Latest KFF Health News Stories
Longtime Health Advocate Donna Shalala Loses House Reelection Race
In a notable loss for Democrats, Shalala, who represented a Miami district, was defeated by Maria Elvira Salazar — a Republican former TV journalist who compared Democratic policy proposals to leftist oppression in countries like Cuba.
Poor and Minority Children With Food Allergies Overlooked and in Danger
Having a child with a food allergy is terrifying for any parent, but for low-income families such allergies can be especially deadly. Food assistance programs and food pantries rarely take allergies into account. And access to specialists, support groups and lifesaving epinephrine can be hard to attain. This especially hurts low-income Black children, who have higher incidences of allergies to corn, wheat and soy than white kids.
Coming Abortion Fight Could Threaten Birth Control, Too
In discussions of the impact Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have on abortion rights, many overlook related issues, including the right to birth control that the court recognized in 1965. During her confirmation hearings, Barrett refused to say whether she felt that case was correctly decided.
La batalla por el aborto también puede amenazar al control de la natalidad
Una nueva jurisprudencia sobre el aborto podría afectar muchas más cosas, como borrar el derecho al control de la natalidad y el matrimonio entre personas de un mismo sexo.
Enfermeros itinerantes en alto riesgo frente a condiciones de atención de COVID-19
Desde que la pandemia de COVID-19 causó un terremoto en el sistema de salud, más enfermeros itinerantes viajan de estado en estado, arriesgando sus propias vidas.
¿Leones, tigres y visones? Analizan a distintas especies en busca de COVID
Mientras resurgen los casos de COVID-19 en los Estados Unidos, científicos y veterinarios investigan el virus en animales domésticos y salvajes. Ya han realizado miles de pruebas.
Sin presidente todavía, el futuro de la salud también sigue siendo incierto
Lo que está en juego es si el gobierno federal desempeñará un papel central en las decisiones de salud o cederá más autoridad a los estados y al sector privado.
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health topics and others.
Different Takes: Dangers Of Lockdowns, Flying, Classrooms, Post-ACA
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and others.
On Drug Costs, Here’s What To Expect From A Biden Or Trump Presidency
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Perspectives: Price Transparency; Trump’s Socialized Medicine; And More
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Poland Hits Pause On Abortion Law
The constitutional court ruled Oct. 22 to further tighten one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws, allowing abortion only in cases of rape or incest. The ruling was scheduled to be formally published on Monday. Unpublished, it has no legal power.
$21 Billion Opioid Settlement Proposed
McKesson said a group of state attorneys general have proposed the it and Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen pay $21 billion over 18 years to settle more than 3,000 lawsuits. Mylan, Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb are also in industry news.
Chew On This: Teeth Grinding Hit New Highs Because Of All This Stress
An uptick in grinding is associated more with injuries to fillings, teeth and pain in the jaws and ears, according to the American Dental Association. Other public health news is on diets, vaccines, cruises and more.
In Alaska, Mask Mandates Are Snagged In Fine Print Of State Constitution
“Home rule” municipalities like Anchorage and Juneau can exercise any powers not explicitly barred by the Alaska Legislature. But “second-class boroughs” — which function like counties — only have powers that the state explicitly granted to them. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has said that a mask mandate should be left up to local governments.
Success Unlikely In Post-Election Pandemic Battle
Skeptics of the federal government’s management of the pandemic are not hopeful about the next few months.
Hospitals Deem Unlikely Any Civil Unrest Attacks
Hospitals don’t expect they would get hit by any post-election civil unrest. In other industry news, shortages of nurses remain a problem.
Oklahoma Rejects Paying For Medicaid With Tobacco Settlement Funds
The ballot measure would have shifted about 75% of the state’s annual payment from “big tobacco” to cover Oklahoma’s share of expenses for the expansion of Medicaid that voters approved earlier this year. Meanwhile, there’s growing interest in Texas in expanding its Medicaid program.
More States Slammed By Record COVID Hospitalizations
The alarming trend is expected to continue as new infections continue to climb in all but three states. Over 91,000 cases were confirmed on Wednesday, the second highest daily tally of the pandemic.
Living With Children Doesn’t Raise Risk Of Getting COVID, Study Finds
And in other news: Researchers may have discovered why COVID causes serious blood clotting; scientists have begun to isolate which mouth tissues are most vulnerable to the coronavirus; new AI can tell if someone has COVID by listening to them cough; and more.