Latest KFF Health News Stories
What To Know About Trump’s Executive Orders on US Health Care
From rolling back drug pricing policies to limiting gender-affirming care, President Donald Trump signed several health-related executive orders in the first hours of his second presidency. Here’s a roundup of the changes and what they mean.
Amid Wildfire Trauma, L.A. County Dispatches Mental Health Workers to Evacuees
Catastrophic wildfires are common in California, and mental health specialists have become a key part of local governments’ response to extreme weather events, which scientists say are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change. Los Angeles County has been modifying its approach with each disaster.
New California Laws Target Medical Debt, AI Care Decisions, Detention Centers
California has a few major changes coming to its health policy landscape in 2025. New laws that took effect Jan. 1 ban medical debt from credit reports, allow public health inspections of private immigration detention centers, and ban toxic chemicals in makeup.
Journalists Address HHS Under Trump, Rural PFAS Contamination, and Bird Flu
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Doctors, Nurses Press Ahead as Wildfires Strain Los Angeles’ Health Care
A primary care clinic burned, medical offices closed, and hospitals struggled with possible evacuations. The wildfires that have incinerated large swaths of Los Angeles County are stressing the region’s health care infrastructure. Still, providers continue to find ways to deliver vital care.
Los incendios que se propagan rápidamente y han transformado gran parte del condado de Los Ángeles en un infierno están poniendo a prueba a hospitales, clínicas de salud, socorristas y hogares de adultos mayores.
Climate Change Threatens the Mental Well-Being of Youths. Here’s How To Help Them Cope.
The growing toll of climate-related disasters is a risk to the emotional well-being of young people. An Orange County, California, pediatric emergency doctor wants to add questions about climate change to standard mental health screenings conducted in pediatricians’ offices and other settings where kids seek care.
Incineradores de basura dañan de manera desproporcionada a hispanos
El dilema que se revela en el sur de Florida es indicativo de lo que algunos ven como una tendencia más amplia en la lucha nacional por la justicia ambiental.
Trash Incinerators Disproportionately Harm Black and Hispanic People
Across the country, trash incinerators disproportionately overburden majority-Black and -Hispanic communities. Though the number of incinerators has declined nationwide since the 1980s, Florida offers financial incentives to waste management companies that expand existing facilities or build new ones.
Patients Couldn’t Pay Their Utility Bills. One Hospital Turned to Solar Power for Help.
Doctors in Boston got tired of writing letters to utility companies asking for assistance for their medically vulnerable patients who need power and heat to stay healthy. So a hospital decided to share the power its solar panels generate with patients who needed help with their electricity and gas bills.
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Taint Rural California Drinking Water, Far From Known Sources
Researchers found toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water wells dotting California’s rural farming regions, far from known contamination sources. The discovery complicates the state’s drinking water problem, which disproportionately affects farmworkers and communities of color.
California Dengue Cases Prompt Swift Response From Public Health Officials
With the arrival in California of dengue, a dangerous mosquito-borne disease present mainly in more tropical climates, public health authorities are deploying a range of strategies to beat back the Aedes mosquitoes that spread the virus.
Oficiales de salud en California responden rápido a los casos de dengue
En lo que va del año, las autoridades han identificado al menos 13 casos de dengue de transmisión local, frente a dos en 2023, con 11 en el condado de Los Ángeles y dos en el área de San Diego.
Can a $10 Billion Climate Bond Address California’s Water Contamination Problem?
California voters will decide in November whether to approve a $10 billion climate bond that supporters say is needed to jump-start water system repairs for residents without safe drinking water. Opponents say those repairs should be prioritized in the state budget, not put on a credit card.
Black Americans Still Suffer Worse Health. Here’s Why There’s So Little Progress.
The United States has made almost no progress in closing racial health disparities despite promises, research shows. The government, some critics argue, is often the underlying culprit.
How a Proposed Federal Heat Rule Might Have Saved These Workers’ Lives
Laborers have suffered in extreme heat triggered by climate change. Deaths aren’t inevitable, researchers say: Employers can save lives by providing ample water and breaks.
Los trabajadores están sufriendo, y muriendo, cada vez más, a medida que los veranos se vuelven progresivamente más calurosos debido al cambio climático.
Journalists Address Opioid Settlements, Undiagnosed ADHD, and a Georgia Chemical Fire
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in the last two weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Mountain Town Confronts an Unexpected Public Health Catastrophe
Flooding wrought by Hurricane Helene devastated communities around Asheville, North Carolina. A host of government programs are helping restore water, food, and medicine.
Journalists Talk Obesity, Oximeters, and Severe Weather’s Impact on Public Health
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in recent weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
