Latest KFF Health News Stories
A New Zika Threat Hovers As Summer’s Mosquitoes Get Bzzzzy
The Zika virus, which made its appearance in the U.S. last summer, is still not well understood, and federal and state officials are not sure what to expect this year.
California Bill Addresses Safety Concerns At Dialysis Clinics
Legislation would require minimum staffing levels, longer intervals between patients and more frequent state inspections.
Segregated Living Linked To Higher Blood Pressure Among Blacks
Blood pressure for African-Americans who moved permanently out of segregated areas into medium-segregation locations decreased on average nearly 4 points while those who went to low-segregation locales dropped almost 6 points, a 25-year study finds.
Houston Hospital Checking To See If Patients’ Cupboards Are Bare
Starting in fall 2015, Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System began to examine the food struggles among patients at four medical sites and found that 11 percent to 30 percent said they had run out of food in the prior month or thought that they would.
Public Restrooms Become Ground Zero In The Opioid Epidemic
People often turn to public restrooms as a place to get high on opioids. It has led some establishments to close their facilities, while others are training employees to help people who overdose.
To Save On Medi-Cal Costs, A Bid To Help Homeless Patients With Rent Money
California lawmakers consider a bill to use state money to help homeless Medi-Cal patients pay rent — shifting their focus from sheer survival to wellness. The move could save taxpayers millions, advocates say.
Pseudoscience Fuels Fear Behind Minnesota Measles Outbreak
An outbreak of 34 cases of measles has hit Minnesota’s densely populated Somali-American neighborhoods, where 6 in 10 children are not vaccinated against the virus.
Federal Money For State-Level Zika Tracking, Prevention May End This Summer
California has reported more than 500 travel-related Zika infections, and five babies have been born in the state with birth defects related to the mosquito-borne disease.
Trump’s Vow To Squeeze ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Could Play Havoc With Health Programs
Local health officials are bracing for the potential impact of a Trump administration policy that would stop federal funding to jurisdictions that don’t enforce federal immigration laws.
California Proposes Stringent Cap On Toxic Chemical In Drinking Water
Water board officials want to limit TCP, a former pesticide ingredient and human carcinogen that has contaminated water supplies. Groundwater in other states is contaminated as well.
Rural Doctors’ Training May Be In Jeopardy
A program designed to address the shortage of doctors in rural and poor urban areas could be in peril unless Congress acts.
Reluctant Patients, Hispanic Men Pose A Costly Challenge To The Health System
Many Hispanic men don’t seek medical care soon enough and as the Hispanic population grows, some health care professionals are sounding an alarm.
Going For $1 An Ounce: The Burgeoning Trade In Mothers’ Milk
As a fountain of nonprofit milk banks emerge, one woman’s abundant supply can fill another’s yawning demand. But critics fear that poor women will sell start selling their milk for survival, depriving their own babies of vital nutrients.
What Doesn’t Kill You Can Maim: Unexpected Injuries From Opioids
Doctors are beginning to pay attention to injuries, such as brain damage or kidney failure, that can afflict people who survive an overdose.
California Lawmakers Consider Mandatory Labels On Salon Products To Protect Workers
Bill would require disclosure of potentially harmful chemicals used in hair treatments, nail polish and other substances used in salons.
San Francisco Seeks To Ban Sale Of Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Tobacco Products
A proposed ordinance would block access to menthol cigarettes, as well as e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco with flavors such as chocolate, cherry or popcorn. Studies show such products are overwhelmingly favored by teenagers and some minorities.
Trump Extends Flawed ‘Fix’ For VA Health Scandals
The $10 billion plug-in that lets frustrated veterans receive care from private-sector providers is still causing frustration.
As California Weighs Soda Warning Labels, Tax In Berkeley Shown To Dilute Sales
Sales of sugary drinks dropped in the city by nearly 10 percent a year after tax took effect in 2015, while bottled water sales rose, researchers report.
A New Worry For Smokers’ Families: ‘Thirdhand Smoke’
The chemical residue from cigarette smoke that can cling to walls, clothes and skin may present a danger to children.
Can We Tax Away The Opioid Crisis?
Lawmakers in California, like their counterparts in Congress, are considering a tax that would pay for addiction prevention and treatment efforts.
