Latest KFF Health News Stories
Drug Prices, Opioids, And Obamacare: A Conversation With Assemblyman Jim Wood
Wood, who chairs the Assembly Health Committee, lays out his priorities for 2017.
Fight Is On To Protect Health Care In California, Says Foundation Head
The thought of losing California’s Obamacare gains is “somewhere between nauseating and mind blowing,” says Robert K. Ross, CEO of the California Endowment.
From Its Counterculture Roots, Haight Ashbury Free Clinic Morphs Into Health Care Conglomerate
Since it opened 50 years ago, the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic has been a refuge for everyone from flower children to famous rock stars to Vietnam War veterans returning home addicted to heroin.
California’s Community Clinics, Big ACA Beneficiaries, Worry About Their Future
A flow of Medi-Cal expansion dollars — and patients — has fueled significant growth, making clinics in California one of the linchpins of primary care under Obamacare.
Crucial California HIV Program In Disarray After Contract Switch
Patients who depend on the state-run AIDS Drug Assistance Program are having trouble getting medical appointments and life-saving medications.
Foul-Up Means Thousands On State Exchange Surprised By Higher Premiums
Covered California sent the wrong subsidy information to insurers, who charged most consumers less than they really owed. Now they have to pay up.
California Hopes $3 Billion Experiment Will Improve Health Of Neediest
Pilot projects are being launched in 18 counties to reduce ER visits among Medi-Cal’s most costly patients.
California Lawmakers Aim To Pay Dentists More To Treat Poor Patients
Legislation would raise payments for Denti-Cal providers, using revenue from the state tobacco tax recently passed by California voters.
Leading the Way? Northern California Cities To Embark On Soda Tax Spending
Health advocates are expecting millions in new tax money for health education programs aimed at preventing obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Other cities around the country are mulling similar measures.
Free Clinics Aim To Fill VA’s Shortfalls In Mental Health
A billionaire hedge fund manager, whose son served in Afghanistan, has opened a chain of clinics to tend to the psychological needs of veterans
Back To The Future: Insurance Pools For High-Risk Patients Could Be Revived
Trump and leading Republicans like the idea. Some policymakers and experts say it wasn’t viable in the first place.
‘A Huge Improvement’: Study Finds Inmates Benefit From Much Shorter TB Treatment
A three-month drug regimen to treat latent TB in a California jail system was just as effective as the standard nine-month approach — and the patients were far more likely to finish treatment.
Children’s Hospital Partnership Boosts Care For Sick Kids
An innovative partnership in which a children’s hospital shares revenue and costs with a community hospital helps improve access to specialized care.
California’s RN Wages Now Highest In The Nation, Federal Data Show
Registered nurses in the state earn an average annual salary of $100,000, compared to a national average of $71,000.
California’s Latino Doctors Push For More Of Their Own
More than one-third of the state’s Latino physicians plan to retire within the next 10 years, according to a new survey.
California Man Dies After Apparent Failure Of Artificial Heart Compressor
The FDA confirms it is looking into more than one problem with the compressor, which is used to power patients’ artificial hearts.
New California Law Will More Finely Parse Health Data On Asians
Advocates hope better data will help ethnic communities.
Everything Californians Wanted To Know About Their Health Plan (But Were Afraid To Ask)
A new online database created by the Department of Managed Health Care can help consumers size up and compare insurance plans.
New Law Will Expand Mental Health Services For Low-Income Californians
Legislation recently signed by Gov. Brown will allow about 1,000 clinics statewide to bill Medi-Cal for treatment by marriage and family counselors, deepening the pool of mental health providers.
Can We Conquer All Diseases By The End Of The Century?
According to the neurobiologist heading a much-publicized effort funded by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, putting scientists and engineers under one roof will be key.