Health Headlines for Friday, May 26

Gov. Walker Wants Wisconsin to Drug Test Medicaid Applicants

New York Times

Gov. Scott Walker wants to make Wisconsin the first state in the country to require able-bodied, childless adults applying for Medicaid health benefits to undergo drug screening, a move that could serve as a national model.

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FDA Chief Proposes Rules Changes to Fight High Drug Prices

Wall Street Journal (Subscriber Only Content) 

The new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration plans a multifaceted effort to restrain high prescription-drug prices, centered on speeding cheaper generic medicines onto the U.S. market.

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A Quarter of U.S. Babies With Zika-Related Birth Defects Were Born in New York

New York Times

A quarter of all infants in the United States born with defects related to the Zika virus were born to women in New York City, city health officials announced on Thursday, a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the virus.

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On death and cynicism in health care

Albany Business Review

Like many Americans, I have grown extremely cynical about the way our health care system works.

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Pilot program in Buffalo could cure area’s doctor shortage

Buffalo News

Many Buffalo-area medical practices will receive a big financial boost – and patients likely will get easier access to health care – thanks to the region’s selection for a new Medicare pilot program that eventually could help cure the area’s physician shortage.

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Tackling health inequities

Buffalo Business First

An area nonprofit is making strides to identify and improve inequities in income, health and opportunity in Buffalo.

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Three Strategies to Defend GOP Health Bill: Euphemisms, False Statements and Deleted Comments

Pro Publica

Since the passage of the American Health Care Act, Republican members of Congress have tried to swing public opinion to their side. ProPublica has been tracking what they’re saying.

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