Latest KFF Health News Stories
CDC Survey Finds Drop In Uninsured
This KHN story can be republished for free. (details) UPDATED AT 12:10 P.M. The federal government’s first survey of the nation’s insured rate since the health care law’s new marketplaces began found a decrease in the number of adults without coverage, particularly among young adults. The National Health Interview Survey of people during the first […]
Stigma Is A Side-Effect Of HIV-Prevention Medicine
Truvada is a drug that can help people who are not infected avoid contracting the virus that causes AIDS. But some patients are worried the medical community is not up to speed.
Detroit’s Maternal Death Rate Is Triple The Nation’s
Experts hope to see it decline as more women gain coverage through the federal health care law and become better educated about their bodies.
How Illinois Has Spent $56M From Health Law’s Prevention Fund
The health law seeks to reduce health care costs by spending more money on prevention and wellness efforts.
Ohio Amish Reconsider Vaccines Amid Measles Outbreak
County health officials are scrambling to set up immunization clinics for thousands after 341 cases in Ohio have swept through the Amish communities in the central part of the state.
More Than 750 Hospitals Face Medicare Crackdown On Patient Injuries
The 1 percent cut in payments is the latest effort by the federal government to improve hospital care.
Methodology: How Hospital-Acquired Conditions Are Calculated
Before assessing penalties, Medicare assesses rates of infection among patients with catheters in major veins and in the bladder and eight other patient injuries, such as blood clots, bed sores and accidental falls.
A Reader Asks: Are Insurers Required To Cover HIV Prevention Medication Recently Recommended By CDC?
Federal health officials urge anyone at substantial risk of HIV to start an expensive prescription drug regimen that can prevent infection. But that doesn’t mean it qualifies for coverage without any cost sharing under the health law.
States Battle Asthma as Numbers Grow
With a climate especially bad for asthmatics, Missouri has been a pioneer in fighting the disease.
Health Law Provides No Guarantees Of Access To Midwives, Birthing Centers
The overhaul mandated maternity coverage, but some private insurance plans don’t include services.
Federal Shutdown Alarms State Health Officials
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has furloughed more than half its staff as a result of the federal shutdown. That worries states, particularly as the flu season begins.
A Reader Asks: If I Don’t Have Insurance, How Can I Pay For A Colonoscopy?
The health law expands coverage for preventive services, but it only applies to those who have insurance policies.
CDC Study: Schools Are Getting Healthier
Nowadays, the hub for developing healthy habits isn’t just the gym or home. For kids, at least, it’s increasingly their schools, according to a study released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School districts across the country are demonstrating a range of improvements in terms of nutrition, exercise and tobacco policies. For instance, after […]
Medicaid Coverage Limits Access To Medications For Painkiller Addicts
Patients face severe limitations on the amount and duration of medicines they take to fight addiction to pain pills.
Your Smartphone Might Hold Key To Your Medical Records
Hospitals and clinics are slowly replacing paper files with electronic health records, but information often isn’t easily shared. Smartphones may be one way consumers can bridge the electronic gap.
CDC Takes A Closer Look At Kids’ Mental Health
Somewhere between 13 and 20 percent of kids in the United States experience some sort of mental illness, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That adds up to millions of children suffering from disorders like ADHD, depression, autism and illicit drug use. The total annual cost of the […]
Alicia Keys Shines Light On Women And HIV
One in 32 African American women in the United States is likely to be diagnosed with HIV in her lifetime. “One in 32, think about that,” said singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistic at an event Monday. “Thirty years after we first heard of AIDS, it is really a […]
Health Care Cuts From Vaccinations To Research
Sequestration’s cuts will likely affect how low-income Americans get maternal care, vaccinate their children and get treatment for mental illness, even if the cuts largely spare Medicare and Medicaid.
Feds Help States Qualify For More Medicaid Dollars
The Obama administration on Friday released guidance to states on how they can increase their Medicaid funding by eliminating copays for certain preventive services, including immunizations. The provision of the Affordable Care Act was slated to take effect Jan. 1. States that implement the changes can apply for the funding retroactive to that date. The specified preventive services […]
Despite Incentives, Doctors’ Offices Lag On Digital Records
A recent study found that the health care industry isn’t benefiting from computer networks that have transformed other fields. But the federal coordinator for health IT says there has been a lot of progress that will result in better care and cost savings in the future.
