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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Thanks to Reddit, a New Diagnosis Is Bubbling Up Across the Nation

KFF Health News Original

Social media has helped spread the word about a treatment that involves getting Botox in the neck. It’s for a condition that’s gaining awareness but still often dismissed: the inability to burp.

As Record Heat Sweeps the US, Some People Must Choose Between Food and Energy Bills

KFF Health News Original

An increasing number of Americans struggle with energy poverty, the inability to adequately heat or cool one’s dwelling. Health officials and climate experts are sounding the alarm as record-breaking heat sweeps the nation.

Boom, Now Bust: Budget Cuts and Layoffs Take Hold in Public Health

KFF Health News Original

State leaders are cutting public health spending and laying off workers hired during a pandemic-era grant boom. Public health officials say the bust will erode important advancements in the public health safety net, particularly in rural areas.

Patients Suffer When Indian Health Service Doesn’t Pay for Outside Care

KFF Health News Original

The Indian Health Service has a program that can pay for outside appointments when patients need care not offered at agency-funded sites. Critics say money shortages, complex rules, and administrative fumbles often block access, however.

Del auge a la caída: falta de dinero y despidos golpean a la salud pública

KFF Health News Original

Ante la pandemia, el Congreso asignó más de $800 mil millones para fortalecer la respuesta de los estados ante covid. Esto resultó en un notable aumento del número de trabajadores de salud pública en todo el país. Ese dinero se ha esfumado.

Tribal Health Officials ‘Blinded’ by Lack of Data

KFF Health News Original

A strong public health system can make a big difference for those who face stark health disparities. But epidemiologists serving Native American communities, which have some of the nation’s most profound health inequities, say they’re hobbled by state and federal agencies restricting their access to important data. American Indians and Alaska Natives face life expectancy […]

Breast Cancer Rises Among Asian American and Pacific Islander Women

KFF Health News Original

Asian American and Pacific Islander women once had a relatively low rate of breast cancer diagnoses. Now, researchers are scrambling to understand why it’s rising at a faster pace than those of many other racial and ethnic groups.

As Interest From Families Wanes, Pediatricians Scale Back on Covid Shots

KFF Health News Original

Pediatricians want to vaccinate kids, but some say they’re keeping their stockpile of covid vaccines low to avoid being stuck with costly, unwanted shots. They can’t afford to stock up on costly shots that parents don’t want.

UCSF Favors Pricey Doctoral Program for Nurse-Midwives Amid Maternal Care Crisis

KFF Health News Original

UC-San Francisco is pausing its long-running master’s program in nurse-midwifery and plans to shift to a lengthier, costlier doctoral program. Midwives criticized the move and questioned the university’s motivations at a time of serious shortages of maternal care workers.

With Only Gloves To Protect Them, Farmworkers Say They Tend Sick Cows Amid Bird Flu

KFF Health News Original

A Colorado picnic celebrated Farmworker Appreciation Day. But some dairy workers there said they aren’t feeling appreciated: They don’t have basic protective gear, even as bird flu spreads through area farms.

For Pharma, Trump vs. Harris Is a Showdown Between Two Industry Foes

KFF Health News Original

Vice President Kamala Harris is seen as more aggressive than former President Donald Trump in taking on pharmaceutical companies, but Trump allies say he would also make lowering drug costs a top priority.

The New Covid Vaccine Is Out. Why You Might Not Want To Rush To Get It.

KFF Health News Original

Although public health officials recommend the newly approved covid vaccine for everyone 6 months and older, it may make more sense to wait until closer to the holiday season.