Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Winners And Losers: 40 Is Old In Senate GOP Health Plan’s Subsidy Structure
The latest Republican plan to revamp the health law reshapes how age and income affect what help consumers get for paying premiums.
Senate Health Bill Would Revamp Medicaid, Alter ACA Guarantees, Cut Premium Support
Despite promises to craft their own way to revamp the federal health law, the Senate Republican bill follows the House’s lead in many ways.
Survivors Of Childhood Diseases Struggle To Find Care As Adults
Once-fatal childhood diseases, like cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease and sickle cell anemia, now can be survived into adulthood. But when those patients become too old to see pediatricians, it can be difficult for them to find physicians familiar with their conditions.
FDA Ruling On Aussie Biotech Could Boost Congressman’s Investment
Innate Immunotherapeutics, whose largest shareholder is Buffalo-area Rep. Chris Collins, received FDA approval to begin U.S. trials of its drug for treating advanced multiple sclerosis.
Armed with strict guidelines and motivated by sheer urgency, a specialized team of nurses makes the rounds, seeking to thwart the No. 1 killer in U.S. hospitals.
A Clinic Mix-Up Leaves Pregnant Woman In Dark About Zika Risk
A Washington state woman didn’t find out for months that she was likely infected with the virus that can cause serious birth defects. Clinic officials say they’ll do better.
Despite A Growing Appetite, Buffet-Style Flat-Fee Clinics Shutter In Seattle
A small number of medical practices have been moving to “direct primary care,” in which patients pay a monthly retainer for unlimited services. But the collapse of Qliance in Seattle may portend problems with the business model.
A ‘Safe’ Space To Shoot Up: Worth A Try?
A bill pending in the state legislature could make the Golden State the first in the U.S. to open establishments where intravenous drug users can shoot up under medical supervision. Proponents say that would save lives.
Ear To The Door: 5 Things Being Weighed In Secret Health Bill Also Weigh It Down
No one knows what the final Senate bill will look like — not even those writing it. But here are some safe, educated guesses.
Exclusive: White House Task Force Echoes Pharma Proposals
Documents examined by Kaiser Health News shed light on the workings of the Trump administration’s “Drug Pricing and Innovation Working Group.”
Seesawing Family Income Threatens Kids’ Medicaid Coverage In Texas
Critics point to the state’s aggressive eligibility checks as an example of what can go wrong when states have flexibility and add a reason to worry about GOP efforts to overhaul the program.
Lead Detected In 20% Of Baby Food Samples, Surprising Even Researchers
An analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund found lead more commonly in baby food than in other food. Lead was often present in fruit juice, though the research did not measure the level of contamination.
Leaving Hospital, Older Patients Resist Home Help At Their Peril
Almost 30 percent of patients leaving the hospital don’t want home health care services, which often leads to readmissions and other health issues.
Long Waits And Long Odds For Those Who Need Social Security Disability
The U.S. government has been struggling to balance a surge in applicants for disability benefits with shrinking funds. An updated application process could make getting benefits even harder.
Widow Unleashes Court Fight Against Scope Maker Olympus Over Superbug Outbreak
The Seattle case, the first to reach trial in the U.S., offers possible glimpse into fate of some two dozen lawsuits against manufacturing giant Olympus, accused of failing to address scope contamination linked to numerous deaths. The company faults poor hospital cleaning practices.
Descent Into Secrecy: Senate Health Talks Speak To Steady Retreat From Transparency
The Senate’s secret deliberation on the health bill overhaul is part of a long, slow slide away from transparency. And I’m a witness.
Tweet Revenge: Twitter Erupts As Diabetes Forum Tries To Lock Down Photo Sharing
This year’s American Diabetes Association scientific meeting came with a hefty price — a policy of no photography and limits on social media. That did not go over well on Twitter.
Unable To Arrest Opioid Epidemic, Red States Warm To Needle Exchanges
The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition has advanced a local shift from a tough-on-drugs approach to harm-reduction philosophy. Other red states signal they may follow suit.
People In Recovery Worry GOP Medicaid Cuts Would Put Treatment Out Of Reach
In Pennsylvania alone, 124,000 people received drug or alcohol addiction treatment through Medicaid. Republicans in Congress want to cut Medicaid by as much as $800 billion over the next decade, leaving people in recovery wondering what will happen to their treatment.
AARP: States Lag In Keeping Medicaid Enrollees Out Of Nursing Homes
States are not doing enough to help elderly and disabled Medicaid enrollees receive services in homes and community locations instead of in nursing homes, where care is more expensive, AARP report says.
