Category: Public Health

Congress Targets Misuse Of Hospice Drugs

In the bipartisan opioid bill headed to the president’s desk, hospice workers would be allowed to destroy patients’ unneeded opioids, reducing the risk that families misuse them.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Some Things Old, Some Things New

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner discuss final action on bills in Congress to address the opioid epidemic and fund federal health agencies. They also look at new efforts by the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on teen nicotine use.

Without Safety Net Of Kids Or Spouse, ‘Elder Orphans’ Need Fearless Fallback Plan

Older adults who lack a conventional support system should plan ahead to deal with life’s predictable challenges as they age.

VA Adding Opioid Antidote To Defibrillator Cabinets For Quicker Overdose Response

A project that started in a Boston Veterans Affairs facility will soon go nationwide. It puts naloxone, also known as Narcan, into emergency supplies cabinets throughout the VA system.

Feds Settle Huge Whistleblower Suit Over Medicare Advantage Fraud

A DaVita subsidiary will pay $270 million over allegations that it cheated the federal government for years.

Don’t sign off on fat acceptance. Don’t normalize obesity.

I cannot get behind fat acceptance, or better stated in medical lingo as “normalizing obesity.” As a physician and as someone who has been obese or morbidly obese my adult life, I know first hand what it’s like to hate my body and feel ashamed of it. I still do this very moment as I […]

White Coats As Superhero Capes: Med Students Swoop In To Save Health Care

Students from eight medical schools in and around New York City attended a conference Sept. 23 on progressive activism during their training years — and beyond.

A new way to reduce sugary beverage consumption

The beverage industry derailed the movement for soda taxes in California by convincing state elected officials to pre-empt local taxing authority in exchange for cancelling a ballot initiative that would have made all new taxes difficult to pass. But taxes are not the only way to reduce sugary beverage consumption in California or the U.S. as a whole. […]

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ (Almost) Live from Austin!

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” — recorded in Austin, Texas, as part of the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival — Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico talk about how health issues will play in midterm elections, the Trump administration’s move that could penalize legal immigrants who use government aid programs and other topics. Plus, they are joined by Dell Medical School’s Mini Kahlon.