Latest KFF Health News Stories
Listen: A Rookie Doctor Starts Her Career, Forged by the Pandemic
The latest episode of “America Dissected” features a conversation with Dr. Paloma Marin-Nevarez and KHN senior correspondent Jenny Gold. Gold documented the new physician’s first months on the job at a Fresno, California, hospital, caring for severely ill covid patients.
Censorship or Misinformation? DeSantis and YouTube Spar Over Covid Roundtable Takedown.
The Florida governor considers the pushback he received from the online video platform to be “Orwellian.” But the scientists featured at the event made specific statements YouTube deemed as “misinformation,” at odds with current public health recommendations for controlling the spread of the covid virus.
Strides Against HIV/AIDS Falter, Especially in the South, as Nation Battles Covid
Public health resources have shifted from one pandemic to the other, and experts fear steep declines in testing and diagnoses mean more people will contract HIV and die of AIDS.
Another Soda Tax Bill Dies. Another Win for Big Soda.
A bill that would have allowed California cities and counties to once again pursue taxes on sugary drinks was just shelved in the legislature without a hearing. Public health advocates blame the political — and financial — clout of the soft drink industry.
Tras un año mortal en las carreteras, los estados dicen sí a la seguridad y no a la velocidad
Legisladores de California y otros estados se replantean cómo establecer y hacer cumplir los límites de velocidad, y proponen darle más poder a las jurisdicciones locales para frenar a los conductores en sus comunidades.
UVA Health Will Wipe Out Tens of Thousands of Lawsuits Against Patients
The Virginia hospital giant had already stopped suing patients with less than $107,000 in household income.
From Rotten Teeth to Advanced Cancer, Patients Feel the Effects of Treatment Delays
Health providers are seeing the consequences of pandemic-delayed preventive and emergency care, from longer hospital stays to more root canals.
After a Deadly Year on the Roads, States Push for Safety Over Speed
Lawmakers in California and other states are rethinking how they set and enforce speed limits, and they’re proposing to hand more power to local authorities to slow drivers in their communities.
Humana Health Plan Overcharged Medicare by Nearly $200 Million, Federal Audit Finds
Medicare Advantage company may face record penalty over alleged billing errors.
Public Health Experts Worry About Boom-Bust Cycle of Support
Congress has poured tens of billions of dollars into public health since last year. While health officials who have juggled bare-bones budgets for years are grateful for the money, they worry it will soon dry up, just as it has after previous crises such as 9/11, SARS and Ebola. Meanwhile, they continue to cope with an exodus from the field amid political pressure and exhaustion that meant 1 in 6 Americans lost their local health department leader.
Snag a Vaccine Appointment, Then Face the Next Hurdle: How to Get There?
For some, a vaccine appointment a few hours away is no biggie. For others, it’s a major barrier to gaining protection from the coronavirus.
Journalists Unpack Patchwork Vaccine Rollout, Rapid Covid Tests and More
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.
The Shock and Reality of Catching Covid After Being Vaccinated
At least 5,800 people have fallen ill or tested positive for covid two weeks or more after being fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. “I now tell everyone, including my colleagues, not to let their guard down.”
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Pause and Effect on Covid Vaccines
Podcast panelists discuss a range of health policy developments, from the latest in the covid vaccination effort to the HHS budget, among other things.
Ask KHN-PolitiFact: I’ve Recovered From Covid. Why Do I Still Have to Mask Up?
The simple answer is that enough remains unknown about covid transmission, post-infection immunity and the threat of emerging variants that masks are still advisable.
Mysterious Ailment, Mysterious Relief: Vaccines Help Some Covid Long Haulers
Scientists who study the post-illness syndrome are taking a close look at patients’ reports of this unexpected benefit of the vaccine.
Pandemic Highlights Need for Urgent Care Clinics for Women
For years, women with painful gynecological issues have faced long waits in ERs or longer waits to see their doctors. During the pandemic, women have increasingly turned to women’s clinics that handle urgent issues like miscarriage or serious urinary tract infections.
FDA Seeks a New Way to Review Old Drugs Without Causing Prices to Soar
A misguided federal program called the Unapproved Drugs Initiative, which put the FDA’s stamp of approval on old drugs, led to higher prices. It’s scrapped. So now what?
Airports Step Up Mental Health Assistance as Passenger Anxiety Soars
As more people return to air travel, tension is mounting in airports nationwide. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson is among those that have responded to the pandemic-related stress and fear among passengers and employees by offering services such as meditation, chaplains and other help in their terminals.
Biden Moves to Overturn Trump Birth Control Rules
Return to pre-Trump policy is second win of the week for abortion-rights backers.
