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Latest KFF Health News Stories

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

KFF Health News Original

The nation’s Catholic health systems were largely founded and led by nuns with a mission to serve the sick regardless of their creed or financial means. Today, no nuns run any U.S. Catholic health system, while many of these hospitals pull in billions, according to their financial reports.

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to Medicare

KFF Health News Original

Democrats and conservatives are divided over whether the federal health program for people over 65 should be run almost entirely by the private sector. If Trump retakes the White House, the shift to Medicare Advantage may accelerate.

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

KFF Health News Original

Health care has ebbed and surged as an election issue throughout the presidential campaign. Here are the ways some of the most consequential changes in health policies could hinge on whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.

Paid Sick Leave Is Up for a Vote in Three States

KFF Health News Original

The coronavirus pandemic underscored the importance of paid sick leave, a benefit to help workers and their families when they fall ill. Now voters in Missouri, Nebraska, and Alaska are deciding whether employers must provide it.

Dentists Are Pulling ‘Healthy’ and Treatable Teeth To Profit From Implants, Experts Warn

KFF Health News Original

Americans are getting dental implants more than ever — and at costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Experts worry some dentists have lost sight of the soul of dentistry: preserving and fixing teeth.

A Rules Change Would Open the ACA to ‘Dreamers’

KFF Health News Original

It’s that time of year again: open enrollment for Affordable Care Act insurance — a period that runs from tomorrow to Jan. 15 in most states, a bit longer in some, and shorter in Idaho. One of the biggest changes this time around: a new rule from the Biden administration that opens enrollment to Deferred […]

‘A Pressure Campaign’: Beverly Hills Settles After Allegedly Blocking Abortion Clinic

KFF Health News Original

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a settlement with Beverly Hills after finding city officials pressured the landlord to cancel DuPont Clinic’s lease. It’s the state’s first enforcement action under Proposition 1, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution.

Can a $10 Billion Climate Bond Address California’s Water Contamination Problem?

KFF Health News Original

California voters will decide in November whether to approve a $10 billion climate bond that supporters say is needed to jump-start water system repairs for residents without safe drinking water. Opponents say those repairs should be prioritized in the state budget, not put on a credit card.

Ghosts, Ghouls, and Ghastly Drug Prices in Winning Halloween Haikus

KFF Health News Original

Entries for our sixth annual Halloween haiku contest gave us shivers. Based on a review by our panel of judges, here’s the winner and runners-up — plus the original artwork they inspired.

For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes

KFF Health News Original

Medications such as methadone can cut the risk of a fatal opioid overdose in half. Medicaid covers the medication. But as state Medicaid programs reevaluated coverage of each enrollee following a pause in disenrollments during the covid-19 pandemic, some patients lost a crucial pillar of their sobriety.

Post-Helene, Patients Who Rely on IV Nutrition Face Severe Shortages

KFF Health News Original

Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina last month, wrecked a Baxter International factory that produced 60 percent of the country’s IV fluids, according to the American Hospital Association. The company is rationing its products, and some hospitals have delayed or canceled surgeries that require large amounts of IV hydration. Among the worst-hit patients are those […]

‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way

KFF Health News Original

Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.

Vance Wrongly Blames Rural Hospital Closures on Immigrants in the Country Illegally

KFF Health News Original

Experts disputed the claim by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, noting that a range of other issues — from low reimbursement rates to declining patient use — combine to cause these facilities to shutter.