KFF Health News On NPR

Listen: What Our 2-Year-Long Investigation Into Medical Debt Reveals

An award-winning project by KFF Health News and NPR found that at least 100 million people in the United States are saddled with medical bills they cannot pay — and exposed a health care system that systematically pushes people into debt.

As Many American Cities Get Hotter, Health Systems Face Off Against Heatstroke

With millions of Americans suffering under relentless heat waves this summer, more people are seeking medical attention for heat-related illnesses. As temperatures get more extreme, hospitals, fire departments, and ambulance crews are preparing to treat more patients for heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

What Does a Chatbot Know About Eating Disorders? Users of a Help Line Are About to Find Out

The National Eating Disorders Association’s help line has seen demand climb to unsustainable levels since the beginning of the covid pandemic, with more people reporting severe mental health problems, the nonprofit says. But staffers worry this chatbot may make things worse.

Abortion Clinics in Conservative-Led States Face Increasing Legal Threats

Since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed federal protections for abortions, medical providers in conservative-led states have been fighting legal and political battles — as well as escalating threats from the anti-abortion movement.

Some Roadblocks to Lifesaving Addiction Treatment Are Gone. Now What?

The federal government has lifted restrictions on one of the most effective opioid addiction treatment medications. The change sets up a “truth serum moment”: Will mainstream doctors and nurses now treat addiction as a common disease?

Listen to ‘Tradeoffs’: Medical Debt Delivers ‘A Shocking Amount of Misery’

Medical debt in America pushes families to the edge. Ariane Buck and his wife, Samantha, were denied care at their doctor’s office because of an unpaid bill of less than $100. A trip to the emergency room added thousands of dollars to their health care debt, which topped $50,000 by the time they filed for bankruptcy.