adult Children On Shared Insurance
Even though the federal health law allows young adults to stay on their parents’ plan, those children are generally responsible for their own debts.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Meanwhile, In Other Health News…
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News discuss some of the under-covered health stories of the past several weeks, including drug price issues, the opioid epidemic and women’s reproductive health.
FDA Raids Florida Stores That Consumers Use To Buy Drugs From Canada
The federal agents warned store owners that importing drugs from foreign countries is illegal and that those helping “administer” such medicines could face penalties.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Tax Bill Or Health Bill?
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo discuss the inclusion of health policies into the current tax cut debate, including a possible repeal of the fines for people who fail to maintain health insurance.
Study Gives Mixed Reviews On Laws To Equalize Cancer Patients’ Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Most states have laws that require that cancer patients who get their treatment orally rather than by infusion in a doctor’s office not pay more out-of-pocket. A new study finds that the impact of those laws is mixed.
Ohio’s Drug-Pricing Ballot Question Triggers Voter Confusion
Millions of dollars in campaign spending and a media blitz of advertisements muddy public understanding of Issue 2, the Drug Price Relief Act.
