Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Follow The Money: Drugmakers Deploy Political Cash As Prices And Anger Mount
Embattled opioid seller Mallinckrodt is one of many pharmaceutical companies boosting political contributions and lobbying on Capitol Hill.
In Appalachia, Two Hospital Giants Seek State-Sanctioned Monopoly
Tennessee and Virginia regulators are considering approval of a merger between Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System under their state laws. If they allow it, the Federal Trade Commission would be powerless to stop it.
Podcast: What The Health? Senate Health Bill, Mostly Dead?
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss the ever-changing status of the Senate’s effort to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, and the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine the working of the law.
Postcard From Capitol Hill: Lawmakers Put Women’s Health Care In Its Place
Where women prefer to go for health care becomes a proxy for the abortion debate.
Fraud And Billing Mistakes Cost Medicare — And Taxpayers — Tens Of Billions Last Year
At a hearing Wednesday, federal health officials pointed to billing errors, fraud and overcharges that led Medicare to overpay by staggering sums.
Latinos Left Out Of Clinical Trials … And Possible Cures
Fewer than 8 percent of enrollees in medical studies are Hispanic. Those who don’t participate have less access to cutting-edge treatments, and researchers have less data on how a drug works within the Hispanic population.
Latinos quedan fuera de estudios médicos… y posibles curas
Menos del 8% de los que pacientes en estudios médicos son hispanos. Esto significa que tienen menos acceso a tratamientos de avanzada, y los investigadores tienen menos información sobre cómo funciona una droga o terapia en esa población.
Congress Squares Off Over Drug Pricing And A Controversial Drug Discount Program
The controversial 340B drug discount program for hospitals came under fire at a congressional hearing.
Cuentas médicas no afectarán de inmediato el crédito
Las agencias de crédito están cambiando la manera en que reportan y evalúan la deuda médica para reducir algunas de las dolorosas consecuencias financieras de tener un problema de salud.
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.
Podcast: What The Health? Senate Health Bill 2.0. Still On Life Support
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss the changes to the proposed Senate health bill.
In Texas, People With Mental Illness Find Work Helping Peers
Peer support, well-known in addiction treatment, is gaining ground for people with serious mental illness. Texas and 35 other states are training and paying peer support specialists to help bridge a gap in mental health treatment.
Nursing Homes Move Into The Insurance Business
Although proponents say the policies offered by nursing homes are more attuned to patients, some report frustrations when trying to dispute care decisions.
Senators Grill Top Indian Health Officials About Trump Budget
The administration officials could not answer some basic questions from senators, including how much money the agency has gained from the health law’s Medicaid expansion and whether President Donald Trump’s proposed 2018 budget would help the agency hire more staff.
Cuando el cirujano opera a dos pacientes a la vez… en distintos quirófanos
Es una práctica común en hospitales universitarios, pero ahora defensores de los consumidores y expertos opinan que puede no ser segura para el paciente.
Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once
Simultaneous surgeries have ignited an impassioned debate in the medical community.
Your Credit Score Soon Will Get A Buffer From Medical-Debt Wrecks
Starting in September, the three main agencies will wait 180 days before including a medical debt on a credit report.
Podcast: What The Health? Why Is This Stuff So Complicated?
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post discuss the state of the Senate’s effort to replace Obamacare.
Half The Time, Nursing Homes Scrutinized On Safety By Medicare Are Still Treacherous
Of the 528 nursing homes that graduated from special focus status before 2014 and are still operating, more than half — 52 percent — have harmed patients or operated in a way that put patients in serious jeopardy within the past three years, a KHN analysis finds.
As Seniors Get Sicker, They’re More Likely To Drop Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Advantage plans offer good value and aim to keep patients healthy but sicker people are far more likely to quit because they can’t get the care they need.
