Latest KFF Health News Stories
Congress Considers Easing Regulations on Air Transport of Donated Organs
A little-noticed provision of sweeping legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration would make it easier to fly human organs from donor to recipient.
A Mom Owed Nearly $102,000 for Hospital Care. Her State Attorney General Said to Pay Up.
As politicians bash privately run hospitals for their aggressive debt collection tactics, consumer advocates say one North Carolina family’s six-figure medical bill is an example of how state attorneys general and state-operated hospitals also can harm patients financially.
¿Cuánto costará la píldora anticonceptiva de venta libre? ¿La cubrirán los seguros?
Los defensores de la salud reproductiva celebraron esta histórica aprobación como un paso que puede ayudar a millones de personas a evitar embarazos no deseados, que ocurren casi la mitad de las veces en los Estados Unidos.
The Painful Legacy of ‘Law and Order’ Treatment of Addiction in Jail
Efforts to improve addiction care in jails and prisons are underway across the country. But a rural Alabama county with one of the nation’s highest overdose rates shows how change is slow, while law enforcement officials continue to treat addiction as a crime rather than a medical condition.
Once the New Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill Is Available, What About Cost and Coverage?
The Food and Drug Administration’s approval is viewed as groundbreaking, but many details still must be figured out.
Timeline: The Final Years of the Campaign to End Smallpox
Many people working in global health thought eradicating smallpox was impossible. They were wrong. Season 2 of the Epidemic podcast, “Eradicating Smallpox,” is a journey to South Asia during the last days of variola major smallpox. Explore the timeline to learn about significant dates in the final push to end the virus.
En las personas mayores, un poco de sobrepeso no es tan malo
Comprender las pruebas científicas y la opinión de los expertos sobre los problemas de peso en los adultos mayores no es fácil.
Readers and Tweeters See Ways to Shore Up Primary Care
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
In Older Adults, a Little Excess Weight Isn’t Such a Bad Thing
Researchers have found that while obesity at any age risks harming health, a few extra pounds in later life isn’t cause for concern.
A Plan to Cut Montana’s Medicaid Waiting List Was Met With Bipartisan Cheers. Then a Veto.
Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto disappointed and bewildered those seeking to address low-income residents’ long wait for assisted living or in-home care.
How a Combination of Covid Lawsuits and Media Coverage Keeps Misinformation Churning
Even as the covid-19 pandemic wanes, litigation — whether about vaccines, masks, or a range of other public health policies made during the pandemic — isn’t about to end.
Got Milk in School? Farmers Fight Health Advocates Over the Creamy ‘Whole’ Variety
It has been over a decade since whole milk was served in schools through the National School Lunch Program, after U.S. government dietary guidance effectively banned it. But dairy farmers, some health experts, and members of Congress say it’s time to bring it back.
Consumo excesivo de alcohol durante la pandemia eleva muertes por enfermedad hepática alcohólica
Las ventas de alcohol aumentaron durante la pandemia, con saltos especialmente grandes en el consumo de licores.
Excessive Drinking During the Pandemic Increased Alcoholic Liver Disease Death Rates
The number of Californians dying from alcoholic liver disease rose dramatically in the last decade, sped by the pandemic.
With More People Giving Birth at Home, Montana Passed a Pair of Laws to Make It Easier
The state now requires Medicaid to cover midwife services and has expanded the list of prescription drugs midwives can administer.
Groups Sue to Overturn Idaho ‘Abortion Trafficking’ Law Targeting Teens
It is illegal to help a minor obtain an abortion in Idaho or leave the state for one without parental consent. The lawsuit says the ban infringes on the right to interstate travel and First Amendment freedoms.
Mental Health Respite Facilities Are Filling Care Gaps in Over a Dozen States
As three years of pandemic stress accelerated an ongoing nationwide mental health crisis, peer respite programs diverted patients from overburdened emergency rooms, psychiatric institutions, and behavioral therapists. Now, more “respites” are opening.
As Nonprofit Hospitals Reap Big Tax Breaks, States Scrutinize Their Required Charity Spending
Nonprofit hospitals avoid paying taxes if they provide community benefits such as charity care. More states are examining that trade-off, scrutinizing the extent of hospitals’ spending on their communities.
What You Need to Know About the Drug Price Fight in Those TV Ads
At least nine bills introduced in Congress take aim at pharmacy benefit managers, the powerful middlemen that channel prescription drugs to patients.
Proposed PFAS Rule Would Cost Companies Estimated $1B; Lacks Limits and Cleanup Requirement
A proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule calls for companies to disclose PFAS manufactured or imported since 2011. The chemical industry is upset because such compliance would cost an estimated $1 billion, while environmental health advocates worry because the rule wouldn’t ban the chemicals outright.
