Latest KFF Health News Stories
Millions Are Stuck in Dental Deserts, With No Access to Oral Health Care
Vulnerable and marginalized communities are getting left behind in dental deserts, where patient volume exceeds provider capacity or too few dentists are willing to serve the uninsured or those on Medicaid.
Journalists Discuss Enduring Effects of Long Covid and Handling of Opioid Settlement Funds
KFF Health News 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.
Montana Considers Requiring Insurance to Cover Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients
Young cancer patients must act quickly to preserve their sperm and eggs once they get their diagnosis, and many can’t afford the cost.
Readers and Tweeters Defend the Rights of Adults With Disabilities
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Some Private Companies Charge Hefty Fees to Help Veterans With Disability Claims
Unaccredited companies promise to help veterans file for disability benefits. But unlike the thousands of service representatives who have been vetted and approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide aid, these “medical consultants” or “coaches” operate with no restrictions on how much they can charge.
How to Grow Your Social Network as You Age
As your circle of close friends shrinks, there are ways to rebuild — but not replace — the social network you had when you were younger.
How One Patient’s Textured Hair Nearly Kept Her From a Needed EEG
An EEG can help diagnose conditions like epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain tumors. But a design flaw and outdated Eurocentric practices make the test less effective on thicker, denser, and curly hair types, potentially excluding or deterring some people from getting screened.
Expectant Mom Needed $15,000 Overnight to Save Her Twins
Doctors rushed a pregnant woman to a surgeon who charged thousands upfront just to see her. The case reveals a gap in medical billing protections for those with rare, specialized conditions.
As US Life Expectancy Falls, Experts Cite the Health Impacts of Incarceration
In a nation with one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, imprisonment speeds the aging process, research shows. Some experts complain the federal government isn’t collecting or releasing data that could identify disease patterns and prevent deaths.
How a 2019 Florida Law Catalyzed a Hospital-Building Boom
In Wesley Chapel, Fla., near Tampa, residents will soon have three general hospitals within a five-minute drive. The new construction is part of a hospital-building boom across Florida unleashed almost four years ago, when the state dropped a requirement that companies obtain government approval to open new hospitals.
As Federal Emergency Declaration Expires, the Picture of the Pandemic Grows Fuzzier
The pandemic gave federal officials expanded power to access crucial data about the spread of covid-19, but that authority will change when the public health emergency sunsets in May. That, along with the end of popular covid trackers, will make it harder for policymakers and the public to keep an eye on covid and other threats.
¿Depresión? ¿Ansiedad? La contaminación atmosférica podría ser responsable
Las investigaciones demuestran que las partículas diminutas eluden los sistemas de filtrado del organismo al aspirarse por la nariz y la boca, y que viajan directamente al cerebro.
Programa forma médicos multiculturales, pero no siempre ejercen en áreas vulnerables
Investigadores han descubierto que el programa ha logrado diversificar la inscripción, pero no hay suficiente seguimiento a largo plazo para saber si estos graduados ejercen en las regiones donde más se necesitan.
Disability Rights Groups Sue to Overturn California’s Physician-Assisted Death Law
Disability rights advocates and two individuals with disabilities sued Tuesday to overturn the state’s physician-assisted death law, arguing it is unconstitutional, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and makes it too easy for people with terminal diseases whose deaths aren’t imminent to kill themselves with a doctor’s help.
Presentan demanda para revocar ley de muerte asistida en California
La ley original de California, que permite a los adultos con enfermedades terminales obtener recetas para medicamentos que pongan fin a su vida, se aprobó en 2016.
A California Physician Training Program Adds Diversity, but Where Do Graduates End Up?
Researchers found that, while a University of California medical training program has diversified the system’s pool of medical students, there’s not enough long-term data to know whether graduates return to practice where they’re needed most.
Did a Military Lab Spill Anthrax Into Public Waterways? New Book Reveals Details of a US Leak
“Pandora’s Gamble” describes how 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of wastewater potentially containing anthrax, Ebola, and other deadly pathogens spilled from an Army facility in Frederick, Maryland, in 2018.
Depressed? Anxious? Air Pollution May Be a Factor
A growing body of research is finding links between air quality and mental health, as therapists report seeing patients with symptoms linked to pollution.
El dolor, la esperanza y la ciencia chocan cuando los atletas recurren a los hongos mágicos
El uso de hongos psicodélicos está ganando terreno en los Estados Unidos. Investigadores predicen que la FDA aprobará un tratamiento psicodélico en los próximos cinco años.
Listen: Mifepristone Remains Available for Now. What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court on April 21 ruled that the abortion pill mifepristone should remain widely available while the lower courts consider the issue, blocking earlier rulings that banned or restricted access to the drug. KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner joined NPR’s “Weekend All Things Considered” to discuss the complicated case.
