Shire-Baxalta $32B Merger Would Create Powerhouse Rare-Disease Drugmaker

Big companies used to steer clear of rare-disease drugs because there aren't enough patients to make them profitable, but that has changed as the market has sustained high prices. In other pharmaceutical news, drug companies launch a cooperative effort to fight cancer, the Supreme Court lets a ruling on deceptive marketing of an anti-psychotic drug stand, and states look at ways to combat high prices.

Viewpoint: GOP’s Repeal Bill Could Be A Test-Run; Another Side Effect Of High Deductibles

A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.

What’s Ahead For The Health Care Sector In 2016?

Bloomberg offers a series of charts to aid in understanding the market forces at work in the health industry in the year ahead. Meanwhile, a large shareholder sells off its stake in a giant hospital physician staffing company while a startup focused on cancer blood tests raises $100 million. Also, why insurers are enjoying this year's mild winter.

Research Roundup: Readmission Rates At Safety Net Hospitals; Asthma Cases; Cataract Surgery

Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

State Highlights: Backers Of An Ohio Drug Pricing Initiative File Suit To Force Action; Kansas Lawmakers Mull Physician Assistant Limits

News outlets report on health care developments in Ohio, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, California and Georgia.

Partners In Proposed Tennessee Merger Pledge $450M In Community Benefit If Deal Goes Forward

Also in Tennessee, Community Health Systems announces that its spinoff of 38 small-market hospitals into a new company will take place by the end of June, rather than its initial March target date. News outlets also report hospital news from Massachusetts, Illinois, Kansas and Florida.

FTC Sends Message On Patient Data Protection With $250,000 Settlement

The Federal Trade Commission has settled with Henry Schein Practice Solutions, a company that supplies products and services to dental, medical and animal health providers, over allegations that it "falsely advertised the level of encryption it provided to protect patient data.” In other technology news, business leaders and lawmakers in Massachusetts want to create a digital health care hub.