When Health Care Is Far From Home
The biggest barrier to treatment for residents of a tiny town in the mountains of Northern California isn’t insurance coverage– it’s distance.
Pacemakers Get Hacked On TV, But Could It Happen In Real Life?
Concerns about the potential vulnerability of medical devices are getting the attention of regulators, health care providers and manufacturers.
Calif. ‘Report Cards’ Are Out In Time For Open Enrollment
The state timed the release of this year’s report cards to coincide with the second round of open enrollment in Covered California, the state’s online health exchange, which kicks off Nov. 15. Several plans included in the report cards are offered on the exchange.
Study: Robotic Surgery More Costly For Ovarian Problems
We’ve heard it before — the robots are coming to save the day. But for certain medical procedures, that day may not be as close as you’d think. A study published today in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests that robot-assisted surgeries to remove ovaries or ovarian cysts were more expensive and had more complications […]
California To Launch Medicaid-Funded Teledentistry
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill that would require Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for the poor, to pay for dental services delivered by teams of hygienists and dentists connected through the Internet. California is among the first states to launch such teledentistry services, which are intended to increase the options for […]
Scrambling To Prove He’s Eligible For Obamacare
Fabrizio Mancinelli is among thousands of people in California facing a Sept. 30 deadline to prove they are in the country legally, as required to receive coverage through insurance exchanges.
New Insurance Coverage Gives Tech Entrepreneur A New Flexibility
Once deemed ‘uninsurable,’ a businesswoman suffering from a chronic condition now has coverage — and it’s not tied to a job or a boyfriend.
Caring for His Elderly Dad With No Insurance Of His Own
In the remote reaches of California, a doctor’s son says coverage has nearly always eluded him, and his initial efforts to enroll in the state’s new insurance exchange were unsuccessful.
California Exchange Seeks To Enroll 500,000 More People
This KHN story can be republished for free. (details) Covered California, the Golden State’s online health insurance marketplace, announced Monday that it will be spending close to $100 million as it aims to enroll 500,000 new people during the second round of open enrollment, which begins in two months. The state also will be trying […]
California To Broaden Autism Coverage For Kids Through Medicaid
A South Los Angeles family illustrates the opportunities and challenges as the state takes its first steps toward expanding behavioral treatment for poor children.
Health Law Spurs Focus On Faster Drug Development
The Cures Acceleration Network’s mission is to fund research that can be speedily transformed into treatments and to streamline the drug-approval process.
Some California Hospitals, Insurers Disappointed in ‘Bundled Payments’
Giving health-care providers a lump sum payment for certain treatments – touted as a way to save money and improve coordination of care — yielded disappointing results for some major California hospitals and insurers, a study found. The RAND Corp. study, funded by a $2.9-million federal grant, looked at “bundled payments” for care of insured […]
Doctors Turning To Super Software For Advice
Does a patient need a transfusion or another medication? Artificial intelligence systems can help doctors decide.
When Doctors Need Advice, It Might Not Come From A Fellow Human
At hospitals and clinics around the country, physicians are tapping artificial intelligence systems for warnings and recommendations.
Study: Diabetes Afflicts 1 In 3 Hospitalized Patients Over 34 In California
In California, roughly one in three hospitalized people over 34 years old has diabetes, increasing the complexity and cost of their care, according to a report released Thursday. Hospitalizations for patients with diabetes on average cost about $2,200 more than for patients who didn’t have the disease, regardless of the reason they were admitted, according […]
Need A Doc? These Companies Will Hook You Up In A Hurry
Online firms offer concierge medical services to middle-class subscribers including speedy referrals and a helping hand through the red tape.
Obama Sharply Criticizes Republicans As He Announces 8 Million Have Enrolled
President says others have been denied the law’s benefits because many states haven’t expanded Medicaid.
When Connecting With A Dentist Doesn’t Mean An Office Visit
Teledentistry experiment in California aims to bring care to needy patients in schools and nursing homes. Consulting with dentists over the Internet, hygienists and dental assistants offer preventive treatment and education.
Internet Startup Offers Californians Quick Assessments Of Some Insurance Plans
Stride Health, which began operations last month, seeks to provide on-demand, personalized results that people have come to expect on the Web from the likes of Google and Amazon.
Young But Not So Invincible in California
Largely low-income and minority California State University students want health insurance but many are afraid they can’t afford it. Outreach workers are scrambling to sign them up.
