Latest KFF Health News Stories
Will Congress Bring Sky-High Air Ambulance Bills Down To Earth?
Medevac helicopter companies are on the radar of an FAA funding bill likely to pass the House and Senate this week.
Le cobran $56,603 por un traslado de emergencia en un helicóptero-ambulancia
Luego de un accidente con un vehículo todo terreno, este radiólogo de Texas no solo perdió su brazo izquierdo, sino la esperanza en el sistema de salud.
Taken For A Ride: After ATV Crash, Doctor Gets $56,603 Bill For Air Ambulance Trip
After an accident in an all-terrain vehicle crushed a doctor’s left arm, he was whisked by air ambulance to the closest trauma center for specialized care. Soon he was fighting over the $56,603 bill.
Senators Unveil Legislation To Protect Patients Against Surprise Medical Bills
The measure is designed to help people getting emergency care from hospitals or doctors that are not part of their insurance network.
¡Puñalada! Tienes seguro, pero igual debes pagar $109 mil por un ataque al corazón
Un maestro de Austin, Texas, quien sufrió un ataque cardíaco, tuvo que vivir una odisea cuando recibió una cuenta astronómica.
A Jolt To The Jugular! You’re Insured But Still Owe $109K For Your Heart Attack
A Texas teacher, 44, faces a “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary for a heart attack he never expected to have.
Voters To Settle Dispute Over Ambulance Employee Break Times
Unlike most other workers, private-ambulance employees are frequently called away from their meals and rest breaks to respond to emergency calls, but there’s no law explicitly allowing that practice. Proposition 11 would change that, but some say its real purpose is to get California’s largest ambulance company out of costly litigation.
Doctors Reckon With High Rate Of Suicide In Their Ranks
The devastating loss of a promising young doctor prompts soul-searching and action at one of the nation’s largest emergency room staffing companies.
Medicare Reconsiders Paying For Seniors’ Spine Operations At Surgery Centers
After a USA Today Network-Kaiser Health News investigation, Medicare announced last week that it is re-evaluating whether these procedures “pose a significant safety risk” to patients.
Resurge polémica por popular maniobra para salvar a alguien que se está ahogando
El hijo y la hija del doctor Henry Heimlich, fallecido en 2016, están lanzando una campaña sobre la popular maniobra luego de una controversia de décadas.
How To Save A Choking Senator: Heimlich Heirs, Red Cross Disagree On Technique
The Red Cross and some other organizations suggest that first aid for choking begin with five slaps on the back. The family of Dr. Henry Heimlich, who developed the abdominal thrusts to dislodge objects that prevent breathing, is launching a campaign to demand proof of why back slaps should come first.
Hospitales están listos para un nuevo diagnóstico: tráfico humano
En Nueva York y California, centros de salud comienzan a entrenar a su personal para detectar señales de que el paciente puede ser víctima de esta particular forma de abuso.
Hospitals Gear Up For New Diagnosis: Human Trafficking
Many people forced into labor or the sex trade seek medical help at some point, and health care workers are being trained to identify them to offer assistance.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Drug Prices And Unicorns
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico, and Erin Mershon of Stat News discuss a series of health policy court decisions on everything from prescription drug discounts to soda taxes. Plus, Rovner, interviews health care futurist and consultant Jeff Goldsmith.
The Other Victims: First Responders To Horrific Disasters Often Suffer In Solitude
Some firefighters, emergency medical providers and law enforcement officers say recent mass shootings and other calamities — disturbing enough in themselves — have brought to the surface trauma buried over years on the job. Many are reluctant to seek help, though some employers are trying to change that.
A Baby Was Treated With A Nap And A Bottle Of Formula. The Bill Was $18,000.
An ER patient can be charged thousands of dollars in “trauma fees” — even if they weren’t treated for trauma.
Resucitar o no resucitar: cómo evitar errores con los testamentos en vida
Expertos aseguran que los malentendidos que provocan documentos destinados a guiar la toma de decisiones al final de la vida son “sorprendentemente comunes”.
That ‘Living Will’ You Signed? At The ER, It Could Be Open To Interpretation.
End-of-life documents express your preferences for care but may not be binding medical orders. Here’s how to better prepare for the unexpected — that your last wishes won’t be carried out.
A Hospital ER Charges An ‘After-Hours’ Fee. Who Has To Pay It?
Tacking on an after-hours surcharge to an emergency department bill strikes some consumers as unfair, since the facilities are open 24 hours a day.
Congress Urged To Cut Medicare Payments To Many Stand-Alone ERs
As free-standing emergency departments multiply, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommends a 30 percent reduction in some federal reimbursements for those within 6 miles of a hospital.
