Latest News On Kentucky

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Republicans Are Downplaying Abortion, but It Keeps Coming Up

KFF Health News Original

Torn between a base that wants more restrictions on reproductive health care and a moderate majority that does not, it seems many Republicans would rather take an off-ramp than a victory lap when it comes to abortion. But they can’t escape talking about it.

Medicaid for Millions in America Hinges on Deloitte-Run Systems Plagued by Errors

KFF Health News Original

The technology has generated notices with errors, sent Medicaid paperwork to the wrong addresses, and been frozen for hours at a time, according to state audits, court documents, and interviews. While it can take months to fix problems, America’s poorest residents pay the price.

Tennessee Gives This Hospital Monopoly an A Grade — Even When It Reports Failure

KFF Health News Original

Ballad Health, a 20-hospital system in Tennessee and Virginia, benefits from the largest state-sanctioned hospital monopoly in the United States and is the only option for hospital care for a large swath of Appalachia.

Florida Allows Doctors To Perform C-Sections Outside of Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

A Florida law was enacted this spring making the Sunshine State the first in the nation to let cesarean sections be performed in settings other than hospitals — leading to warnings about increased risks for pregnant women and their babies.

Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed

KFF Health News Original

To reduce recidivism, some rural counties are hiring community health workers or peer support specialists to connect people leaving custody to mental health resources, substance use treatment, medical services, and jobs.

Your Doctor or Your Insurer? Little-Known Rules May Ease the Choice in Medicare Advantage

KFF Health News Original

Disputes between hospitals and Medicare Advantage plans are leading to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving insurance networks. Patients are left stuck in the middle, choosing between their doctors and their insurance plan. There’s a way out.

Hoping to Clear the Air in Casinos, Workers Seek to Ban Tobacco Smoke

KFF Health News Original

Casinos in several states are fighting efforts to ban smoking, and trying to roll back existing anti-smoking laws. One planned facility even moved outside a city’s limits because of voter-approved smoking restrictions.

The Year in Opioid Settlements: 5 Things You Need to Know

KFF Health News Original

In the past year, opioid settlement money has gone from an emerging funding stream for which people had lofty but uncertain aspirations to a coveted pot of billions being invested in remediation efforts. Here are some important and evolving factors to watch going forward.

Why Long-Term Care Insurance Falls Short for So Many 

KFF Health News Original

The private insurance market has proved wildly inadequate in providing financial security for millions of older Americans, in part by underestimating how many policyholders would use their coverage.

As Transgender ‘Refugees’ Flock to New Mexico, Waitlists Grow

KFF Health News Original

As many states have moved to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for trans people, a few states, including New Mexico, have codified protections. But those laws don’t always mean accessing care is simple or quick, as a surge in new patients in the state collides with limited doctors and clinics.

Gubernatorial Candidates Quarrel Over Glory for Winning Opioid Settlements

KFF Health News Original

Some gubernatorial candidates are sparring over bragging rights for their state’s share of $50 billion in opioid settlement funds. Many of the candidates are attorneys general who pursued the lawsuits that produced the payouts.

These Appalachia Hospitals Made Big Promises to Gain a Monopoly. They’re Failing to Deliver.

KFF Health News Original

Ballad Health, the only hospital system across a large swath of Tennessee and Virginia, has fallen short of quality-of-care and charity care obligations — even as it’s sued thousands of patients for unpaid bills.

Save Billions or Stick With Humira? Drug Brokers Steer Americans to the Costly Choice

KFF Health News Original

Thousands of patients with autoimmune diseases who rely on Humira, with a list price of $6,600 a month, could get financial relief from new low-cost rivals. So far, the pharmacy benefit managers that control drug prices in America have not delivered on those savings.