Latest KFF Health News Stories
Inside the Tactical Tug of War Over the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug
An epic battle is playing out behind the scenes over whether the government should pay for Aduhelm, an FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drug that scientists say has not been proven to work.
Demand for Service Dogs Unleashes a ‘Wild West’ Market
Service dogs can help people with ailments from autism to epilepsy, but a trained dog can cost up to $40,000 — and insurance won’t cover it.
What Does It Say About Your Neighborhood If the Supermarket Isn’t So Super?
A mother-and-daughter team went comparison-shopping to see what grocery store shelves revealed about inequity in America.
‘American Diagnosis’ Episode 3: Uranium Mining Left Navajo Land and People in Need of Healing
Episode 3 is an exploration of the forces that brought uranium mining to the Navajo Nation, the harmful consequences, and the fight for compensation that continues today.
Medical Boards Pressured to Let It Slide When Doctors Spread Covid Misinformation
State medical boards have an obligation to investigate complaints about doctors, including those who may spread false information about medical care. But in Florida, Tennessee, and other states, lawmakers are moving to protect physicians using unproven covid treatments or spreading misinformation.
This Doctor Thought She Could Navigate US Health Care. Then Her Autistic Son Needed Help.
Dr. Mai Pham left her corporate career to spark change in a system that is failing millions of Americans with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Proteger a su comunidad, el impulso que mejora la vacunación y las pruebas para covid entre hispanos
¿Qué es el sentido de pertenencia que impulsa a proteger con acciones individuales a una comunidad? Los latinos parecen actuar de esa manera frente a covid.
Health Policy Valentines Too Sweet Not to Tweet
KHN highlights some of the creative valentines posted on Twitter by health policy enthusiasts.
Why Millions on Medicaid Are at Risk of Losing Coverage in the Months Ahead
State Medicaid agencies for months have been preparing for the end of a federal mandate that has prevented states from removing people from the safety-net program during the pandemic.
Covid Precautions Are Part of Hispanic Community’s Efforts to Tend to Community Good
Among many Latinos, especially recent immigrants, there is a cultural emphasis on living in harmony within one’s community — called “convivir” in Spanish. That notion may have helped drive improvements in covid vaccination and testing rates.
Journalists Discuss Cracks in the Health Care System and Roadblocks to Covid Booster Shots
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Otra amenaza a la educación en la era de covid: jubilación masiva de maestros latinos
En 2021, el 59% de los educadores hispanos estaba planeando retirarse, algunos antes de tiempo. Una cifra mucho más alta que años anteriores.
What Are Taxpayers Spending for Those ‘Free’ Covid Tests? The Government Won’t Say.
Inquiries lead from one federal office to the next, with no clear answers. At one Army Contracting Command, a protocol office employee says that “voicemail has been down for months.” And the email address listed for fielding media inquiries? “The army stopped using the email address about eight years ago.”
Exits by Black and Hispanic Teachers Pose a New Threat to Covid-Era Education
Schools that serve poor and disadvantaged kids have taken a series of hits during the pandemic. Now, teachers of color are leaving the profession at higher rates than are white teachers.
Don’t Nurse That Moscow Mule — It Could Be a Health Hazard
Researchers in Montana have found that unsafe levels of copper can leach into the cocktail in less than half an hour.
Cuidado con este cóctel, puede ser peligroso para la salud
El Moscow Mule se toma en una jarra de cobre, lo que lo vuelve fascinante, y tal vez peligroso.
La historia muestra que vacunar a los niños ayuda a prevenir brotes de enfermedades graves. ¿Qué pasará con covid?
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: FDA Takes Center Stage
Congress is set to start its once-every-five-years review of the law that authorizes user fees to finance the hiring of personnel to speed the FDA review of drugs. The periodic renewals of “PDUFA” also give lawmakers a chance to make other changes to the agency at the hub of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the FDA could also find itself at the center of the abortion debate and a controversial new medication to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Skirmish Between Biden and Red States Over Medicaid Leaves Enrollees in the Balance
The Biden administration is getting rid of several policies implemented by Trump-era appointees that restricted enrollment. Federal officials now say states can no longer charge premiums to low-income residents enrolled in Medicaid and have ruled out work requirements.
Montana Mice May Hold the Secret to Virus Spillover
Researchers in Montana are working to figure out how climate change and biodiversity affect viruses’ jump from animals to people.
