Latest News On Rhode Island

Latest KFF Health News Stories

California Becomes Latest State To Try Capping Health Care Spending

KFF Health News Original

California is the ninth state to set annual health spending targets for the industry. Already hospitals and doctors are voicing resistance to the fledgling Office of Health Care Affordability, even as they avoid overtly opposing its goals.

More Patients Are Losing Their Doctors — And Trust in the Primary Care System

KFF Health News Original

A shortage of primary care providers is driving more people to seek routine care in emergency settings. In Rhode Island, safety-net clinics are under pressure as clinicians retire or burn out, and patients say it’s harder to find care as they lose connections to familiar doctors.

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.

More Schools Stock Overdose Reversal Meds, but Others Worry About Stigma

KFF Health News Original

Colorado is among several states that ensure schools have access to the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone for free or at reduced cost. But most districts hadn’t signed up by the start of the school year for a state distribution program amid stigma around the lifesaving treatment.

Officials Agree: Use Settlement Funds to Curb Youth Addiction. But the ‘How’ Gets Hairy.

KFF Health News Original

Parents, educators, and elected officials agree that investing in school-based prevention efforts could help curb the rising rate of youth drug overdoses. The well-known D.A.R.E. program is one likely choice, but its effectiveness is in question.

Lost Medicaid Health Coverage? Here’s What You Need to Know

KFF Health News Original

Patient advocates are tackling the “overwhelming task” of connecting people with health insurance as millions lose coverage due to the end of pandemic protections on Medicaid eligibility.

Covered California to Cut Patient Costs After Democratic Lawmakers Win Funding From Gov. Newsom

KFF Health News Original

California’s health insurance exchange will reduce how much some patients pay for care next year, including hospital deductibles, appointment copays, and prescription drugs. Lawmakers pressed Gov. Gavin Newsom to make good on a four-year-old pledge to use proceeds from a tax penalty on uninsured people to help people pay for treatment.

California Bill Would Mandate HPV Vaccine for Incoming College Students

KFF Health News Original

A state lawmaker wants all incoming college students to get an HPV vaccine, as part of a push to drive up vaccination rates and prevent cervical cancer. At least four other states have enacted a similar mandate.

For Young People on Medicare, a Hysterectomy Sometimes Is More Affordable Than Birth Control

KFF Health News Original

While Medicare was designed as health insurance for those 65 and older, it also covers people with disabilities who are young enough to still get pregnant. Yet they often struggle to get their birth control covered and end up with large medical bills — or instead opt for hysterectomies or tubal ligations, which Medicare sometimes will cover.

States Seek Crackdown on Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics to Close Gaps in Federal Oversight

KFF Health News Original

Washington state regulators found formaldehyde, lead, and arsenic in lipstick, powder foundations, skin lotions, and hair products marketed to and popular with women of color. Now legislators there are seeking to ban the products and, like at least a dozen other states, make up for lax federal rules.

Hospital Financial Decisions Play a Role in the Critical Shortage of Pediatric Beds for RSV Patients

KFF Health News Original

Yes, the U.S. is experiencing an unusual spate of childhood RSV infections. But the critical shortage of hospital beds to treat ailing children stems from structural problems in pediatric care that have been brewing for years.