Latest KFF Health News Stories
AMA Abortion Lawsuit Puts Doctors In The Thick Of Debate
The doctors’ group, which had not been very vocal in recent years on the issue, is taking an assertive stance. The AMA said North Dakota’s laws interfere with doctor-patient relationships.
Have Cancer, Must Travel: Patients Left In Lurch After Hospital Closes
As the rural town of Fort Scott, Kan., grapples with the closure of its hospital, cancer patients face new challenges as they try to continue their treatments in different locations.
State Lawmakers Eye Federal Dollars To Boost Mental Health Counseling By Peers
Medicaid pays for mentoring of mental health patients by “peer supporters,” but only if they are state-certified. California is one of two states with no certification program. Legislation pending in Sacramento would change that — if the governor backs it.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Pelosi Aims For Feds To Negotiate Drug Prices, Even For Private Insurers
A draft plan spearheaded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would allow the federal government for the first time to negotiate prices for 250 drugs for Medicare and apply those prices to all payers, including employers and insurers.
Trump Has Blessed States’ Exploration Of Importing Drugs. Will It Catch On?
Colorado, Florida and Vermont — with the support of President Donald Trump — are exploring plans to bring drugs across the border from Canada to help lower costs.
Health Care Gets Heated On Night 2 Of The Democratic Presidential Debate
Though the candidates tended to agree on the end goal of universal coverage, differences emerged over how to get there.
Universal Health Care For New Yorkers? Not Exactly
Despite what New York Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed during the first night of the presidential debates, universal health care in the Big Apple is still in the seeding stage.
Delaney’s Debate Claim That ‘Medicare For All’ Will Shutter Hospitals Goes Overboard
At the first Democratic presidential primary debate, former U.S. lawmaker John Delaney outlined his opposition to “Medicare for All” by claiming it would prove fatal for hospitals. It’s really not that simple.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Dems Debate Health Care
Democratic presidential candidates disagreed on how to fix health care in their first debate Wednesday, although they all called for boosting insurance coverage and lowering prices. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is keeping health care in the news, too, with a new plan to make medical prices more available to the public. Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this, plus the latest in news about bipartisan progress on catch-all legislation to address “surprise” medical bills. Plus, Rovner interviews NPR’s Jon Hamilton about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment.
How Black Pharmacists Are Closing The Cultural Gap In Health Care
Independent black-owned pharmacies fill a void for African American patients looking for care that’s sensitive to their heritage, beliefs and values.
As The Economy Surges, A Dramatic Drop In Workers On Disability
Experts credit the lowest U.S. unemployment rate in 50 years, along with a more flexible work culture and tighter oversight of who qualifies for federal disability benefits.
Five Things We Found In The FDA’s Hidden Device Database
The Food and Drug Administration released two decades of previously hidden data containing millions of injuries or malfunctions by medical devices. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
More Seniors Are Dying In Falls. Doctors Could Do More To Reduce The Risk.
Doctors should assess older adults for the risk of falling, come up with individualized plans and refer seniors to physical therapists, occupational therapists and evidence-based programs.
‘Medicare For All’ Emerges As Early Divide In First Democratic Debate
On the first of the Democrat’s two-night debate, only New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren offered full support for a single-payer system that would banish private health insurance.
Senate Panel Makes Surprisingly Fast Work Of ‘Surprise Medical Bills’ Package
The measure also includes a range of provisions designed to address health care costs.
‘An Arm And A Leg’: Why Are Drug Prices So Random? Meet Mr. PBM
Beware at the pharmacy counter: Your insurance company could be in cahoots with a pharmacy benefit manager — and the negotiations that go on between them are trade secrets.
Middlemen Who Save $$ On Medicines — But Maybe Not For You
Guess who’s back grabbing headlines? Pharmacy benefit managers — those companies that serve as middlemen in the prescription drug pipeline.
San Francisco To Ban Sales Of E-Cigarettes
The nation’s biggest producer of e-cigarettes is based in San Francisco, yet the city is on the verge of banning sales of the devices.
In Secret, Seniors Discuss ‘Rational Suicide’
Running counter to the efforts of suicide prevention experts and many religious and social norms, some seniors are quietly exploring the option of turning to suicide when they feel they’ve lived long enough.
