Latest KFF Health News Stories
Americans Cross Border Into Mexico To Buy Insulin At A Fraction Of U.S. Cost
For one patient, a three-month supply of insulin is $3,700 in the U.S. versus $600 in Mexico. But is it legal?
False Lead: Senator’s Offer To Help Patient Import Cheap Insulin Goes Nowhere
Sen. Mike Enzi said he knew of a foundation that would import insulin for patients, but it doesn’t appear to exist.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
What ‘Dope Sick’ Really Feels Like
Just as each person’s journey into addiction is unique, different approaches work for people trying to find their way out. For me, detoxing was nightmarish. And a long-held dream come true.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A ‘Healthy’ State Of The Union
Health was a featured player in President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address. The president set goals to bring down prescription drug prices, end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and cure childhood cancer, among other things. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz about the current “Bill of the Month” feature.
Trump Administration Salutes Parade Of Generic Drug Approvals, But Hundreds Aren’t For Sale
President Donald Trump and FDA officials have pointed to a surge in generic drug approvals, but a data analysis indicates almost half haven’t reached the market.
Trump Highlights Health Agenda With Vow To Lower ‘Unfair’ Drug Prices
The president laid out a series of goals, including lowering prescription prices, pursuing an end to the HIV epidemic and boosting funding for childhood cancers.
Winners And Losers Under Bold Trump Plan To Slash Drug Rebate Deals
The White House and HHS want to eliminate a “shadowy system of kickbacks” in the drug industry pipeline.
Lawsuit Details How The Sackler Family Allegedly Built An OxyContin Fortune
WBUR and other media organizations sued Purdue Pharma to force the release of previously redacted information in a case brought by the Massachusetts attorney general.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Live From D.C.: A Look Ahead At Health Policy In 2019
Congress and President Donald Trump are starting to wrestle with health policy issues, and health is already a key debate point in the early run-up to the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. Might any major health policy legislation be passed and signed this year? Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Kimberly Leonard of The Washington Examiner, along with special guest Tom Miller of the American Enterprise Institute, join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and take questions from a live studio audience.
Congress Wades Into Emotional Debate Over High-Cost Prescription Drugs
Key House and Senate committees kick off hearings on drug prices, and patients’ families weigh in with tragic stories.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Drug-Pricing Policies Find New Momentum As ‘A 2020 Thing’
Emboldened by midterm election results and interest in possible presidential runs, Democrats are advancing a slew of new and old legislative proposals. It’s not yet clear, though, which if any could go the distance.
Listen: ‘Death Certificate Project’ Aims At Opioid Crisis, But Doctors Cry Foul
A radio report on an effort in California to hold doctors responsible when a patient overdoses on opioids. Doctors say it is unfair, but the state medical board defends the new project.
Doctors Call California’s Probe Of Opioid Deaths A ‘Witch Hunt’
In a unique crackdown on what it sees as “excessive prescribing,” the state medical board is investigating hundreds of doctors whose patients ultimately died of opioid overdoses — whether or not the doctors prescribed the fatal medications.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
County By County, Researchers Link Opioid Deaths To Drugmakers’ Marketing
A JAMA study looking at county-specific federal data finds that the more opioid-related marketing dollars spent in a county, the higher rates of doctors who prescribed those drugs, and ultimately, more overdose deaths.
Secretive ‘Rebate Trap’ Keeps Generic Drugs For Diabetes And Other Ills Out Of Reach
Patients are often forced into using brand names because drug formularies favor them over cheaper competitors.
As drugmakers hike prices, interest to rein them in grows on Capitol Hill. Next week marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s abortion decision, and both the House, whose leaders back abortion rights, and the Senate, controlled by abortion foes, are holding statement votes. And the government shutdown is still affecting health programs. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues.