health care

President Trump talks about drug prices during a visit to the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., in October. A federal judge on Monday blocked a major White House initiative on prescription drug costs, saying the Trump administra

Judge Blocks Trump Rule Requiring Pharma Companies To Disclose Drug Prices In TV Ads

2:57pm July 09, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

The rule, which had support from the Trump administration and consumer rights advocates, is a blow to the White House searching for ways to pressure pharmaceutical companies to lower prices.

From 2012 through 2016, federal health inspectors cited 87% of U.S. hospices for deficiencies. And 20% had lapses serious enough to endanger patients, according to two new reports from the HHS Inspector General's Office.

HHS Inspector General Finds Serious Flaws In 20% Of U.S. Hospice Programs

1:48pm July 09, 2019

by Ina Jaffe

Two new reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have found widespread problems in hospice care and say the government needs to open its scorecards on hospice care to the public.

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Demonstrators from Doctors for America marched in support of the Affordable Care Act outside the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2015. Now, another case aims to undo the federal health law: Texas v. United States could land in front of the Supreme Court ahead

The Affordable Care Act Is Back In Court: 5 Facts You Need To Know

7:49am July 09, 2019

by Julie Rovner

The ACA is again being put to the test, after a lower court judge ruled the massive health law unconstitutional. The case might yet ricochet back to the Supreme Court ahead of the 2020 election.

News Brief: Jeffrey Epstein, Hong Kong Bill, Obamacare Trial

5:34am July 09, 2019

Financier Jeffrey Epstein pleads not guilty to sex trafficking of minors. Hong Kong's leader says the controversial extradition bill is dead. And, the Affordable Care Act is on trial again.

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Texas To Ask Federal Appeals Court To Pull The Plug On Obamacare

5:31am July 09, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

The Affordable Care Act goes on trial Tuesday in New Orleans. The appeals case — Texas versus United States — is yet another lawsuit that seeks to have President Obama's signature law overturned.

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Travis Rieder, author of In Pain: A Bioethicist's Personal Struggle With Opioids, says none of the doctors who prescribed opioids for his waves of "fiery" or "electrical" pain taught him how to safely taper his use of the drugs when he wanted to quit.

Motorcycle Crash Shows Bioethicist The Dark Side Of Quitting Opioids Alone

4:50pm July 08, 2019

by Terry Gross

When medical bioethicist Travis Rieder tried to taper off pain medication after a roadway accident, he was disappointed by his doctors' reaction: "Everybody had a reason to send me to somebody else."

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A decade ago, it seemed inevitable that every newborn would get a complete gene scan. But there are technical challenges and practical concerns.

Health & Safety

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns

5:00am July 08, 2019

by Richard Harris

Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.

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After a difficult time in her life, Jill Hill knew she needed therapy. But it was hard to get the help she needed in the rural town she lives in, Grass Valley, Calif., until she found a local telehealth program.

Health & Safety

With Rural Health Care Stretched Thin, More Patients Turn To Telehealth

8:09am July 07, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

Advances in online tech are revolutionizing health care, with patients now emailing doctors, filling prescriptions or even getting therapy via a video session. But what if you can't afford broadband?

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Physicians complain that there's not yet a standard drug-pricing tool available to them that includes the range of medicine prices each of their patients might face — one that takes into account their particular pharmacy choice and health insurance plan

Health & Safety

Doctors Slow To Adopt Tech Tools That Might Save Patients Money On Drugs

10:14am July 05, 2019

by Phil Galewitz

A pricing tool embedded in many prescribing and medical records systems lets doctors see how much each patient is likely to pay out of pocket for medicine. But the tools could be better, doctors say.

Pakistani women jostle to receive their ballot papers prior to casting their ballot at a polling station on May 11, 2013 in Lahore. A study in The Lancet provides evidence that free and fair elections are associated with a lower burden of chronic diseases

Good News About Democracy: It's Good For Your Health

7:17am July 04, 2019

by Jonathan Lambert

A study finds that for countries worldwide, the "democratic experience" — through free and fair elections — plays a larger role than GDP in easing the burden of chronic diseases.