Latest KFF Health News Stories
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued Sutter claiming the hospital system abused its market power to raise prices. Under the terms of the agreement, Sutter will continue to operate as an integrated system. But it has agreed to end a host of practices that Becerra alleged unfairly stifled competition
The sweeping spending measure passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump last week contains lots of wins for an industry that has publicly been under attack for the past year. The success shows how formidable the health care industry remains.
The state battles that experts expect to see in 2020 reflect a deepening cultural divide within the country over how to address public health issues. Republicans still control a majority of state capitals, but Democrats have made gains in recent years. The dynamic could set off some fireworks in the coming year. Meanwhile, hospitals are fighting state-level laws to rein in health care costs, foreshadowing issues that might come in any federal push to do the same.
And new customers totaled more than 2 million people — an increase of 36,000 from last year. That’s considered a positive sign because it reflects consumer interest. The final tally doesn’t include the millions of people who chose a health plan through state-run exchanges.
Soaring Homelessness In California Drives Nation’s Rates Up Again For Third Year In Row, HUD Reports
Although there was a decline in homeless rates in 29 states and D.C., California’s skyrocketing numbers offset those gains. Senior Trump administration officials visited California in September to troubleshoot ways to minimize homelessness, after which the issue became politically fraught as President Donald Trump and California’s leaders publicly bickered over what was to be done about the crisis. Media outlets take a look at homeless issues across the country, as well.
First Edition: December 23, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Electronic Health Records Creating A ‘New Era’ Of Health Care Fraud
The federal government funneled billions in subsidies to software vendors and some overstated or deceived the government about what their products could do, according to whistleblowers.
Texas Law Highlights Dilemma Over Care For Patients With No Hope Of Survival
The Texas Advance Directives Act gives hospitals the authority to stop life-sustaining support if another hospital won’t accept the patient. The family of Tinslee Lewis, a 10-month-old with serious medical problems, is fighting to keep her in hospital care.
Paying It Forward: ‘Bill Of The Month’ Series, A Vital Toolkit For Patients, Wraps Year 2
In our ongoing, crowdsourced investigation with NPR and CBS, we’ve armed future health system pilgrims with the tools they need to avoid exorbitant medical bills and fight back against unfair charges. Here’s a look back at 2019’s stories.
Government-Funded Day Care Helps Keep Seniors Out Of Nursing Homes And Hospitals
The aptly named Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly provides services funded by Medicaid and Medicare that range from medical and mental health care to hot lunches, recreation, transportation and haircuts. California’s newest PACE center opened recently in San Diego County.
For Her Head Cold, Insurer Coughed Up $25,865
A New York City woman, worried that her sore throat might be strep, got swabbed at her doctor’s office. The sample was sent to an out-of-network lab for sophisticated DNA tests ― with a price tag similar to a new SUV.
California AG Details ‘Historic’ Settlement Agreement In Sutter Health Antitrust Case
Sutter Health will pay $575 million to settle a high-profile antitrust case filed by California’s attorney general. In addition, it has agreed to end a host of practices that the state alleged unfairly stifled competition.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Watch And Listen: The ACA In Limbo Again
KHN’s Julie Rovner is on PBS NewsHour and WBUR’s “Here & Now” to talk about the repercussions of a federal appeals court decision striking down the health law’s key requirement for people to get health coverage.
Demócratas debaten si es “realista” un Medicare para Todos
Los siete candidatos que participaron del último debate de 2019 hablaron sobre la practicidad de una reforma radical de la atención médica, específicamente, de Medicare para Todos.
Editorial pages focus on these health topics and others.
Media outlets cover health care news from Illinois, New York, California, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida and Minnesota.
Each week, KHN finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Public Health Roundup: The Mysterious Diplomat Illness, CRISPR’d Pigs, Vaping Deaths And More
Researchers have long been stumped about a mysterious set of symptoms that affected more than a dozen diplomats. New tests offer clues to what’s happening in their brains, even though doctors still haven’t found a cause. In other public health news: gene-editing, infertility, driving under the influence of marijuana, and more.
Deadly, Five-State Listeria Outbreak Traced Back To Hard-Boiled Eggs
According to the CDC, the eggs were packaged by Almark Foods in Gainesville, Ga. Four of seven people who reported infections across five states have been hospitalized, and one death was reported in Texas.