Latest KFF Health News Stories
Insurers and Customers Brace for Double Whammy to Obamacare Premiums
Consumers face both rising premiums and falling subsidies next year in Obamacare plans, with insurers seeking increases to cover not only rising costs but also some policy changes advanced by President Donald Trump and the GOP.
Maybe It’s Not Just Aging. Maybe It’s Anemia.
Significant numbers of older people have the condition. Many find relief with an effective treatment that is being more widely prescribed.
Tal vez no es la edad, quizás tienes anemia
Los síntomas de la anemia —cansancio, dolor de cabeza, calambres en las piernas, frío, disminución de la capacidad para hacer ejercicio, confusión mental— a menudo se atribuyen al envejecimiento mismo.
Who’s Policing Opioid Settlement Spending? A Crowdsourced Database Might Help
Billions in opioid settlement money was meant to be spent on treating and preventing addiction — but what happens if it’s misspent? Some advocates say attorneys general need to pay closer attention. If they don’t, a new tool might empower the public.
World’s Premier Cancer Institute Faces Crippling Cuts and Chaos
After spearheading a 34% cut in cancer mortality, the National Cancer Institute at the NIH is bleeding resources and staff and could see its budget cut by nearly 40%.
Republican Megabill Will Mean Higher Health Costs for Many Americans
Spending cuts hitting medical providers, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollees, and lawfully present immigrants are just some of the biggest changes the GOP has in store for health care — with ramifications that could touch all Americans.
At Some Federal Beaches, Surf’s Up but the Lifeguard Chair’s Empty
Some of the nation’s most well-known beaches are managed by the National Park Service, which saw about 1,000 employees laid off in February by the quasi-agency Department of Government Efficiency, then led by Elon Musk. The void has become a serious public health and safety concern.
En algunas playas federales hay olas para surfear, pero los salvavidas brillan por su ausencia
Justo en los días en que multitudes de turistas visitan los parques nacionales para disfrutar del verano, algunas playas del National Park Service están reduciendo los horarios en que hay guardia de salvavidas
‘We Dissent’: NIH Workers Protest Trump Policies That ‘Harm the Health of Americans’
A letter signed by more than 300 National Institutes of Health workers — some still working, others who were fired this year — is an extraordinary public rebuke of actions taken under Director Jay Bhattacharya and health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Newsom’s Push To Block Law Could Save California Nursing Homes Over $1 Billion
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to block a state law that requires nursing homes to have 96 hours of backup power in the case of emergencies, potentially giving the industry a break from spending over $1 billion on facility upgrades. Patient advocates say rolling back the nursing home industry requirements for preparedness could jeopardize the safety of residents.
When They Don’t Recognize You Anymore
People with dementia often forget even close family members as the disease advances. “It can throw people into an existential crisis,” an expert said.
Cuando los abuelos ya no te reconocen
Las personas con demencia avanzada suelen no reconocer a sus seres queridos, a sus parejas, hijos y hermanos. Es un momento muy doloroso para el familiar.
What’s Lost: Trump Whacks Tiny Agency That Works To Make the Nation’s Health Care Safer
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has helped improve health care safety in a country where thousands die of medical errors each year. It was effectively dissolved Tuesday.
Workers Prep To Meet ICE Officials at the Health Clinic Door
Recent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in northern Virginia have put immigrant communities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area on alert. Health clinics that serve those communities say they are working to continue to care for patients amid detention and arrest fears.
Without Federal Action, States Wrestle With Kratom Regulation
A bill proposed by kratom industry advocates is prompting consideration — and some concern — in the Montana Legislature.
Thought Inflation Was Bad? Health Insurance Premiums Are Rising Even Faster
California businesses saw employees’ monthly family insurance premiums rise nearly $1,000 over a 15-year period, more than double the pace of inflation. And employees’ share grew as companies shifted more of the cost to workers.
Millions in US Live in Places Where Doctors Don’t Practice and Telehealth Doesn’t Reach
Nearly 3 million Americans live sicker, shorter lives in the hundreds of rural counties where doctor shortages are the worst and poor internet connections mean little or no access to telehealth services.
Wash, Dry, Enroll: Finding Medicaid Help at the Laundromat
State Medicaid and Affordable Care Act programs have long struggled to connect with lower-income Americans to help them access care. Now some are trying an alternative approach: meeting them at the laundromat.
Lavar, secar, inscribirse: cómo obtener Medicaid… en la lavandería
Trabajadores, muchos de los cuales son bilingües, visitan lavanderías para establecer relaciones, generar confianza y conectar a las personas con la asistencia del gobierno
Maryland Is Training More Health Workers To Offer Abortion Care
After the fall of “Roe v. Wade,” thousands of out-of-state patients traveled to Maryland for abortion care. The state is trying to diversify who can offer that care. Providers in the first training class say their new skills are especially needed in rural areas.
