Latest News On Puerto Rico

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Listen: As Puerto Rico Struggles To Rebuild Health System, Changes In Medicaid Loom

KFF Health News Original

KHN reporter Carmen Heredia Rodriguez joins in a discussion on WNYC’s “The Takeaway” about health care issues following widespread destruction by Hurricane Maria on the island.

Listless And Lonely In Puerto Rico, Some Older Storm Survivors Consider Suicide

KFF Health News Original

More than six months ago, Hurricane Maria upended routines and shuttered services on the island leading to a sense of despair and isolation, especially among older people.

In A Puerto Rican Mountain Town, Hope Ebbs And Health Suffers

KFF Health News Original

More than six months after Hurricane Maria, daily life in Castañer, Puerto Rico, is nowhere close to normal as residents try to deal with the effects of trauma, chronic stress and the continued lack of electricity.

La lenta recuperación de Puerto Rico impacta en los pacientes de diálisis

KFF Health News Original

Catorce pacientes que viven en Vieques y necesitan diálisis tres veces por semana deben volar a la isla principal para recibir tratamiento, luego que el huracán María destruyera la clínica local.

Puerto Rico’s Slow-Going Recovery Means New Hardship For Dialysis Patients

KFF Health News Original

Since massive Hurricane Maria struck in September and knocked out the dialysis center on the tiny satellite island of Vieques, more than a dozen patients needing treatment now must fly several times a week to the main island.

Los más frágiles en Puerto Rico enfrentan el final de la ayuda por el huracán

KFF Health News Original

Como Ausberto Maldonado, miles en la isla que sufren condiciones crónicas, y casi no tienen alimentos y medicinas, sienten que la crisis económica es tanto o más amenazante que el huracán María.

For One Father And Son In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria’s Cloud Has Not Lifted

KFF Health News Original

The deadly storm turned a health challenge into a full-blown medical crisis for one young man with unconfirmed multiple sclerosis. And still he waits to see a neurologist.

Puertorriqueños desplazados enfrentan obstáculos para tener seguro médico

KFF Health News Original

Más de 140,000 puertorriqueños llegaron a la zona central de Florida desde que el huracán María devastó la isla. En muchos casos, los planes médicos que tenían en Puerto Rico no funcionaron en el continente.

Displaced Puerto Ricans Face Obstacles Getting Health Care

KFF Health News Original

Many have complicated questions about whether their Medicaid or Medicare coverage can shift to their new homes. And for those seeking private insurance, using the ACA’s insurance marketplaces will likely be a new experience.

Red solidaria de médicos envía suministros a Puerto Rico

KFF Health News Original

Casi de manera espontánea, se unieron gracias a las redes sociales y al “de boca en boca”. Hasta ahora han enviado 40 toneladas de suministros para ayudar a las víctimas del huracán María.

The Storm Has Passed, But Puerto Rico’s Health Faces Prolonged Recovery

KFF Health News Original

From infections linked to the storm to trying to treat people with chronic diseases in damaged clinics, health officials on this American territory struggle to stay ahead of the needs.

La otra crisis de Puerto Rico: el éxodo de médicos jóvenes

KFF Health News Original

Estudiar medicina es una opción popular entre los jóvenes puertorriqueños. Pero muchos graduados están yéndose, eligiendo mejores oportunidades de trabajo, a pesar de las crecientes y urgentes necesidades de salud de Puerto Rico.

Exodus By Puerto Rican Medical Students Deepens Island’s Doctor Drain

KFF Health News Original

Interest in medical schools is high in Puerto Rico, but many students look to the U.S. mainland for residencies because of higher pay and the commonwealth’s declining economy. The migration of young talent is both a symptom and an exacerbation of the island’s medical woes.