Latest News On Diabetes

Latest KFF Health News Stories

I Write About America’s Absurd Health Care System. Then I Got Caught Up in It.

KFF Health News Original

A KHN reporter had written for years about the people left behind by the absurdly complex and expensive U.S. health care system. Then he found himself navigating that maze as he tried to get his insulin prescription filled.

Headed Away to School? Here’s What Students With Health Issues Need to Know

KFF Health News Original

College and grad students with chronic health conditions as common as asthma and diabetes may need to clear hurdles to make sure their health needs are covered by insurance if they go to school far from home.

Though Millions Are at Risk for Diabetes, Medicare Struggles to Expand Prevention Program

KFF Health News Original

Medicare has proposed revamping its payment rules to get more people into a diabetes prevention plan that helps them eat better, exercise more and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Out of an estimated 16 million Medicare beneficiaries whose excess weight and other risk factors make them eligible, only 3,600 have participated since 2018.

Masks at the Campfire: Summer Camps for Kids With Medical Needs Adapt to Covid

KFF Health News Original

Camp Ho Mita Koda, an Ohio camp for children with diabetes, plans to host in-person camp this year despite the pandemic. It’s unusual, especially given that children under 12 likely won’t be able to get covid vaccines for months and many who attend medically focused camps could be especially vulnerable to serious covid complications. But these camps are important not just for the kids, but also for parents.

‘Painless’ Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Diabetes Patients

KFF Health News Original

The numbers of people wearing these monitors are soaring as prices have fallen and device-makers promote them to doctors and patients. But few studies show the devices lead to better outcomes for the nearly 25 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes who don’t inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

Progressive Group Highlights Trump, Tillis Weakness on Insulin Price Tags

KFF Health News Original

The progressive Change Now PAC launched a campaign ad, which also circulated on Facebook, criticizing President Donald Trump and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) for not “fighting” for people with diabetes who struggle with the high cost of insulin.

Not Pandemic-Proof: Insulin Copay Caps Fall Short, Fueling Underground Exchanges

KFF Health News Original

Although sharing prescription medicines is illegal, many people with diabetes are turning to underground donation networks when they cannot afford their insulin. Caps on insulin copays enacted in Colorado and 11 other states were designed to help. But the gaps between insulin costs and many patients’ financial realities are only widening amid the economic crisis of the COVID pandemic.

New Laws Keep Pandemic-Weary California at Forefront of Health Policy Innovation

KFF Health News Original

Gov. Gavin Newsom approved many consequential health care bills by his bill-signing deadline Wednesday, including a ban on the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products, the creation of a state generic drug label and better coverage for mental health disorders.

It’s Not Just Insulin: Lawmakers Focus on Price of One Drug, While Others Rise Too

KFF Health News Original

While insulin is the poster child for outrageous prescription costs, patients are paying ever more to treat depression, asthma, HIV, cholesterol and more. And the pandemic has overtaken efforts to force the issue in Congress.

In Face of COVID Threat, More Dialysis Patients Bring Treatment Home

KFF Health News Original

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, more patients are administering dialysis to themselves at home rather than receiving it in a clinic. Although home dialysis limits exposure to the virus, it comes with its own challenges.

As The Country Disinfects, Diabetes Patients Can’t Find Rubbing Alcohol

KFF Health News Original

Demand has exploded for rubbing alcohol and alcohol swabs, which are being deployed in the disinfection fight against the coronavirus. Now, people with diabetes who rely on the products for infection control are left scrambling.