Lydia Zuraw

Visit kff.org to read Lydia's bio.

lzuraw@kff.org
@lydiazuraw

Flawed Federal Programs Maroon Rural Americans in Telehealth Blackouts

KFF Health News Original

Taxpayers — through federal infrastructure programs — have paid billions of dollars to internet companies to hook up rural Americans. Some communities have nothing to show for it, leaving medically vulnerable rural patients disconnected and without access to telehealth.

For Opioid Victims, Payouts Fall Short While Governments Reap Millions

KFF Health News Original

Pharmaceutical companies accused of fueling the nation’s opioid crisis are paying state and local governments billions of dollars in legal settlements. But how much are victims who suffered addiction and overdoses getting?

Millions in US Live in Places Where Doctors Don’t Practice and Telehealth Doesn’t Reach

KFF Health News Original

Nearly 3 million Americans live sicker, shorter lives in the hundreds of rural counties where doctor shortages are the worst and poor internet connections mean little or no access to telehealth services.

How Are States Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? We Built a Database of Answers

KFF Health News Original

From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, we uncovered how billions in opioid settlement funds were used by state and local governments in 2022 and 2023. Find out where the money went.

¿Cómo Se Dice? California Loops In AI To Translate Health Care Information

KFF Health News Original

State officials want to use artificial intelligence to translate public health care and social services documents and websites, which they say will speed up translations, save money, and improve Californians’ access to critical information. But some IT and language experts worry AI may introduce errors in wording and understanding.

What’s Keeping the US From Allowing Better Sunscreens?

KFF Health News Original

A decade after Congress told the FDA to expedite the approval of more effective sunscreens, the federal government still has not approved sunscreen ingredients that are safely being used around the world. Meanwhile, skin cancer is the nation’s most common cancer.

California Is Investing $500M in Therapy Apps for Youth. Advocates Fear It Won’t Pay Off.

KFF Health News Original

California launched two teletherapy apps as part of the governor’s $500 million foray into health technology with private companies. But the rollout has been so slow that one company has yet to make its app available on Android, and social workers worry youths who need clinical care won’t get referrals.

‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Freshwater Fish, Yet Most States Don’t Warn Residents

KFF Health News Original

At least 17 states have issued PFAS-related fish consumption advisories, KFF Health News found. But with no federal guidance, what is considered safe to eat varies significantly among states, most of which provide no regulation.

A Break From Breathlessness: How Singing Helped Me Through Long Covid

KFF Health News Original

Long before covid, music therapists used singing and wind instruments to help COPD and asthma patients. These same therapies might help patients recover from covid’s lingering symptoms as well. And though it wasn’t clinical music therapy, singing with an online choir has helped me navigate long covid.

Caring for an Aging Nation

KFF Health News Original

The number of Americans 65 and older is expected to nearly double in the next 40 years. Finding a way to provide and pay for the long-term health services they need won’t be easy.

Doctors Scramble to Understand Long Covid, but Causes and Prognosis Are Elusive

KFF Health News Original

Medical experts are struggling to define or explain the lingering, debilitating symptoms some covid patients experience. Part of the problem is the wide range of symptoms, but doctors say getting a better understanding will mean tracking patients and their outcomes and establishing clinical trials.

Watch: Defining The Debate On Health Care Coverage Options

KFF Health News Original

Politicians are throwing around a lot of terms when they talk about their health care plans: universal care, “Medicare for All,” “Medicare Buy-In.” KHN helps explain what they are talking about.

‘Don’t Wash That Bird!’ And Other (Often Unheeded) Food Safety Advice

KFF Health News Original

Washing poultry or meat before cooking it can do more harm than good — spreading pathogens that can be killed only in the cooking process. But the practice persists. Here’s what you need to know this holiday season.

Lead Detected In 20% Of Baby Food Samples, Surprising Even Researchers

KFF Health News Original

An analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund found lead more commonly in baby food than in other food. Lead was often present in fruit juice, though the research did not measure the level of contamination.