Latest News On California

Latest KFF Health News Stories

House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health

KFF Health News Original

The current strain of bird flu is spreading from wildlife and livestock to house cats. To keep pets healthy, many virologists and veterinarians say, house cats shouldn’t eat raw food and should be kept indoors. Despite no known cases of H5N1 transmission between cats and people, some public health agencies and virologists are warning cat owners to be mindful of the theoretical risks to the health of humans in their households if a pet gets sick.

Trump’s Funding ‘Pause’ Throws States, Health Industry Into Chaos

KFF Health News Original

A sweeping Trump administration order threw the nation’s health system into disarray Tuesday, as states and the health industry tried to make sense of what looked like a freeze on federal Medicaid funding.

Schools Aren’t as Plugged In as They Should Be to Kids’ Diabetes Tech, Parents Say

KFF Health News Original

With continuous glucose monitors, students with Type 1 diabetes no longer have to visit the school nurse for a finger prick. But some parents say it falls to them to keep an eye on blood sugar levels from home or work — even though they may not be able to quickly reach their child when something’s wrong.

A Program To Close Insurance Gaps for Native Americans Has Gone Largely Unused

KFF Health News Original

Health leaders say a tool to boost medical coverage for Native Americans, a population that has long faced worse health outcomes than the rest of the nation, has been underused by many states and tribes since it was written into the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago.

As States Diverge on Immigration, Hospitals Say They Won’t Turn Patients Away

KFF Health News Original

California and Massachusetts are teaching immigrants their rights while Florida and Texas are collecting patients’ immigration status. As states offer differing guidelines for interacting with immigrant patients, hospitals around the U.S. say they won’t turn people away for care because of their immigration status.

Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?

KFF Health News Original

More medical schools say they will no longer charge tuition, in hopes that more students, graduating free of debt, will choose lower-paying primary care careers. But evidence suggests it will take a lot more than a free ride to replenish the primary care pipeline.

Caseworkers Coax Homeless People out of Las Vegas’ Tunnels for Treatment

KFF Health News Original

Street medicine providers and homeless outreach workers who travel into Las Vegas’ drainage tunnels have noticed an uptick in the number of people living underground, and it can be difficult to persuade them to come aboveground for medicine and treatment.

‘Waiting List to Nowhere’: Homelessness Surveys Trap Black Men on the Streets

KFF Health News Original

Homelessness experts and community leaders say vulnerability questionnaires have worsened racial disparities among the unhoused by systematically placing white people in front of the line ahead of Black people. Now places like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Austin, Texas, are developing alternative surveys to reduce bias.

How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic

KFF Health News Original

Exclusive reporting reveals how the United States lost track of a virus that could cause the next pandemic. Problems like the sluggish pace of federal action, deference to industry, and neglect for the safety of low-wage workers put the country at risk of another health emergency.

Cómo Estados Unidos perdió el control de la gripe aviar, abriendo las puertas a otra pandemia

KFF Health News Original

Casi un año después del primer brote de gripe aviar en el ganado, el virus no muestra señales de detenerse. El gobierno estadounidense no consiguió eliminar el virus de los tambos cuando estaba confinado a un puñado de estados.

New Colorado Gun Law Aims To Shore Up Victim Services

KFF Health News Original

A new tax on guns and ammunition in Colorado is set to take effect in the spring. Voters approved the tax, with most of the proceeds going to support services for crime victims and other social programs.

Older Americans Living Alone Often Rely on Neighbors or Others Willing To Help

KFF Health News Original

Diverse networks of friends, former co-workers, neighbors, and extended family are often essential sources of support for older adults living alone. Often it is the elderly caring for the elderly.

‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way

KFF Health News Original

Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.

Vance Wrongly Blames Rural Hospital Closures on Immigrants in the Country Illegally

KFF Health News Original

Experts disputed the claim by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, noting that a range of other issues — from low reimbursement rates to declining patient use — combine to cause these facilities to shutter.