Latest KFF Health News Stories
Groupons For Medical Treatment? Welcome To Today’s U.S. Health Care
Groupon and other deal sites are the latest marketing tactic in medicine, offering bargain prices but potentially unnecessary, duplicative services.
Watch: Five Things To Know About Hunger Among America’s Aging
One out of every 13 seniors in America struggles to get enough food to eat while the federal program intended to help hasn’t kept pace with the graying population. KHN Midwest editor/correspondent Laura Ungar explains what you need to know about this largely hidden problem.
California Lawmakers Send Contested Vaccine Bill To Governor. Will He Sign It?
The state Senate on Wednesday sent a measure to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that would tighten the rules for children’s medical exemptions from vaccines. Newsom, who said in June that he would sign the measure after amendments had been made at his request, now wants more changes.
How Political Maneuvering Derailed A Red State’s Path To Medicaid Expansion
When Kansas elected Laura Kelly as governor, Medicaid expansion looked like a shoo-in, with seemingly broad support across state government. It didn’t happen. A look at conservatives’ new health care playbook and the politics of obstruction. Health care for 130,000 Kansans hangs in the balance.
Listen: India Gives Opioid Makers A Huge And Growing New Market
KHN’s Sarah Varney discussed opioid painkillers in India with NPR’s Rachel Martin on “Morning Edition” Thursday.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Waiting For The Trump Health Plan
President Donald Trump keeps promising a new health plan, but so far it’s nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is proposing a plan to cancel billions of dollars in medical debt owed by patients. This week, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Rovner also interviews KHN’s Rachel Bluth about the latest “Bill of the Month” feature. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.
Mientras baja brote de sarampión, NY pone en marcha nuevas reglas de vacunación
La nueva legislación deroga las exenciones de vacunación religiosa en las escuelas. Otra norma endurece las reglas sobre las vinculadas a razones médicas.
Regreso a clases 2019: mochilas, loncheras y test de drogas
Según expertos, el aumento en las pruebas de drogas es una reacción a la epidemia de opioides y a las leyes de marihuana liberalizadas que se extienden por todo el país.
Research Roundup: E-Cigarettes; Benefits Of Fruits And Vegetables; And Longevity
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health issues and others.
Different Takes: Walmart Makes Our Government Look Weak On Combating Gun Violence
Editorial writers express views on gun control issues.
A new study finds that the plan–which would cap out-of-pocket spending for Medicare beneficiaries at $3,100–would help those who rack up astronomical bills while not significantly hurting those who have moderate ones.
Media outlets report on news from Georgia, Colorado, Wisconsin, Maryland, Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida, Ohio, California, Kansas, Minnesota and New Hampshire.
A Grandchild’s Death, Road Wrecks: Human Peril Tied To Those Super-Fast Amazon Deliveries
A ProPublica-New York Times investigation looks at the dangers created by the next-day deliveries. In other public health news: rear-seat alerts in cars; urban heat climates; food stamp losses; cyberbullying safeguards; skin picking; and genital mutilation.
“A new generation of nicotine users has essentially been created almost overnight,’’ said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). Wyden who is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said he would introduce legislation next week to help combat the problem. Across the country, more states confirm cases of the mysterious lung illness that seems to be linked to vaping.
Like in the United States, many health experts’ warnings fell on deaf ears in the Australian government. Now the country is facing a similar epidemic to America’s. “I was screaming from the mountaintops after Jon died and I’d started doing my research. And it was like I’m screaming and nobody wants to hear me,” says Jasmin Raggam, whose brother Jon died in 2014, a sentiment that sounds all too familiar to many caught in the U.S. crisis. In other news on the epidemic: fentanyl, fraud, DEA’s footprints, and more.
Insurers Face $15.5B Bill If Health Law Tax Resumes As Planned In 2020
The annual fee on insurers was suspended by Congress in 2019 out of concern for consumers’ out-of-pocket costs. Insurance premiums are likely to rise by more than 2% in 2020 if the IRS implements the tax as planned, the new report warned. Health law and state insurance news comes out of Texas, Connecticut, Minnesota, California, Ohio and Tennessee, as well.
Advocates Want Missouri Voters To Weigh In On Whether State Should Expand Medicaid
Backers of Medicaid expansion in other states have seen success in previous elections when the issue goes in front of voters. The campaign, which is backed by nurses, doctors, hospitals, business executives and health care advocates, needs more than 172,000 signatures to qualify their measure for the 2020 ballot. Other Medicaid news comes out of Florida.
Republican efforts to chip away at the organization have gained ground under the Trump administration, and so Planned Parenthood has launched a telemedicine push to try to keep reaching rural patients, who are often the most effected by new restrictions. The app, called Planned Parenthood Direct, lets patients use a smartphone to request birth control delivered to their door, obtain prescription treatment for urinary-tract infections or make an appointment at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
$2B In Federal Grants To Fight Opioid Epidemic Doled Out To ‘Communities Where Help Is Most Needed’
President Donald Trump said the funds will go to state and local governments to be used to increase medication-assisted treatment as well as mental health services. Regional news coverage reports on how much certain states will receive.