Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Congress’ Cold Shoulder Sends Shivers Through Community Health Centers
The clinics, which serve many poor people, are tightening spending in case Congress doesn’t approve new funding for them before the government’s 2018 fiscal year starts Sunday.
The GOP Repeal Bill Is Imploding. Here Are 5 Things Left Hanging On Obamacare.
Even though the Affordable Care Act has dodged another legislative bullet, it still faces challenges.
California Scrambles To Contain ‘Unprecedented’ Hepatitis A Outbreaks
Hundreds of people, most of them homeless, have been infected. In San Diego County, where 17 people have died, critics fault authorities for being slow to act.
Nowhere To Go: Young People With Severe Autism Languish In Hospitals
Some teens and young adults are spending weeks or even months in retrofitted emergency rooms — even in mesh-covered tents — until specialized care can be found. ‘It’s a huge problem,’ one doctor says.
Postcard From Capitol Hill: Health Care Hearing’s Action Was In Hallway
Hundreds of protesters were turned away from the Senate’s public hearing on the Graham-Cassidy bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, but they made their feelings known outside the door.
Sen. Collins Announces Opposition To GOP Bill To Replace Obamacare
The statement from the Maine senator came after the Congressional Budget Office said the bill would cause millions of people to become uninsured.
Everyone Says We Must Control Exorbitant Drug Prices. So, Why Don’t We?
Any momentum to address prescription drug costs has been lost amid rancorous debates over replacing Obamacare and stalled by roadblocks erected via lobbying and industry cash.
Medicaid Covers All That? It’s The Backstop Of America’s Ailing Health System
Those relying on the federal government’s safety net are grandmothers, the kid next door, your supermarket cashier — maybe even you.
A Tale Of Two States: California, Texas And The Latest ACA Repeal Bid
In the GOP’s attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, California would lose a lot of federal funding. Texas would gain a lot in the short term, but experts worry Texas would not use the money well.
Sunday Hours: Obamacare Website To Be Shut Down For Portion of Most Weekends
The shutdown, which raised protests from navigator groups, will occur from midnight Saturday to 12 p.m. Sunday on all but one weekend.
GOP Health Bill’s Changes Go Far Beyond Preexisting Conditions
The measure proposed by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) would disrupt the existing health system more than any of the measures considered so far this year, according to supporters and critics.
Money-Saving Offer For Medicare’s Late Enrollees Is Expiring. Can They Buy Time?
Sept. 30 marks the end of Medicare’s temporary offer to waive penalties for certain late Medicare enrollees with Affordable Care Act insurance coverage.
To Wage War On Superbugs, FDA Clears Way For Scope With A Disposable Piece
Agency says a removable cap will lower the risk of antibiotic resistant infections but some experts see it as a modest step in curbing the sort of deadly outbreaks that occurred a few years ago.
High On Drugs? Anthem Cites Soaring Drug Costs To Justify 35% Rate Hike in California
The company’s drug spending prediction, far above other insurers in the individual market, has experts scratching their heads. Anthem cites market volatility.
Narrow Networks Get Even Tighter When Shopping For Mental Health Specialists
The average provider network includes only 11 percent of all the mental health care providers in a given market, according to a study this month in the journal Health Affairs.
Uncertainty Over Health Care’s Future Hobbles Entrepreneurs
The Affordable Care Act gave some Americans the chance to strike out on their own in new business ventures because they didn’t have to worry about keeping a job just for health insurance. But the repeal-and-replace efforts reignited this week create uncertainty about whether they can count on that insurance option in the future.
Caregivers Draw Support By Mapping Their Relationships
Innovative CareMaps tool helps caregivers understand their roles and take steps to improve their lives.
Open Your Mouth And Say Goo-Goo: Dentists Treating Ever-Younger Patients
A shift in dental guidelines encourages first dental visits for infants as young as 6 months, or when the first baby teeth emerge. That makes some dentists uncomfortable.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Zombie Repeal-And-Replace Bill Rises Again
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss Senate Republicans’ last-ditch effort to upend the Affordable Care Act ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline.
Last-Ditch Effort By Republicans To Replace ACA: What You Need To Know
Republicans are making a concerted push to unite around a bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy that would gut major provisions of the federal health law.
