Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio

@flakebarmer

Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?

KFF Health News Original

Your doctor might ask to have an AI tool listen during your next appointment. If you opt in, you will likely get more of your doctor’s attention. But the technology is not perfect. Here’s what to know.

Even With Dental Insurance, You Still Could Face a Large Bill

KFF Health News Original

Costs keep many Americans, even those with insurance, from getting dental care. Understanding how dental insurance works and leaning into preventive care can help keep dental problems — and bills — manageable.

Is It Worth Your Time and Money To Set Up an HSA?

KFF Health News Original

If you have a high-deductible health insurance plan, you’re probably eligible to use a health savings account. It can be an administrative headache, but it can save you money in the long run. Here’s what you need to know.

Millions of Americans Are Expected To Drop Their Affordable Care Act Plans. They’re Looking for a Plan B.

KFF Health News Original

An estimated 4.8 million people are expected to go without health coverage because Congress did not extend enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans. But even without a health plan, people will need medical care in 2026. Many of them have been thinking through their plan B to maintain their health.

Lice Pose No Health Threat, Yet Some Parents Push Back on Rules To Allow Affected Kids in Class

KFF Health News Original

Public health officials see lice as a nuisance, not a health threat, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended for years that students with live lice be allowed to remain in class. But as “no-nit” policies have been dropped in favor of “nonexclusion” rules, some school districts have seen parents and teachers push back.

Some Addiction Treatment Centers Turn Big Profits by Scaling Back Care

KFF Health News Original

Private equity groups are cashing in on rising rates of alcohol and drug addiction in the U.S. But they aren’t necessarily investing in centers with the best treatment standards, and they often cut extra services.

Ad Goes Too Far With Claim That Joe Biden Promotes Surgery for Trans Teens

KFF Health News Original

Even some medical experts who are skeptical of gender-affirming care say the White House is not promoting breast removal and genital surgery for teens. But that’s not what an ad, funded by a group led by a former adviser to President Donald Trump, would have you believe.

Hospital Giant HCA Fends Off Accusations of Questionable Inpatient Admissions

KFF Health News Original

The nation’s largest private health system, HCA Healthcare, has faced years of scrutiny over its share of emergency room patients who are admitted to the hospital. And now U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat from New Jersey, is calling for a federal investigation, prompting an escalating defense by the hospital system, based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Organ Transplants Are Up, but the Agency in Charge Is Under Fire

KFF Health News Original

A two-year congressional investigation has identified troubling lapses in the nation’s organ transplant system. Blood types mismatched, diseased organs transplanted anyway, and — most often — organs lost or damaged before they can save a life.

Some Rural Hospitals Are in Such Bad Shape, Local Governments Are Practically Giving Them Away

KFF Health News Original

Coming out of the pandemic, many rural hospitals are in even rougher shape than before. So rough that some are now practically being handed to investors for little more than a pledge to keep them open.