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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Doctors’ Lesson for Drug Industry: Abortion Wars Are Dangerous to Ignore

KFF Health News Original

The American Medical Association ducked the abortion issue for years and now sees its members’ professional opinions second-guessed by lawmakers and judges. PhRMA is following the same playbook.

Doctor Shortages Distress Rural America, Where Few Residency Programs Exist

KFF Health News Original

Patients in rural northeastern Nevada soon will have fewer providers and resources, after a local hospital decided to close its medical residency program. Nationally, the number of rural residency slots has grown during the past few years but still makes up just 2% of programs and residents nationwide.

Watch: Rulings on Abortion Pill Have Far-Reaching Repercussions

KFF Health News Original

Sarah Varney, a senior correspondent for KHN, joins Ali Rogin of PBS NewsHour to discuss the ruling by a federal judge in Texas that threatens nationwide access to the widely used abortion drug mifepristone, and a separate ruling in Washington state that reached the opposite conclusion.

Para pacientes de cáncer sin seguro, conseguir atención médica es una lotería

KFF Health News Original

Los estudios demuestran que, a veces, los adultos sin seguro retrasan la atención, lo que puede perjudicar las probabilidades de supervivencia. Pero que los pacientes obtengan un seguro para cubrir el tratamiento se parece un poco al juego de la ruleta, es decir, depende de dónde vivan y del tipo de cáncer que padezcan.

Abortion Clinics in Conservative-Led States Face Increasing Legal Threats

KFF Health News Original

Since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed federal protections for abortions, medical providers in conservative-led states have been fighting legal and political battles — as well as escalating threats from the anti-abortion movement.

For Uninsured People With Cancer, Securing Care Can Be Like Spinning a Roulette Wheel

KFF Health News Original

When uninsured people are diagnosed with cancer, accessing resources and paying for treatment can be daunting. The safety nets meant to help often fall short, say cancer physicians and health policy experts who study access to care. Some patients find it easier to play the odds.

Special Medicaid Funds Help Most States, but Prompt Oversight Concerns

KFF Health News Original

Georgia is among 35-plus states that have used an under-the-radar federal funding mechanism to boost payments for hospitals and other providers under Medicaid. But a government watchdog and a congressional advisory commission say sparse oversight makes it hard to tell if the “directed payments” program is meeting its goals.

No-Cost Preventive Services Are Now in Jeopardy. Here’s What You Need to Know.

KFF Health News Original

A federal judge’s recent ruling on the Affordable Care Act is by no means the final word. Even parsing its impact is complicated. Here are key issues to watch as the case works its way through the legal system.

Gov. Newsom Wanted California to Cut Ties With Walgreens. Then Federal Law Got in the Way.

KFF Health News Original

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that California would cut ties with Walgreens after the company said it would not distribute abortion pills in some states. But federal rules make it difficult for the state to unwind its Medicaid prescription drug agreement, which paid Walgreens $1.5 billion last year.

The Big Squeeze: More Enrollees and Smaller Networks Plague Some ACA Plans

KFF Health News Original

Despite record enrollment in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, some consumers who bought coverage and agents who helped them do so have had a tough start to the new year: Many say it’s hard to find an in-network doctor or hospital.

Minnesota Overhauled Substance Use Treatment. Rural Residents Still Face Barriers.

KFF Health News Original

A recent policy change in Minnesota promotes quick evaluations and care for people with substance use disorders. But because of gaps riddling rural treatment systems nationwide, the promise of swift care isn’t reaching rural Minnesotans.