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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Sharing Covid Vax Facts Inside ICE Detention, One Detainee at a Time

KFF Health News Original

Thousands of ICE detainees nationwide have tested positive for covid; 11 have died. Medical providers in California are volunteering to educate immigrants awaiting trial or deportation about covid treatment and vaccination.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: We May Be Done With Covid, But Covid’s Not Done With Us

KFF Health News Original

The White House makes a move as a new wave of covid threatens. President Joe Biden brings in Dr. Ashish Jha to take over the executive branch effort. Meanwhile, it remains unclear if and when Congress can come up with the funds to continue much of the federal anti-covid effort. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

It Was Already Hard to Find Evusheld, a Covid Prevention Therapy. Now It’s Even Harder.

KFF Health News Original

At least 7 million immunocompromised people could benefit from the monoclonal antibody injections designed to prevent covid-19. The government says it has enough doses for a fraction of those in need ― and it doesn’t have the money to buy more.

Long Waits for Montana State Hospital Leave Psychiatric Patients in Jail

KFF Health News Original

A backlog at Montana’s psychiatric hospital for those facing criminal charges has left people with serious mental illness behind bars for months without adequate treatment. In some cases, judges have freed defendants over due-process violations.

Missouri Tried to Fix Its Doctor Shortage. Now the Fix May Need Fixing.

KFF Health News Original

Five states have created “assistant physician” licenses that allow medical school graduates to practice without completing residency training. But a federal indictment in Missouri of one assistant physician has some original supporters trying to rein in the medical specialty.

How to Avoid Surprise Bills — And the Pitfalls in the New Law

KFF Health News Original

The No Surprises Act offers protection from many surprise medical bills — but that protection may be only as good as a patient’s knowledge of the law and ability to make sure it’s enforced. Here’s what you need to know.

‘American Diagnosis’: A Fuller Moon Rising — Revised ‘Violence Against Women Act’ Offers Hope

KFF Health News Original

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was reauthorized on March 10, 2022, reaffirming tribes’ authority to prosecute non-Native perpetrators of sexual violence and certain other crimes. This episode looks at the history of VAWA, and how protections for Native women have been tangled in the fine print of the law.

Want Vulnerable Californians to Have Healthier Pregnancies? Doulas Say the State Must Pay Up.

KFF Health News Original

California was supposed to start paying doulas this year to help Medicaid enrollees have healthy pregnancies. But the benefit has been delayed because doulas feel lowballed by the state’s proposed reimbursement rate, which is below what most other states pay.

Medicare Advantage Plans Send Pals to Seniors’ Homes for Companionship — And Profits

KFF Health News Original

Many Medicare Advantage plans send caregivers to the homes of seniors periodically to help with housework and provide companionship. But the workers may also prod seniors into activities that boost the plans’ Medicare ratings and federal reimbursements.

Listen: An Unsettling Investigation Into the Closure of a Chain of Pain Clinics

KFF Health News Original

KHN senior correspondents Jenny Gold and Anna Maria Barry-Jester joined KVPR’s Kathleen Schock on “Valley Edition” to discuss their investigation into the abrupt closure of one of California’s largest chain of pain clinics — and the patients left behind.

Despite Seniors’ Strong Desire to Age in Place, the Village Model Remains a Boutique Option

KFF Health News Original

Membership-based villages help arrange services for seniors — such as handyman help or transportation to appointments — and provide social connections through classes, leisure opportunities, or community events. Despite great promise, they have been slow to expand because of difficulties raising funding and keeping people interested.

More Black Americans Are Buying Guns. Is It Driving Up Black Suicide Rates?

KFF Health News Original

Gun buying among African Americans has soared in recent years. So have suicide rates among young Black men. Suicide prevention and gun safety efforts need to address race and cultural differences, Black gun owners say.

Pandemic Medical Innovations Leave Behind People With Disabilities

KFF Health News Original

As the country enters Year 3 of the pandemic emergency, people with disabilities across the U.S. are still finding it difficult to use innovations in telemedicine, teleworking, and testing.