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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Native American Public Health Officials Are Stuck in Data Blind Spot

KFF Health News Original

For decades, state and federal agencies have restricted or delayed tribes and tribal epidemiology centers from accessing public health data, a blackout that leaves health workers in Native American communities cobbling together information to guide their work, including tracking devastating disease outbreaks.

Inside Project 2025: Former Trump Official Outlines Hard Right Turn Against Abortion

KFF Health News Original

Former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a Heritage Foundation document that outlines positions on abortion and a range of other social issues. But Democrats view it as a window into the far right’s to-do list and a clear opening for political attack.

Harris’ California Health Care Battles Signal Fights Ahead for Hospitals if She Wins

KFF Health News Original

Kamala Harris fought health care consolidation during her tenure as California’s attorney general, and she could escalate the fight nationally if she wins in November. Still, the pace of mergers has accelerated.

‘I Feel Dismissed’: People Experiencing Colorism Say Health System Fails Them

KFF Health News Original

Colorism — a form of prejudice and discrimination in which lighter skin is favored over darker skin — has been associated with mental health conditions such as depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety. But skin tone often goes unaddressed with therapists and clinical specialists.

Since Fall of ‘Roe,’ Self-Managed Abortions Have Increased

KFF Health News Original

The percentage of people who say they’ve tried to end a pregnancy without medical assistance increased after “Roe v. Wade” was overturned. One of the most common reasons for seeking a self-managed abortion was privacy concerns.

Urgent Care or ER? With ‘One-Stop Shop,’ Hospitals Offer Both Under Same Roof

KFF Health News Original

Hospitals in several states are partnering with a private equity-backed company to offer combined emergency and urgent care in a single building. But patients may not realize prices vary between the two services — often by a lot.

What’s Behind New Combined Urgent Care-ER Facilities

KFF Health News Original

It’s Saturday afternoon, and your 4-year-old is bleeding from a gash on his face after a playtime mishap. Should you go to the emergency room or the urgent care clinic? VHC Health in Arlington, Va., plans to soon join a small but growing number of hospitals moving to resolve this dilemma by offering both types […]

GOP Charge That Harris Backed Taxpayer-Funded Care for All Immigrants Overlooks Details

KFF Health News Original

Hoping to portray presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris as extreme on immigration, former President Donald Trump and his supporters have said she wanted to give free health benefits, paid by taxpayers, to immigrants in the country without legal permission. But this statement overlooks key details.

Montana Designs New Hurdles for Abortion Clinics Ahead of Vote To Protect Access

KFF Health News Original

Proposed regulations would require clinics providing abortions in the state to meet sweeping new health standards, despite a likely vote in November on a constitutional amendment to protect abortion access.

Bird Flu Cases Are Going Undetected, New Study Suggests. It’s a Problem for All of Us.

KFF Health News Original

Dairy workers in Texas show signs of prior, uncounted bird flu infections in a new study. Without labor protection and better health care, cases are bound to quietly rise as the outbreak among livestock blazes in the United States.

Copycat Weight-Loss Drugs Are Major Players With Consumers

KFF Health News Original

As many as 1 in 8 American adults has tried one of the GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs, but a surprising number aren’t getting their supplies from pharma giants Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly. Up to 30 percent of the market, by some estimates, is made up of copycat versions from compounding pharmacies. Compounding is legal, though […]

Florida’s RSV Season Has Started, and It’s Coming Soon to the Rest of US. Here’s a Primer.

KFF Health News Original

Florida’s RSV season begins earlier and runs longer than anywhere else in the U.S., according to the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute. New vaccines can help, but most older adults, who are vulnerable to RSV, haven’t gotten them yet.

It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Medical Response Drone.

KFF Health News Original

What if the first responder on the scene of a cardiac arrest were a drone carrying an automated external defibrillator? When every second counts, public safety professionals are increasingly eyeing drones — which can fly 60 miles an hour and don’t get stuck in traffic — to deliver help faster than an ambulance or EMT. […]

California Lawmakers Debate Sending Local Health Inspectors Into Immigration Facilities

KFF Health News Original

Immigration is regulated by the federal government, but California lawmakers may give local public health inspectors the authority to inspect privately operated immigration detention facilities, citing complaints and lawsuits from detainees alleging inadequate medical care and unsanitary conditions.

Maternity Care in Rural Areas Is in Crisis. Can More Doulas Help?

KFF Health News Original

Rural communities are losing access to maternity care, raising the risk of pregnancy complications, especially for Black women, who face higher rates of maternal mortality. Now, a Georgia medical school is trying to help by training doulas, practitioners who offer patients extra support before, during, and after childbirth.