Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Out Of Work And Looking For Insurance: COBRA May Be The Best Bet For Now
With lots of questions about the 2018 insurance market still in play, someone who is between jobs might want to stick with their job-based insurance at least until the outlines of the health law’s marketplaces are clear in the fall.
Zika In America: One Mother’s Saga
So far, 72 affected babies have been born in the continental U.S. One young mother, infected in Mexico last year, and her infant face an uncertain future in rural Washington.
In Texas, Abstinence-Only Programs May Contribute To Teen Pregnancies
Across the U.S., the number of teenagers having babies has hit a record low — it’s down to about 1 out of every 45 young women. That trend hasn’t extended to certain parts of Texas, however, where the teen birth rate is still nearly twice the national average.
Medical Responses To Opioid Addiction Vary By State, Analysis Finds
The study also found that the largest percentage of medical coverage claims related to opioid abuse and dependence nationally come from older patients — those ages 51 to 60.
‘How Long Have I Got, Doc?’ Why Many Cancer Patients Don’t Have Answers
Due to poor doctor-patient communication, most people with advanced cancer don’t know enough about their disease to make vital decisions.
California’s Aid-In-Dying Law Turns 1, But Not All Doctors Have Adopted It
At least 500 terminally ill Californians have asked for the medicine that allows them to end their lives, and nearly 500 health organizations have signed on to help.
Quantity Over Quality? Minorities Shown To Get An Excess Of Ineffective Care
The researchers looked at 11 services that medical groups have said are often unnecessary and found that Hispanics and blacks got them at higher rates than whites.
As Insurance Options Shrink, Families Are ‘Holding Our Breath’
One of two insurers in this tiny state has announced it will not be back in the marketplaces next year, leaving customers concerned about the prices they will pay.
Capitol Hill Dems, HHS Secretary Price Trade Jabs On HHS Budget
Tom Price defends proposed spending reductions in Medicaid and other HHS programs while demurring on questions about cost-sharing subsidies for the 2018 Obamacare marketplace.
If Insurance Market Crashes, Can Lawmakers Put The Pieces Back Together?
Actions by the Trump administration are putting pressure on the fragile market for individuals who buy their own coverage, but analysts say it should be able to rebound.
Protected But Priced Out: Patients Worry About Health Law’s Future In Arizona
Corinne Bobbie has a love-hate relationship with the Affordable Care Act. As the GOP tries to repeal the law, the experiences and fears of voters like Bobbie could determine a politician’s fate.
Former Pharma Reps’ New Mission: To School Docs On High Drug Costs
One insurer is turning the tables on drugmakers with what may be a new job category: a sales force for cost-effective medicine.
Daylight On Diabetes Drugs: Nevada Bill Would Track Insulin Makers’ Profits
With the cost of medications up 300 percent in the past decade, supporters see this as a first step to rein in prices.
When An Insurer Balks And Treatment Stops
A 22-year old man from Orange County, Calif., alleges in a lawsuit that his health insurer stopped paying for a crucial — and expensive — immunotherapy drug, leading him to become seriously ill. Treatments for patients with similar conditions are increasingly denied or interrupted, experts and patient advocates say.
Feds To Waive Penalties For Some Who Signed Up Late For Medicare
People who were using marketplace plans instead of Medicare may qualify for the reprieve. They have until Sept. 30 to apply.
Recovery On The Reservation: Montana Sisters Help Peers Stop Using Drugs
A grass-roots effort to corral Montana’s meth crisis hinges on the idea that people who are successful in conquering addiction are uniquely qualified to coach others.
Hospitals Now Tap Lawyers To Fulfill Patients’ Legal Needs
About 300 health care systems around the country have set up medical-legal partnerships to help patients who are dealing with legal problems that affect their health.
Cuts In Federal Housing Help Would Hurt People’s Health, Research Suggests
A study in Health Affairs shows that people who receive federal housing vouchers and other forms of public housing assistance are more likely to have health insurance and get regular medical care.
A Community Seeks Answers, Assurances About Health Care — In 10 Languages
A forum for Asian immigrants in Oakland draws a crowd so large some attendees had to be seated in an overflow room. Many immigrants are eager for information relevant to them as changes to the health care system are debated in Washington.
They’ve Still Got Bucket Lists — In Their 90s
One flew a plane at 97; the other went to college at 92. But these two friends are proudest of their legacies of kindness.
