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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Industry Groups in California Vie for New Medicaid Money

KFF Health News Original

State officials have promised to boost funding for California’s Medicaid program by $11.1 billion starting next year, with most of that money earmarked for higher payments to doctors, hospitals, and other providers. But the details have yet to be worked out, and powerful health industry groups are jockeying for position.

Medical Debt Is Making Americans Angry. Doctors and Hospitals Ignore This at Their Peril.

KFF Health News Original

Doctors and hospitals hold an exalted position in American life, retaining public confidence even as other institutions such as government, law enforcement, and the media are losing people’s trust. But with health care debt out of hand, medical providers risk their good standing.

A Mom Owed Nearly $102,000 for Hospital Care. Her State Attorney General Said to Pay Up.

KFF Health News Original

As politicians bash privately run hospitals for their aggressive debt collection tactics, consumer advocates say one North Carolina family’s six-figure medical bill is an example of how state attorneys general and state-operated hospitals also can harm patients financially.

¿Cuánto costará la píldora anticonceptiva de venta libre? ¿La cubrirán los seguros?

KFF Health News Original

Los defensores de la salud reproductiva celebraron esta histórica aprobación como un paso que puede ayudar a millones de personas a evitar embarazos no deseados, que ocurren casi la mitad de las veces en los Estados Unidos.

The Painful Legacy of ‘Law and Order’ Treatment of Addiction in Jail

KFF Health News Original

Efforts to improve addiction care in jails and prisons are underway across the country. But a rural Alabama county with one of the nation’s highest overdose rates shows how change is slow, while law enforcement officials continue to treat addiction as a crime rather than a medical condition.

Timeline: The Final Years of the Campaign to End Smallpox

KFF Health News Original

Many people working in global health thought eradicating smallpox was impossible. They were wrong. Season 2 of the Epidemic podcast, “Eradicating Smallpox,” is a journey to South Asia during the last days of variola major smallpox. Explore the timeline to learn about significant dates in the final push to end the virus.

Got Milk in School? Farmers Fight Health Advocates Over the Creamy ‘Whole’ Variety

KFF Health News Original

It has been over a decade since whole milk was served in schools through the National School Lunch Program, after U.S. government dietary guidance effectively banned it. But dairy farmers, some health experts, and members of Congress say it’s time to bring it back.

Groups Sue to Overturn Idaho ‘Abortion Trafficking’ Law Targeting Teens

KFF Health News Original

It is illegal to help a minor obtain an abortion in Idaho or leave the state for one without parental consent. The lawsuit says the ban infringes on the right to interstate travel and First Amendment freedoms.