Michelle Andrews

Judge’s Decision Would Make Some No-Cost Cancer Screenings a Thing of the Past

KFF Health News Original

A U.S. District Court ruling overturned the section of the Affordable Care Act that makes preventive health services — from colonoscopies to diabetes screenings and more — available at no cost to consumers.

A Progress Check on Hospital Price Transparency

KFF Health News Original

Hospitals are facing mixed reviews regarding their efforts to comply with a federal requirement that they post information about prices related to nearly every health care service they provide.

NYC Makes Clear Its Intent to Lead on Abortion Access

KFF Health News Original

Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement this year to provide abortion pills free of charge at four of New York’s sexual health clinics is the city’s latest move on abortion access. Other jurisdictions are also taking steps.

Inmigrantes pueden cubrir la brecha de escasez de personal para cuidados de largo plazo

KFF Health News Original

Estados Unidos se enfrenta a una crisis, cada vez mayor, de falta de personal que pone en peligro la seguridad de los mayores más frágiles en las residencias. En un mercado laboral en el que abundan las opciones de trabajo, los cuidados de larga duración, mal pagados y físicamente exigentes, son difíciles de vender.

As Long-Term Care Staffing Crisis Worsens, Immigrants Can Bridge the Gaps

KFF Health News Original

The industry has long relied on immigrants to bolster its ranks, and they’ll be critical to meeting future staffing needs, experts say. But as the baby boom generation fills beds, policymakers are slow to open new pathways for foreign workers.

Despite Katie Couric’s Advice, Doctors Say Ultrasound Breast Exams May Not Be Needed

KFF Health News Original

When Katie Couric announced she had breast cancer, she urged women to get a mammogram — and, if they have dense breasts, to get supplemental screening by ultrasound. But medical experts point out that ultrasound and other auxiliary screenings haven’t been proven to do more than regular mammography in reducing mortality.

Employers Are Concerned About Covering Workers’ Mental Health Needs, Survey Finds

KFF Health News Original

Nearly half of large employers report that increasing numbers of their workers were using mental health services, according to a KFF annual employer survey. Yet almost a third of those employers said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough behavioral health care providers for employees to have timely access to the care they need.

$80,000 and 5 ER Visits: An Ectopic Pregnancy Takes a Toll Despite NY’s Liberal Abortion Law

KFF Health News Original

If an embryo has implanted in a fallopian tube, ending the pregnancy is imperative to protect the patient’s life. Women’s health advocates have raised concerns that the needed treatment may be hampered by restrictive abortion laws in some states. Yet women seeking treatment in states with more liberal abortion laws may still find the process expensive and harrowing.

Newborns Get Routine Heel Blood Tests, but Should States Keep Those Samples?

KFF Health News Original

Shortly after birth, babies are pricked in the heel so their blood can be tested for life-threatening conditions. States generally save leftover blood from those samples, and parents and privacy experts are concerned that information could be used without consent years later.