Latest News On Hospitals

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Prestigiosos hospitales se lanzan al negocio de terapias con células madre no aprobadas

KFF Health News Original

Los tratamientos típicos consisten en inyectar las articulaciones de los pacientes con sus propias células grasas o de médula ósea, o con extractos de plaquetas. No está comprobado científicamente que funcionen.

California Hospitals See Massive Surge In Homeless Patients

KFF Health News Original

Homeless patients accounted for about 100,000 visits to California hospitals in 2017, marking a 28% increase from just two years earlier. Health officials attribute the surge to the overall rise in California’s homeless numbers and the large proportion of people living on the streets with mental illness.

Medicaid Expansion Boosts Hospital Bottom Lines — And Prices

KFF Health News Original

Colorado officials say hospitals are better off financially after the state expanded coverage to more low-income residents, but that hasn’t stopped them from shifting more costs to other insured patients.

She Was Dancing On The Roof And Talking Gibberish. A Special Kind Of ER Helped Her.

KFF Health News Original

With mental health beds in short supply, emergency rooms increasingly have become the care of first and last resort for people in the grips of a psychiatric episode. Now, hospitals around the country are opening emergency units that calmly cater to patients with mental health needs.

State Laws Ban Surprise Medical Bills. She Got One for $227K And Fought Back.

KFF Health News Original

No one told a Washington state woman she was racking up massive out-of-pocket charges during a month-long emergency stay in an Oregon hospital. For six months, she and her husband were haunted by looming debt — and bill collectors.

As Hospitals Post Price Lists, Consumers Are Asked To Check Up On Them

KFF Health News Original

Most hospitals appear to be complying with the federal rule to post their prices online. Yet there is little follow-up by the government or industry and debate continues about whether the price lists are creating more confusion than clarity among consumers.

Texas Lawmakers Take Aim At Surprise Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

A proposed state law with bipartisan, bicameral support is on the move in Texas. It would force hospitals and insurers to settle surprise bills — instead of relying on patients to start the mediation process. The KHN/NPR “Bill of the Month” series is a catalyst for the effort.

Medicare Trims Payments To 800 Hospitals, Citing Patient Safety Incidents

KFF Health News Original

The penalties are part of a program set up by the Affordable Care Act to prompt hospitals to pay more attention to safety issues that can lead to injuries, such as falls or hospital-acquired infections.

Meow-ch! The $48,512 Cat Bite

KFF Health News Original

An animal lover stopped to feed a hungry-looking stray cat outside Everglades National Park in Florida. First, the cat bit her finger — then the hospital billed her close to $50,000 for a treatment that typically costs about $3,000.

Discharged, Dismissed: ERs Often Miss Chance To Set Overdose Survivors On ‘Better Path’

KFF Health News Original

Only a small percentage of people who survived an opioid overdose received in the next year some form of drug abuse treatment, according to an analysis of West Virginia Medicaid claims data. Experts say the findings underscore a national disconnect.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A ‘Healthy’ State Of The Union

KFF Health News Original

Health was a featured player in President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address. The president set goals to bring down prescription drug prices, end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and cure childhood cancer, among other things. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz about the current “Bill of the Month” feature.

Transparent Hospital Pricing Exposes Wild Fluctuation, Even Within Miles

KFF Health News Original

A new federal rule requires hospitals to post their prices online. These lists reveal the wildly different charges for basic procedures and services, but consumers will have a hard time putting this information to use.

Patients Suffer When Health Care Behemoths Quarrel Over Contracts

KFF Health News Original

The latest example is Sutter Health and Anthem Blue Cross, whose failure to seal a deal is causing Anthem members to worry they may not have access to one of the dominant hospital chains in Northern California. Across the U.S., the stakes in such contract fights have risen, as health systems and insurers battle to increase their market share.