Latest News On Emergency Medicine

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Hospitals Take Shot At Opioid Makers Over Cost Of Treating Uninsured For Addiction

KFF Health News Original

A few hundred hospitals have banded together to sue drugmakers in state courts, but far more are staying on the sidelines to avoid ‘unflattering attention’ about their role in the opioid crisis.

Pesadilla por acariciar a un gato: infecciones, rabia… y cuentas sorpresa

KFF Health News Original

Por un simple gesto de afecto hacia un felino: tres visitas a la sala de emergencias, vacunas contra la rabia, agentes del orden animal y el dolor de no comprender las cuentas de salud.

Where Tourism Brings Pricey Health Care, Locals Fight Back

KFF Health News Original

Residents in Colorado ski resort country found relief from high insurance premiums and high hospital costs by joining forces and negotiating prices directly with the local hospital.

Hospitals Block ‘Surprise Billing’ Measure In California

KFF Health News Original

California lawmakers on Wednesday pulled legislation that would have protected some patients from surprise medical bills for emergency care, citing opposition from hospitals. They vowed to resurrect the bill next year.

Texas Is Latest State To Attack Surprise Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

A new state law says hospitals and insurers will have to work it out among themselves when they can’t agree on a price — instead of sending huge bills to patients. “Bill of the Month” patient Drew Calver galvanized attention on the issue after he told his story to KHN, NPR and “CBS This Morning.”

Lawmakers Push To Stop Surprise ER Billing

KFF Health News Original

Millions of Californians are vulnerable to hefty surprise medical bills from their trips to the emergency room. Now, state lawmakers are considering a measure to cap how much out-of-network hospitals can charge privately insured patients for emergency care, which could serve as a model for other states.

Escalating Workplace Violence Rocks Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

Incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in health care than in private industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

As ER Wait Times Grow, More Patients Leave Against Medical Advice

KFF Health News Original

Crowded emergency rooms are likely to blame. In 2017, the median ER wait time for patients before admission as inpatients to California hospitals was 336 minutes — or more than 5½ hours.