Latest KFF Health News Stories
In New Hampshire, Even Mothers In Treatment For Opioids Struggle To Keep Children
New Hampshire parents who are trying to overcome opioid abuse face a ticking clock and limited state resources to try to keep their parental rights.
Most Texans Want State To Expand Medicaid And Help Poor Get Health Care
Texans think the Legislature should expand Medicaid to more low-income people and make health care more affordable, according to a survey released today from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ California Here We Come
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Carrie Feibel of KQED San Francisco, Anna Maria Barry-Jester of FiveThirtyEight.com and Joanne Kenen of Politico report from San Francisco on the complicated health politics of the Golden State and the latest news on a lawsuit challenging parts of the Affordable Care Act. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists offer their favorite health stories of the week.
Resucitar o no resucitar: cómo evitar errores con los testamentos en vida
Expertos aseguran que los malentendidos que provocan documentos destinados a guiar la toma de decisiones al final de la vida son “sorprendentemente comunes”.
El sistema de agua potable de Puerto Rico vuelve a la normalidad con lentitud
Residentes de la isla deben recoger agua potable en botellas de plástico para cocinar, beber y ducharse. Ha habido un aumento de casos de leptospirosis.
Viewpoints: Lessons Learned From A Mother’s Suicide
Opinion writers focus on mental health and other health issues.
Perspectives: Heed Warning Signs About Dire Implications For Medicare
Editorial pages focus on the shrinking of funding for Medicare and Social Security.
Opinion pages focus on the latest efforts to undermine the health law.
Longer Looks: Being Black In America, A Tale Of Two Epidemics & Designing Babies
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Media outlets report on news from California, Illinois, Tennessee, Minnesota, Idaho, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Maryland and Arizona.
Puerto Rico Releases Data Showing Higher Hurricane Maria Death Toll
The information supports other research finding the death toll from last September’s hurricane far exceeds 64, the official number. In other news, water service on the U.S. island remains spotty.
Texans Want State Leaders To Lower Health Care Costs, Consider Expanding Medicaid, Poll Finds
In a state that prides itself on a less-government-is-better mantra, the findings might reflect changing values: 64 percent think Medicaid should be expanded.
Relatively Flat Growth In Medical Costs Is Steady Yet Unsustainable For Consumers
“It looks like costs are stabilizing, but they are still going up at a rate above inflation,” said Barbara Gniewek, of PricewaterhouseCoopers. “They are still increasing at an uncontrolled level and are ultimately unsustainable.”
This Scientist’s ‘Reason To Live’? Helping Others Fight The Disease That Has Ravaged His Body
Rahul Desikan had just begun the biggest study ever of the genetics of ALS when he himself was diagnosed with the disease. Now he’s continuing his research even as the condition takes its toll on his health. In other public health news: cellular recycling, JUUL, fertility treatments, IBM’s Watson, gang violence, and living wills.
There were flaws found in the way the study was conducted, as it is hard to clinically test the benefits of any specific diet, but many experts are still putting stock in the findings.
Why Middle-Age Suicides Have Become A Chronic Problem In America
Experts talk about the problems that arise around midlife — such as health issues, social isolation and financial stress — that are playing a role in the sharp uptick of suicides the country is seeing in those who are middle-age.
DEA’s Crackdown On Opioids Has Led To Uptick Of Illicit Trading On Digital Black Market
Sales of prescription opioids on so-called cryptomarkets rose faster after 2014 in the U.S. than elsewhere. By July 2016, sales through cryptomarkets in the U.S. represented 13.7 percent of all drug sales.
Work Requirements For Medicaid Programs Are About To Get Their Day In Court
As more and more states start adding work requirements to their Medicaid programs, this court will decide if they’re legal. Medicaid news comes out of Kansas and Iowa, as well.
The measure from Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) could clarify the intent of the program and define which patients are eligible — two bones of contention over the program, which requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients. In other news from Capitol Hill: CHIP funding, an Indian Health Services bill, and gun control.
If the pre-existing conditions provision of the health law is stripped away by an upcoming court case — which the Justice Department announced last week it will not defend — it won’t just affect people who buy their health care on the health law marketplace. Meanwhile, a group of Democratic lawmakers are demanding more information on the administration’s decision, and candidates plan on using it as a talking point in the upcoming midterms.