Mark Kreidler

@MarkKreidler

This Bill Aims To Help Firefighters With Cancer. Getting It Passed Is Just the Beginning.

KFF Health News Original

Amid the Los Angeles wildfires, California’s U.S. senators cosponsored legislation that would provide support to first responders who develop or die from service-related cancers. But those involved with similar efforts say the road to implementation is rough and paved with long waits, restrictive eligibility requirements, and funding issues.

California Forges Ahead With Social Media Rules Despite Legal Barriers

KFF Health News Original

State lawmakers are advancing two bills aimed at protecting children from the harms of social media, part of a nationwide wave of efforts to address the issue. Yet the bills’ proponents face hurdles in finding an approach that can survive legal challenges from the tech industry.

Back Pain? Bum Knee? Be Prepared to Wait for a Physical Therapist

KFF Health News Original

Physical therapists left the field en masse during the covid-19 pandemic, even as demand from aging baby boomers skyrocketed. While universities try to boost their training programs to increase the number of graduates, patients seeking relief from often debilitating pain are left to wait.

A Blood Test That Screens for Cancer: Does It Do More Harm Than Good?

KFF Health News Original

The first of a new wave of cancer-detection blood tests likely saved Gilbert Milam Jr.’s life. But many cancer researchers, wary of overtesting, argue it’s premature to prescribe the Galleri test widely.

California Offers Bipartisan Road Map for Protecting Kids Online Even as Big Tech Fights Back

KFF Health News Original

Last year, state lawmakers adopted the country’s toughest online privacy restrictions. The law offers Congress a path forward on federal protections even as it serves as a cautionary tale for taking on Big Tech.

California requiere que hospitales recurran a familiares cercanos de pacientes para decisiones médicas, cerrando un vacío de larga data

KFF Health News Original

Desde el 1 de enero, California se sumó a otros 45 estados y al Distrito de Columbia con leyes que permiten a una persona tomar decisiones en nombre de un paciente, incluso si no estaba autorizada por el paciente antes de que ocurriera la situación médica.

California Requires Hospitals to Turn to a Patient’s Next of Kin, Closing a Longtime Loophole

KFF Health News Original

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.

NFL Has Been Slow to Embrace Mental Health Support for Players

KFF Health News Original

The shocking on-field cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin traumatized some players and underscores the need for more consistent mental health support in a league whose athletes are trained to show no weakness.

The Case of the Two Grace Elliotts: A Medical Billing Mystery

KFF Health News Original

A health system charged a woman for a shoulder replacement at a hospital across the country that she had not visited for years. She didn’t receive the care, but she did receive the bill — and the medical records of a stranger.

Addiction Experts Fear the Fallout if California Legalizes Sports Betting

KFF Health News Original

If California voters approve one or both sports-wagering initiatives on the November ballot, psychiatrists anticipate more cases of problem gambling and gambling addiction. They’re especially concerned about online betting, a very addictive way to play.

California Schools Try to Outrace Covid Outbreaks

KFF Health News Original

A covid outbreak on a field trip. Another at prom. Yet administrators are reluctant to expose their schools to legal challenges by again requiring masks for students and staffers. That leaves parents fretful and confused.

One California University Has Unified Town and Gown to Fight Covid. Why Haven’t Others?

KFF Health News Original

The University of California-Davis has spent close to $50 million preventing the spread of covid on campus — and among residents and workers in the adjacent city of Davis. By most accounts, this town-gown experiment has paid off nicely.

Universidades no consiguen terapeutas para el creciente número de estudiantes en crisis

KFF Health News Original

En medio de la escasez nacional de estos profesionales, compiten con los sistemas hospitalarios, las consultas privadas y la floreciente industria de la telesalud para contratar y retener a los consejeros.

Colleges Struggle to Recruit Therapists for Students in Crisis

KFF Health News Original

The need for mental health services on campus, which was already rising, has skyrocketed during the pandemic, with many students undergoing grave psychological crises. Colleges say they often lack the means to offer competitive salaries to therapists.