Phil Galewitz

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pgalewitz@kff.org
@philgalewitz

Florida Gov. DeSantis’ Canadian Drug Import Plan Goes Nowhere After FDA Approval

KFF Health News Original

Florida sued the FDA over what it said was a “reckless delay” in approving its drug importation plan. Now, nearly a year after the FDA gave the state the green light, the program has yet to begin.

In Vermont, Where Almost Everyone Has Insurance, Many Can’t Find or Afford Care

KFF Health News Original

Vermont has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the U.S., even though its residents pay some of the highest health insurance costs. Still, most of its hospitals are losing money and patients often face long waits for care.

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

KFF Health News Original

Health care has ebbed and surged as an election issue throughout the presidential campaign. Here are the ways some of the most consequential changes in health policies could hinge on whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.

Amid Medicaid ‘Unwinding,’ Many States Wind Up Expanding

KFF Health News Original

It was expected that the past year and a half would be a fraught time for Medicaid, the workhorse of the nation’s health system, which covers more people than any other government health insurance program. In April 2023, states resumed screening people for Medicaid eligibility and terminating coverage for those they said no longer qualified […]

US Uninsured Rate Was Stable in 2023, Even as States’ Medicaid Purge Began

KFF Health News Original

About 8% of Americans lacked health insurance in 2023, the Census Bureau announced. But its report doesn’t capture the effect of states winnowing their Medicaid rolls by millions of people since the pandemic emergency ended.

Amid Medicaid ‘Unwinding,’ Many States Wind Up Expanding

KFF Health News Original

The end of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage protections coincided with changes in more than a dozen states to expand coverage for lower-income people, including children, pregnant women, and the incarcerated.

Harris’ California Health Care Battles Signal Fights Ahead for Hospitals if She Wins

KFF Health News Original

Kamala Harris fought health care consolidation during her tenure as California’s attorney general, and she could escalate the fight nationally if she wins in November. Still, the pace of mergers has accelerated.

Urgent Care or ER? With ‘One-Stop Shop,’ Hospitals Offer Both Under Same Roof

KFF Health News Original

Hospitals in several states are partnering with a private equity-backed company to offer combined emergency and urgent care in a single building. But patients may not realize prices vary between the two services — often by a lot.

What’s Behind New Combined Urgent Care-ER Facilities

KFF Health News Original

It’s Saturday afternoon, and your 4-year-old is bleeding from a gash on his face after a playtime mishap. Should you go to the emergency room or the urgent care clinic? VHC Health in Arlington, Va., plans to soon join a small but growing number of hospitals moving to resolve this dilemma by offering both types […]

Union With Labor Dispute of Its Own Threatened To Cut Off Workers’ Health Benefits

KFF Health News Original

The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union, told striking workers that their health coverage would be cut off Aug. 1 absent a deal on a new contract. Tensions have mounted after staff disrupted the union’s convention, at which President Joe Biden had been scheduled to speak.

Florida Allows Doctors To Perform C-Sections Outside of Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

A Florida law was enacted this spring making the Sunshine State the first in the nation to let cesarean sections be performed in settings other than hospitals — leading to warnings about increased risks for pregnant women and their babies.

Florida es el primer estado en permitir que se realicen cesáreas fuera de hospitales

KFF Health News Original

Esta primavera, se promulgó una ley que permite los “centros de parto avanzados”, donde los médicos pueden asistir partos vaginales o por cesárea en mujeres consideradas de bajo riesgo de sufrir complicaciones. Muchos se oponen.

Why Medicaid’s ‘Undercount’ Problem Counts

KFF Health News Original

Millions of people were surprised to find themselves booted from Medicaid over the past year after pandemic-era protections expired that had prevented states from terminating their coverage. Turns out, millions of them were also unaware they had been covered by the government program. Nearly 1 in 3 people enrolled in Medicaid in 2022 — or […]