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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Junk Food Turns Public Villain as Power Shifts in Washington

KFF Health News Original

Some Trump insiders are ready to take on the food industry. It remains to be seen whether their entrée will result in any meaningful change in government oversight of “Big Food” — or in American health.

For Homeless Seniors, Getting Into Stable Housing Takes a Village — And a Lot of Luck

KFF Health News Original

The number of unhoused seniors in the U.S. is expected to triple by 2030. About half of this population is becoming homeless for the first time. Homeless services struggle to help. Finding affordable housing that’s also accessible for older Americans with medical conditions is an extra challenge.

New California Laws Target Medical Debt, AI Care Decisions, Detention Centers

KFF Health News Original

California has a few major changes coming to its health policy landscape in 2025. New laws that took effect Jan. 1 ban medical debt from credit reports, allow public health inspections of private immigration detention centers, and ban toxic chemicals in makeup.

Childhood Vaccination Rates, a Rare Health Bright Spot in Struggling States, Are Slipping

KFF Health News Original

Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia — states with some of the worst health outcomes — also have some of the highest childhood vaccination rates. But doctors and health officials worry a rising tide of vaccine skepticism is causing those public health bright spots to dim.

Midwives Blame California Rules for Hampering Birth Centers Amid Maternity Care Crisis

KFF Health News Original

Birth centers, where midwives deliver babies with emergency backup from hospitals, can offer an alternative for families as hospitals close maternity units. But the state’s stiff regulations and what many call a dysfunctional licensing process are hobbling new initiatives and forcing some facilities to shut down.

Voters Backed Abortion Rights but State Judges Have Final Say

KFF Health News Original

Though abortion rights supporters prevailed on ballot measures in seven of the 10 states where abortion was up for a vote on Nov. 5, the state supreme courts voters have elected indicate legal fights to come aren’t clear-cut.

Beyond Hard Hats: Mental Struggles Become the Deadliest Construction Industry Danger

KFF Health News Original

The physical hazards of construction work have long been a focus of safety professionals. Yet attention on the psychosocial hazards is relatively new, with suicide and substance use soaring among male construction workers. Mitigating those risks requires more than hard hats, safety vests, and protective goggles.

Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?

KFF Health News Original

More medical schools say they will no longer charge tuition, in hopes that more students, graduating free of debt, will choose lower-paying primary care careers. But evidence suggests it will take a lot more than a free ride to replenish the primary care pipeline.

Cinco cambios críticos que puede sufrir Medicaid bajo Trump

KFF Health News Original

Los republicanos en Washington afirman que planean utilizar recortes de financiamiento y cambios regulatorios para reducir drásticamente Medicaid, el programa de salud federal gerenciado por los estados

Doctors, Nurses Press Ahead as Wildfires Strain Los Angeles’ Health Care

KFF Health News Original

A primary care clinic burned, medical offices closed, and hospitals struggled with possible evacuations. The wildfires that have incinerated large swaths of Los Angeles County are stressing the region’s health care infrastructure. Still, providers continue to find ways to deliver vital care.

Health Care AI, Intended To Save Money, Turns Out To Require a Lot of Expensive Humans

KFF Health News Original

Despite the hype over artificial intelligence in medicine, the systems require consistent monitoring and staffing to put in place and maintain. Checking whether an algorithm has developed the software equivalent of a blown gasket can be complicated — and expensive.

Climate Change Threatens the Mental Well-Being of Youths. Here’s How To Help Them Cope.

KFF Health News Original

The growing toll of climate-related disasters is a risk to the emotional well-being of young people. An Orange County, California, pediatric emergency doctor wants to add questions about climate change to standard mental health screenings conducted in pediatricians’ offices and other settings where kids seek care.