Latest KFF Health News Stories
Hospitals Take Shot At Opioid Makers Over Cost Of Treating Uninsured For Addiction
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.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Sen. Grassley Questions UVA Health On Findings From KHN Investigation
A letter from the Senate Finance Committee chairman questions the University of Virginia Health System about its financial assistance policies, billing practices and prices.
‘Fear Of Falling’: How Hospitals Do Even More Harm By Keeping Patients In Bed
In what experts call an “epidemic of immobility,” older hospital patients remain stuck in bed, their movements tracked by loud and ineffective bed alarms, losing muscle mass that’s key to their health and daily functioning.
Surprise Settlement In Sutter Health Antitrust Case
Sutter Health has reached a tentative settlement in an antitrust suit brought by the California Attorney General’s Office. Details have not been made public.
Patients Eligible For Charity Care Instead Get Big Bills
Nonprofit hospitals admit they sent $2.7 billion in bills over the course of a year to patients who probably qualified for free or discounted care.
VCU Health Will Halt Patient Lawsuits, Boost Aid In Wake Of KHN Investigation
Patients at VCU Health will no longer be taken to court and can more easily get financial assistance to pay their bills.
Why Hospitals Are Getting Into The Housing Business
Hospital systems now invest in housing to help some of their most frequent patients. This allows them to safely discharge patients who otherwise would have no place to go, freeing up beds for sicker patients and saving the hospitals money.
Trump Speech Offers Dizzying Preview Of His Health Care Campaign Strategy
The president’s outline of key health policy concerns touched on a variety of hot-button issues from drug prices to immigration.
New Round of Medicare Readmission Penalties Hits 2,583 Hospitals
Starting today, Medicare is keeping half a billion dollars in payments from 83% of general hospitals for having too many patients come back.
Her Biopsy Report Was Benign. But The Bill Is A Spot Of Contention.
After a test to rule out cancer, Brianna Snitchler faced a $2,170 facility fee for the hospital’s radiology room used that day.
Listen: Five Oklahoma Hospitals Collapsed – What Happened?
KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber joined StateImpact Oklahoma reporter Jackie Fortiér to discuss why a series of rural hospitals collapsed, leaving hundreds of residents without jobs and their communities without lifesaving emergency medical care.
Sickened By Billing Abuses, Readers And Tweeters Stand Up For Patients’ Rights
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
As Off-Label Use Spreads, Supplies Of Niche Drugs And Patients’ Patience Grow Short
The reasons behind one particular shortage of a therapy known as IVIG are complicated, stemming from increased demand and the medication’s long production window.
¿Qué fue peor: la borrachera de la despedida de soltero o la cuenta por tratar la resaca?
Recuperarse después de su despedida de soltero resultó en una factura médica que inicialmente fue de $12,460, en total. Más del doble del costo de su boda.
Which Was Worse: The Bachelor Party Hangover Or The Hangover From The ER Bill?
One groom’s bachelor party hangover illustrates how emergency room bills have become major headaches for many Americans.
Air Ambulances Woo Rural Consumers With Memberships That May Leave Them Hanging
State regulators and even one medevac company have raised doubts about prepaid subscriptions and promised benefits offered by air ambulance companies.
UVA To Cut Back On Lawsuits Against Patients
But critics say the new policy still leaves some patients exposed to lawsuits and crippling bills.
UVA Suspends Medical Lawsuits In Wake Of KHN Investigation
KHN reported this week that the University of Virginia Health System has filed 36,000 lawsuits against patients the past six years.
Qué pueden hacer hospitales y consultorios para que los adultos mayores estén más seguros
Para los adultos mayores, especialmente para los que son frágiles, los centros médicos pueden ser difíciles de navegar y, a veces, hasta peligrosos.
