Latest Morning Briefing Stories
KHN On NPR: The Uniquely American Problem Of High Prescription Drug Costs
Kaiser Health News Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal discusses drug costs with Scott Simon, the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition. Listen to the broadcast and read a transcript of that conversation.
Could A Rare, Deadly ‘Superbug’ Fungus Be Gaining A Foothold?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of confirmed cases of Candida auris in the U.S. has climbed from seven in 2016 to at least 200.
Doctors Learn How To Talk To Patients About Dying
Clinicians can be so focused on fixing problems and saving lives that they often avoid talking to patients about their prognosis.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ There’s A Really Big Health Bill In That Budget Deal
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss the health policy changes included in the just-concluded bipartisan budget deal on Capitol Hill. The panelists also talk about the final enrollment numbers for individual insurance purchased under the Affordable Care Act, and possible drug price proposals in President Donald Trump’s upcoming budget. Plus, Rovner interviews Andy Slavitt, who this week launched a health care advocacy group called “The United States of Care.”
Upsurge Of Suburban Poor Discover Health Care’s Nowhere Land
More low-income people now live in suburbs than in cities or rural areas, putting a strain on local health services. Suburbs, which traditionally have had fewer resources or infrastructure, are scrambling to catch up.
Changing The Way We Look At Dementia
A new social movement in the U.S. tackles the stigma of living with Alzheimer’s.
Bipartisan Senate Budget Deal Boosts Health Programs
The agreement would add $2 billion to the National Institutes of Health and fund community health centers around the country. But it does not include provisions to help stabilize the federal health law’s marketplaces.
Despite Changes That Undermined ACA Enrollment, Marketplaces ‘Remarkably Stable’
A report issued by the National Academy for State Health Policy shows a small decrease in sign-ups last fall, but states running their own marketplaces did better than those that don’t.
Nurse Calls Cops After New Mom Seeks Help For Depression. Right Call?
A package of mental health bills in California aims to ensure that all new moms are screened for postpartum depression and that more support is available for those who struggle with the malady.
Readers And Tweeters Add Two Cents On Amazon Venture To Repackage Health Care
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
The ‘Gesundheit Machine’ Collects Campus Cooties In Race Against A Fierce Flu
Environmental health professor Don Milton is studying how the flu — and other dangerous infections — are spread. The close quarters of dorm rooms and cafeterias at the University of Maryland provide him with a steady supply of research subjects.
Community Health Centers Caught In ‘Washington’s Political Dysfunction’
The centers, which serve 27 million people, get about 20 percent of their funding from the federal government. But that revenue is slated to end on March 31.
Skip The Rocking Chairs For These Rock Stars Of Aging
Two women, 80 and 91, from opposite poles, agree on the art of aging.
California To Drug Users: We’ll Pay For You To Test Your Dope
Fentanyl, a significant cause of overdoses and deaths across the country, has begun showing up in California street drugs. State health officials have responded with a bold but controversial policy: paying for test strips so users can check their stash.
Indiana Gets Federal Approval For Medicaid Plan That Could Slice Enrollment
HHS officials sign off on a plan that could lock out for six months thousands of people who fail to get their paperwork done promptly.
Stalled Health Programs Await A Green Light On The Hill
With another piece of must-pass legislation set to move through Congress, there’s a push to attach provisions to keep afloat a number of health-related programs for which funding or specific federal direction has expired.
Indiana Medicaid Drops 25K From Coverage For Failing To Pay Premiums
The state branded its Medicaid expansion with some key conservative policies, and officials and advocates across the country are keenly watching the results.
As States Target High Drug Prices, Pharma Targets State Lawmakers
In Louisiana, the wining and dining of lawmakers by scores of pharma lobbyists proves a valuable lesson on how to win statehouse votes and influence profits.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The State Of The (Health) Union
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Julie Appleby and Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News discuss President Donald Trump’s promises to reduce drug prices in his first State of the Union Address. The panelists also discuss the departure of the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after conflict-of-interest reports and the efforts by some states to flout the Affordable Care Act.
As Marijuana Laws Relax, Doctors Say Pregnant Women Shouldn’t Partake
Some mothers who smoke pot see it as a harmless remedy for everything from pain to postpartum depression. But doctors say the active ingredients in marijuana can be passed onto the baby and may affect developing nervous systems.
