Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
Watch: Biggest Dangers and Health Concerns From Hurricane Milton
KFF Health News’ Céline Gounder shares advice on how to prepare before a hurricane.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Yet Another Promise for Long-Term Care Coverage
As part of her presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris has rolled out a plan for Medicare to provide in-home long-term care services. The proposal would fill a longtime need for families trying to simultaneously care for young children and older parents, but its enormous price tag makes it a promise unlikely to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, a growing number of Republican candidates up and down the ballot facing voter backlash over their support for abortion restrictions are trying to reinvent their positions. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, excerpts from a KFF lunch with “Shark Tank” panelist and generic drug discounter Mark Cuban, who has been consulting with the Harris campaign about health care issues.
Estudio revela que los casos de gripe aviar siguen sin detectarse
Si los casos de gripe aviar no se van informando, los oficiales de salud corren el riesgo de tardar en notar si el virus se vuelve más contagioso.
Health Secretary Becerra Touts Extreme Heat Protections. Farmworkers Want More.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has a plan to protect farmworkers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, but farmworkers who pick California grapes say they need more, as climate change brings more extreme weather.
El máximo responsable de salud del país, que está barajando la posibilidad de postularse para gobernador, se ha convertido en una de las voces principales de la administración Biden sobre el cambio climático.
Journalists Give Rundown on Bird Flu Risks, HIV Rates, and the Fate of Shuttered Hospitals
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on state and local media in recent weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
As Record Heat Sweeps the US, Some People Must Choose Between Food and Energy Bills
An increasing number of Americans struggle with energy poverty, the inability to adequately heat or cool one’s dwelling. Health officials and climate experts are sounding the alarm as record-breaking heat sweeps the nation.
Journalists Discuss African Mpox Upsurge, EpiPen Alternative, and Medicaid Unwinding
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and state media this week to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Bird Flu Cases Are Going Undetected, New Study Suggests. It’s a Problem for All of Us.
Dairy workers in Texas show signs of prior, uncounted bird flu infections in a new study. Without labor protection and better health care, cases are bound to quietly rise as the outbreak among livestock blazes in the United States.
