Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Inability To Find All Sources For E. Coli Outbreak Raising Concern About Food Safety In U.S.

Morning Briefing

For more than two weeks, the FDA and the CDC have been investigating the outbreak as it continues to grow and have only been able to track down where the whole-head romaine lettuce came from. The government is still looking for the source of chopped lettuce that sickened dozens more Americans.

Senators Speak Out Against Any Attempt To Require Work Requirements For Native Americans To Get Health Care

Morning Briefing

The Trump administration is failing “to recognize the unique legal status of Indian tribes and their members under federal law, the U.S. Constitution, treaties, and the federal trust relationship,” the 10 senators — led by Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) — wrote HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Medicaid news comes out of Ohio and Illinois as well.

Ronny Jackson To Stay On White House Staff, But Won’t Resume Role Of President’s Personal Physician

Morning Briefing

Some names being tossed around for the VA spot now that Dr. Ronny Jackson has withdrawn are: Ascension President and CEO Anthony Tersigni, Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove, Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), and former Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.). Meanwhile, President Donald Trump defended his former nominee over the weekend.

Tax-Funded Mental Health Programs Not Always Easy To Find

KFF Health News Original

Revenue from California’s Mental Health Services Act has funded billions of dollars in mental health programs across the state, but finding out what’s available — and to whom — could be a challenge for consumers.

New CDC Chief On Board With Researching Gun Violence, Schumer Says

Morning Briefing

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that he hopes the CDC “will use some of their newly increased resources from the omnibus spending package to get this done.” In other public health news: the E. coli outbreak, cancer, amputations, our ancestors’ brains, and more.

Genealogy Site Helps Police Nab Alleged Golden State Killer, Raising Concerns Among Privacy Experts

Morning Briefing

Investigators took DNA collected years ago from one of the crime scenes and submitted it in some form to one or more commercial genealogy websites that have built up a vast database of consumer genetic information. The results led law enforcement to the suspected killer’s distant relatives.

The Research Is Clear: Needle Exchanges Reduce Deaths And Don’t Increase Drug Use. So Why Are Many Of Them Closing?

Morning Briefing

Charleston, W.Va. is at the very heart of the opioid crisis, yet the city just shut down its needle exchange, which has been shown to save money and cut the spread of disease while not increasing drug use. Experts look at why such programs, which seem like no-brainers to many, struggle to gain public acceptance.