Latest KFF Health News Stories
California Requires Hospitals to Turn to a Patient’s Next of Kin, Closing a Longtime Loophole
A state law establishes a list of representatives who can make medical decisions for patients unable to convey their wishes. California is late to making the change; 45 other states and the District of Columbia already have next-of-kin laws.
One State Looks to Get Kids in Crisis out of the ER — And Back Home
At many U.S. hospitals, children and teens are stuck in the emergency department for days or weeks because psychiatric beds are full. Massachusetts is trying a simple, promising solution.
Republican Lawmakers Shy Away From Changing Montana’s Constitutional Right to Abortion
Lawmakers in 14 states have passed near-total bans on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. But in some conservative-led states where court rulings determined their constitutions protect abortion, including Montana, politicians haven’t asked voters to weigh in.
As Covid Grabbed the World’s Attention, Texas’ Efforts to Control TB Slipped
Responding to covid has taken so much attention and energy that some public health workers believe it pushed tuberculosis off people’s radar.
Venden opioides mezclados con tranquizilantes para animales en vecindario de Philadelphia
Los traficantes utilizan xilacina, un sedante barato no autorizado, para cortar el fentanilo, un opioide sintético 50 veces más potente que la heroína. El nombre callejero de la xilacina es “tranq”, y el fentanilo cortado con xilacina se llama “tranq dope”.
Watch: In Insurers’ Eyes, Not All Midwives Are Equal
The first installment of InvestigateTV and KHN’s “Costly Care” series explores one California mother’s experience struggling to get reimbursed for midwifery care and the differences between providers that may determine whether insurance covers them.
Armed With Hashtags, These Activists Made Insulin Prices a Presidential Talking Point
Twitter has been a hotbed for the burgeoning insulin access movement and activism surrounding other medical conditions. For people with diabetes, the platform has helped propel concern about insulin prices into policy. Can it continue to win with hashtags?
As Opioids Mixed With Animal Tranquilizers Arrive in Kensington, So Do Alarming Health Challenges
The veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, the choice du jour of local drug dealers to cut fentanyl, leads to necrotic ulcers and leaves street medics and physicians confused about how best to deal with this wave of the opioid crisis.
In California, Democrats Propose $25 Minimum Wage for Health Workers
State Sen. María Elena Durazo and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West want to give health facility support staffers a raise. Hospitals, nursing homes, and dialysis clinics are expected to resist.
California: proponen salario mínimo de $25 para trabajadores de salud
Si los legisladores aprueban el proyecto de ley y el gobernador Gavin Newsom lo firma, un líder sindical estimó que 1.5 millones de trabajadores de California podrían obtener un aumento salarial en enero de 2024.
Special Delivery: Heart-Heavy Health Policy Valentines
KHN shares the cream of the crop of creative valentines about health policy submitted by readers and tweeters. Our favorite is anointed with an original illustration and bragging rights as “the one.”
When Medicare stops paying for a pricey drug that prolongs life, an Ohio man considers giving up treatment to spare his family enormous debt.
It Takes a Village: Foster Program Is a New Model of Care for Indigenous Children
A foster care program on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota is attracting attention from officials elsewhere as they search for ways to reduce trauma inflicted on Indigenous families, who’ve faced generations of high rates of family separation.
Montana’s Tax-Exempt Hospitals Oppose Increased Oversight by State Officials
As Montana officials seek to make nonprofit hospitals prove the benefits they provide the community justify their tax exemptions, industry leaders propose their own changes — which state officials say would further limit the state’s authority.
Doctors Are Disappearing From Emergency Rooms as Hospitals Look to Cut Costs
As a money-saving strategy, emergency rooms are turning to nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other staffers who earn far less than physicians.
Agencias de salud pública utilizan a locales para llegar a comunidades de inmigrantes
El enfoque de micro subvenciones bien podría ser el futuro de los mensajes de salud pública para poblaciones diversas, y una forma de combatir la erosión de la confianza que se produjo con la politización de la salud pública por la pandemia.
Se acaba la era de las vacunas y las pruebas gratuitas contra covid. ¿Quién va a pagar?
Las personas podrán obtener estas vacunas a bajo costo o sin costo mientras duren los suministros del gobierno. Luego, dependerá de su seguro de salud.
Montana Considers Allowing Physician Assistants to Practice Independently
The bill, modeled on laws in North Dakota and Wyoming, is opposed by doctors who say it would let physician assistants practice outside the scope of their training.
Era of ‘Free’ Covid Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?
Insurers, employers, and taxpayers will all be affected as drug manufacturers move these products to the commercial market.
Public Health Agencies Turn to Locals to Extend Reach Into Immigrant Communities
Local health departments combat disparities by funding immigrant and minority community groups and letting them decide how best to spend the money.
