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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Schools Struggle With Lead in Water While Awaiting Federal Relief

KFF Health News Original

President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address that federal funds will pay to replace lead pipes in hundreds of thousands of schools and child care centers. In the meantime, schools are dealing with high lead levels now.

Shaved Costs, High Risk, Maximum Profits: Regulators Worry About Florida’s Butt Lift Boom

KFF Health News Original

Social media marketing lures people to South Florida’s lucrative cosmetic surgery scene with the promise of cheap Brazilian butt lifts. But some researchers, patient advocates, and surgeon groups say that the risks of the procedure are generally not understood by prospective patients, and that an unsafe number of surgeries can be performed per day in office settings, maximizing profits.

Decisión de Eli Lilly de bajar el precio de su insulina logrará cambios históricos en los costos

KFF Health News Original

Expertos en precios de medicamentos celebraron la noticia de Eli Lilly y otros esfuerzos. Y estas otras iniciativas para llevar al mercado insulina de menor costo, a su vez, presionarían a Eli Lilly para que mantuviera sus precios bajos.

Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.

KFF Health News Original

Eli Lilly’s news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.

Watch: Dental Device at Center of Lawsuits Was Used on Patients Without FDA Review

KFF Health News Original

More than 10,000 dental patients have been fitted with an Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or AGGA, according to court records. But the unproven and unregulated device has not been evaluated by the FDA, according to a months-long joint investigation by KHN and CBS News.

California’s Massive Medicaid Program Works for Some, but Fails Many Others

KFF Health News Original

Medi-Cal serves more than one-third of the state’s population — offering a dizzying range of care to a diverse population. In the new “Faces of Medi-Cal” series, California Healthline will assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses through the lives and experiences of its enrollees.

Information Blackout Shrouds New Reports of Deaths, Injuries, and Abuse at Montana State Hospital

KFF Health News Original

Patient injuries, abuse, and neglect have continued at the Montana State Hospital since the state-run psychiatric facility lost its federal certification due to preventable patient deaths. But state officials won’t release details, citing laws making those reports confidential.

After People on Medicaid Die, Some States Aggressively Seek Repayment From Their Estates

KFF Health News Original

States take drastically different approaches to recovering Medicaid money from deceased participants’ estates. Demands for repayment of Medicaid spending can drain the assets a person leaves behind, depending on where they lived.

Judge to Fine California Each Day It Fails to Complete Prisoner Suicide Prevention Measures

KFF Health News Original

More than 200 inmates killed themselves during eight years in which state prison officials failed to complete court-ordered suicide prevention safeguards. Inmates, the judge writes, have “waited far too long” for adequate mental health care.

This Dental Device Was Sold to Fix Patients’ Jaws. Lawsuits Claim It Wrecked Their Teeth.

KFF Health News Original

A dental device called AGGA has been used on about 10,000 patients without FDA approval or proof that it works. In lawsuits, patients report irreparable harm. The AGGA’s inventor and manufacturer have denied all liability in court.

Biden Promises to Fight GOP on ‘Gutting’ Medicaid. Budget Talks Seem Like Another Story.

KFF Health News Original

As many lower-income Americans prepare to lose pandemic-era access to Medicaid, President Joe Biden vowed to stop Republicans from making deeper cuts to lower the national debt. Other changes may still be up for discussion.

Idaho Dropped Thousands From Medicaid in the Pandemic’s First Years

KFF Health News Original

The removals, detailed in emails between state and federal health officials, hinged on disagreements over how states could disenroll people during the public health emergency. Consumer advocates fear the alleged violation signals the mess to come on April 1, when the pandemic-era Medicaid coverage mandate ends.

Trabajadores comunitarios persuaden a inmigrantes mayores de tener cobertura de salud

KFF Health News Original

Hasta octubre, el mes más reciente para el que hay disponibles datos, más de 300,000 adultos mayores inmigrantes que no tienen residencia legal se habían inscrito en el Medi-Cal completo, un 30% más que la proyección original del estado.

Community Workers Fan Out to Persuade Immigrant Seniors to Get Covered

KFF Health News Original

California has enrolled into Medi-Cal more than 300,000 older immigrant adults lacking legal residency since May, but the state doesn’t know how many more might be eligible. Community workers are now searching for them.

Surprise-Billing Law Loophole: When ‘Out of Network’ Doesn’t Quite Mean Out of Network

KFF Health News Original

Billing experts and lawmakers are playing catch-up as providers find ways to get around new surprise-billing laws, leaving patients like Danielle Laskey of Washington state with big bills for emergency care.

NYC Makes Clear Its Intent to Lead on Abortion Access

KFF Health News Original

Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement this year to provide abortion pills free of charge at four of New York’s sexual health clinics is the city’s latest move on abortion access. Other jurisdictions are also taking steps.

California Explores Private Insurance for Immigrants Lacking Legal Status. But Is It Affordable?

KFF Health News Original

Nearly half a million Californians without legal residency make too much to qualify for Medicaid yet they can’t afford to buy coverage. A state lawmaker is proposing to open up the state’s health insurance exchange as a first step to providing them affordable insurance.

Dementia Care Programs Help, If Caregivers Can Find Them

KFF Health News Original

Programs assisting people with dementia — and their caregivers — improve quality of life and care. But millions of unpaid family and friend caregivers may not know where or how to find help.