Latest News On Illinois

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Their Physical Therapy Coverage Ran Out Before They Could Walk Again

KFF Health News Original

Health plans limit physical or occupational therapy sessions to as few as 20 a year, no matter the patient’s infirmities. The limits persist despite federal rules banning insurers from setting annual dollar limits on the care they will provide.

He Had Short-Term Health Insurance. His Colonoscopy Bill: $7,000.

KFF Health News Original

After leaving his job to launch his own business, an Illinois man opted for a six-month health insurance plan. When he needed a colonoscopy, he thought it would cover most of the bill. Then he learned his plan’s limited benefits would cost him plenty.

Her Case Changed Trans Care in Prison. Now Trump Aims To Reverse Course.

KFF Health News Original

President Donald Trump ordered a halt to gender-affirming medical care for transgender prisoners in federal custody, and to housing trans women in female prisons. The new policies raise alarms for a formerly incarcerated trans woman. She said the order denies lifesaving medical care and creates a road map for rape.

States Facing Doctor Shortages Ease Licensing Rules for Foreign-Trained Physicians

KFF Health News Original

Amid doctor shortages, several states have stopped requiring foreign-trained providers to repeat residencies before they’re fully licensed. Critics say patients could be harmed because of the loosened training requirements.

What Trump’s Executive Order on Gender Means for Trans Health Care

KFF Health News Original

In his first days in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on gender that affects transgender health care. The order aims to directly limit care for trans people incarcerated in federal prisons, but the broader implications on health aren’t clear-cut.

As States Diverge on Immigration, Hospitals Say They Won’t Turn Patients Away

KFF Health News Original

California and Massachusetts are teaching immigrants their rights while Florida and Texas are collecting patients’ immigration status. As states offer differing guidelines for interacting with immigrant patients, hospitals around the U.S. say they won’t turn people away for care because of their immigration status.

9 States Poised To End Coverage for Millions if Trump Cuts Medicaid Funding

KFF Health News Original

About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed. Coverage could be at risk in the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid.

A Toddler Got a Nasal Swab Test but Left Before Seeing a Doctor. The Bill Was $445.

KFF Health News Original

A mom in Peoria, Illinois, took her 3-year-old to the ER one evening last December. While they were waiting to be seen, the toddler seemed better, so they left without seeing a doctor. Then the bill came.

Older Americans Living Alone Often Rely on Neighbors or Others Willing To Help

KFF Health News Original

Diverse networks of friends, former co-workers, neighbors, and extended family are often essential sources of support for older adults living alone. Often it is the elderly caring for the elderly.

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

KFF Health News Original

The nation’s Catholic health systems were largely founded and led by nuns with a mission to serve the sick regardless of their creed or financial means. Today, no nuns run any U.S. Catholic health system, while many of these hospitals pull in billions, according to their financial reports.