Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Medicaid Expansion Boosts Hospital Bottom Lines — And Prices

KFF Health News Original

Colorado officials say hospitals are better off financially after the state expanded coverage to more low-income residents, but that hasn’t stopped them from shifting more costs to other insured patients.

States Push For Caregiver Tax Credits

KFF Health News Original

Families often spend thousands of dollars caring for ailing loved ones at home. Lawmakers in California and at least seven other states want to provide some financial relief with state income tax credits.

State Laws Ban Surprise Medical Bills. She Got One for $227K And Fought Back.

KFF Health News Original

No one told a Washington state woman she was racking up massive out-of-pocket charges during a month-long emergency stay in an Oregon hospital. For six months, she and her husband were haunted by looming debt — and bill collectors.

Aspiring Doctors Seek Advanced Training In Addiction Medicine

KFF Health News Original

Once a tiny specialty that drew mostly psychiatrists, addiction medicine is expanding its accredited training to include primary care residents and “social justice warriors” who see it as a calling.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Surprise! Fixing Surprise Medical Bills Is Harder Than it Looks

KFF Health News Original

Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the efforts to curb “surprise” medical bills to patients who inadvertently get out-of-network care; a look at where the 2020 presidential candidates stand on health; and the Trump administration’s efforts to end HIV in the U.S. Also, Rovner interviews Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who is leaving his job in early April.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The Karma Of Cutting Medicare

KFF Health News Original

Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Alice Ollstein of Politico and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the suggested cuts to health programs in President Donald Trump’s budget proposal, the latest on lawsuits challenging work requirements for Medicaid enrollees and the FDA’s crackdown on e-cigarettes. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week.

Por qué el sarampión afecta tanto a la comunidad ortodoxa judía de NY

KFF Health News Original

Se han confirmado 370 casos de la enfermedad en todo el estado hasta la última semana de marzo, sobre todo en el municipio neoyorquino de Brooklyn y en el condado de Rockland al noroeste de la ciudad.

Why Measles Hits So Hard Within N.Y. Orthodox Jewish Community

KFF Health News Original

More than 275 people — mostly in Orthodox Jewish communities — have been infected since the disease began spreading in October. That’s about half of the confirmed cases in 11 states that were reported nationwide by the federal officials since January 2018.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ What’s Next For The FDA?

KFF Health News Original

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the resignation of Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, the latest on federal and state efforts to shore up the Affordable Care Act; and how public health officials plan to persuade parents who are reluctant to vaccinate their kids. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week.

Cities And Counties Unlikely To Heed FDA Warning On Importing Foreign Drugs

KFF Health News Original

The Food and Drug Administration claims CanaRX, a company used by more than 500 cities, counties and school districts to help their employees get cheaper drugs from overseas, has sent “unapproved” and “misbranded” drugs to U.S. consumers, jeopardizing their safety.

Texas Lawmakers Take Aim At Surprise Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

A proposed state law with bipartisan, bicameral support is on the move in Texas. It would force hospitals and insurers to settle surprise bills — instead of relying on patients to start the mediation process. The KHN/NPR “Bill of the Month” series is a catalyst for the effort.

Despite 1991 Ruling, Foes Of New Family Planning Rules See Law On Their Side

KFF Health News Original

Lawyers seeking to block the Trump administration’s decision to alter rules for the Title X family planning program say their efforts will not be stymied by the Supreme Court’s approval of similar rules 28 years ago. They point to new protections enacted in the Affordable Care Act and language in funding bills that shifts the legal calculus.

Progressives Tout ‘Medicare-For-All’ But States Eye ‘Medicaid Buy-In’

KFF Health News Original

New Mexico is one of several states looking at offering consumers a government-sponsored plan. The proposals would typically have benefits similar to what is available in Medicaid, the state-federal health plan for low-income people.