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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Nursing Homes Wield Pandemic Immunity Laws To Duck Wrongful Death Suits

KFF Health News Original

More than 172,000 nursing home residents died of covid. In lawsuits, some families who lost loved ones say they were misled about safety measures or told that covid wasn’t a danger in their facilities.

Estados utilizan dinero de Medicaid para combatir la violencia con armas de fuego

KFF Health News Original

Una inyección de financiamiento federal confiable podría permitir que organizaciones sin fines de lucro amplíen su alcance para llegar a más residentes con mayor riesgo de ser víctimas de disparos, o de disparar a alguien.

Older Americans Say They Feel Trapped in Medicare Advantage Plans

KFF Health News Original

As enrollment in private Medicare Advantage plans grows, so do concerns about how well the insurance works, including from those who say they have become trapped in the private plans as their health declines.

States Begin Tapping Medicaid Dollars to Combat Gun Violence

KFF Health News Original

The Biden administration is allowing states to use money from the insurance program for low-income and disabled residents to pay for gun violence prevention. California and six other states have approved such spending, with more expected to follow.

‘They See a Cash Cow’: Corporations Could Consume $50 Billion of Opioid Settlements

KFF Health News Original

As opioid settlement dollars land in government coffers, a swarm of businesses are positioning themselves to profit from the windfall. But will their potential gains come at the expense of the settlements’ intended purpose — to remediate the effects of the opioid epidemic?

States Reconsider Religious Exemptions for Vaccinations in Child Care

KFF Health News Original

Providers and health care advocates warn a proposed rule change in Montana would jeopardize immunity levels in child care centers and communities. Efforts to change vaccination exemption rules are underway in other states, too.

Start Shopping: Enrollment Begins Nov. 1 for Most Obamacare Insurance Plans

KFF Health News Original

More than 16 million Americans who buy their own health insurance through state and federal marketplaces have until Jan. 15 to compare prices, change their coverage, or enroll for the first time.

Using Opioid Settlement Cash for Police Gear Like Squad Cars and Scanners Sparks Debate

KFF Health News Original

State and local governments will receive a windfall of more than $50 billion over 18 years from settlements with companies that made, sold, or distributed opioid painkillers. Using the funds for law enforcement has triggered important questions about what the money was meant for.

Feds Try to Head Off Growing Problem of Overdoses Among Expectant Mothers

KFF Health News Original

Homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses have driven rising rates of pregnancy-related death in the U.S. This fall, six states received federal funding for substance use treatment interventions to prevent at least some of those deaths.

Rare ‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacterium Spreads North as Oceans Warm

KFF Health News Original

A rise in cases of Vibrio vulnificus and its spread northward have heightened concern about the bacterium, which can cause human tissue to rot and skin to decay. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to make more doctors aware of the dangerous pathogen.

Feds Rein In Use of Predictive Software That Limits Care for Medicare Advantage Patients

KFF Health News Original

Software sifts through millions of medical records to match patients with similar diagnoses and characteristics and then predicts what kind of care an individual will need and for how long. New federal rules will ensure human experts are part of the process.

As Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Hit the Market, Anti-Smoking Groups Press for Wider Standard

KFF Health News Original

The first FDA-authorized cigarettes with 95% less nicotine than traditional smokes will go on sale in California, Florida, and Texas starting in early July. Anti-smoking groups oppose greenlighting just one plant biotech’s products and instead urge federal regulators to set a low-nicotine standard for the entire industry.

Dementia Can Take a Toll on Financial Health, as Some Families Learn the Hard Way

KFF Health News Original

People with dementia and their families often find themselves with few legal rights when dealing with financial scams or the mismanagement of their assets. Research reveals financial troubles can be both an early sign and a painful symptom of cognitive decline.