Latest KFF Health News Stories
How One Hospital Brought Its C-Sections Down In A Hurry
Faced with the possible loss of an important insurer, a large Orange County, Calif., hospital rapidly reduced excessive cesarean section rates in part by sharing each physician’s rate with everyone in the obstetrics department.
California High Court To Consider Limits on Regulators’ Access to Prescription Database
A Burbank doctor, with the support of the AMA, says the Medical Board of California violated his patients’ privacy by checking his prescribing practices in a state database without a court order. The board says it needs that access to protect patients from harm.
Americans Are Drinking More Heavily, Especially Women
The first study to track drinking patterns at the county level finds that women are driving big increases in heavy drinking.
When Depression And Cultural Expectations Collide
A teen from a Taiwanese immigrant family struggles with depression as her mother worries and tries to understand. Asian American families like this one often have trouble seeking and finding appropriate treatment.
Wynne Lee, 17, struggled with depression and cultural expectations for several years. The teen from Diamond Bar, California, is like many kids from Asian American families who often have trouble finding appropriate treatment.
So You Have Dense Breasts. Now What?
Dense breasts make mammograms harder to read. As more states pass laws requiring that women be told of the risks, debate is growing about whether such warnings are helpful — or even harmful.
Hoping To Live, These Doctors Want A Choice In How They Die
In a California lawsuit seeking to allow doctors to prescribe lethal medications at patients’ request, two plaintiffs are physicians with serious illnesses. Both want the option of choosing to end their lives.
Blue Shield of California Loses Its State Tax Exemption
The unheralded move by California tax authorities last August may leave the insurer on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in taxes dating back to 2013. Blue Shield of California is protesting the action.
Inviting Patients To Help Decide Their Own Treatment
At UC San Francisco and other hospitals and clinics around the nation, “shared decision making” programs encourage doctors and patients to work together in making tough choices about care.
Advocates Say California Counties Need To Shore Up Care For Remaining Uninsured
Report by Health Access California says 3 million uninsured in California have uneven access to care, depending on which county they live in.
Slightly More Latinos and African Americans Sign Up On California Exchange
About 37 percent of subsidized Covered California enrollees are Latino, up six points compared with last year, and about 4 percent are African American, up one point.
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.
Kaiser Permanente Faulted Again For Mental Health Care Lapses In California
Following up on a critical report in 2013, the California Department of Managed Health Care found Kaiser Permanente had not resolved concerns about providing timely and appropriate access to treatment.
Surprise! The Taco Truck Is On Your Diet
The lunch truck menu is known more for grease and starch than leafy greens. But researchers in Los Angeles County say adding more nutritious options to the menu is one step toward reducing obesity.
Low-Income Californians More Satisfied With Their Health Care, Report Finds
A 2014 survey finds low-income California residents are happier with the quality of care they received than in 2011, before many provisions of the Affordable Care Act took effect.
Measles Outbreak Sparks Bid To Strengthen Calif. Vaccine Law
Two California lawmakers have introduced a bill to eliminate a “personal belief exemption” used by parents to sidestep a school vaccination requirement.
California Ranks Last In Spending On Diabetes Prevention, Audit Finds
With one in 12 residents estimated to suffer from diabetes, California spends less on prevention per person than any other state, according to a state audit.
Insurance Choices Dwindle In Rural California As Blue Shield Pulls Back
Blue Shield of California stopped selling individual plans on the state health insurance exchange in about 250 zip codes, leaving nearly 30,000 residents with only one insurer to choose from on the exchange.
California Launches Campaign To Curb E-Cigarette Smoking
Though not as harmful as smoking regular cigarettes, ‘vaping’ is both toxic and gaining in popularity, especially among young people, California officials say.
Most Californians On Insurance Exchange Are Sticking With Last Year’s Plan
In California, the vast majority of people renewing health insurance coverage in the state’s exchange did not switch health plans, and instead are sticking with the one they selected last year.
