Latest KFF Health News Stories
By Not Discussing Cost Issues, Doctors, Patients May Miss Chances To Lower Out-Of-Pocket Expenses
A study published in Health Affairs examines how physician-patient interactions often present missed opportunities to control patients’ health care spending.
Study: Primary Care Doctors Often Don’t Help Patients Manage Depression
Physicians were less likely to use “care management processes” with patients who have depression than with those who had other chronic conditions, the researchers found.
It’s Not Just Doctors And Nurses, Patients Need To Wash Their Hands, Too
New research indicates that patients who leave the hospital for post-acute care facilities carry superbugs with them.
Managing Depression A Challenge In Primary Care Settings, Study Finds
Primary care physicians see many patients with depression. New research finds they continue to struggle to apply the treatment strategies used for other chronic illnesses.
Consumer Choices Have Limited Impact On U.S. Health Care Spending: Study
An analysis from the Health Care Cost Institute finds that less than half of health care costs are for services considered “shoppable,” and consumers’ out-of-pocket spending on that is just 7 percent of all spending.
Study Links Kindergartners’ Stumbles With Rocky Home Lives
Researchers say children are more likely to have trouble learning and behaving in kindergarten if they’ve had adverse childhood experiences at home before age 5.
Majority Of Young Men Don’t Know About Emergency Contraception, Study Finds
The survey of 93 men, most of whom were sexually active, finds that 42 percent had heard of emergency contraception, or the morning-after pill.
Women Increasingly Having Outpatient Mastectomies, New Federal Data Show
Agency For Healthcare Research and Quality data show that more women with breast cancer are opting for mastectomies over less-invasive options, and more are having the procedure in outpatient facilities where they don’t spend even one night in the hospital.
Military Health System’s Care For PTSD, Depression Falls Short, Report Finds
Experts cited stigma and a lack of doctors as potential obstacles for soldiers needing treatment.
Top Hospitals Likely Are Available On A Marketplace Plan, Study Finds
Many of the hospitals can be found in network on at least one plan, but fewer are participating in more than that, according to the analysis.
Study: 29 Percent Of Colonoscopy Patients May Have Unneeded Pre-Screening Visits
Primary care doctors can do the initial screening and recommendations for a colonoscopy, the researchers write in JAMA.
Cutting Edge DNA Technology Could Boost Cystic Fibrosis Screening For Newborns
Researchers say tests could be faster, cheaper, more accurate.
Study: Doctors’ Texts Can Prod Patients To Take Drugs, But Questions Linger
In an analysis published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that text message reminders help patients do better when it comes to taking their medicines. But questions about the specific ways to make the most of this strategy remain.
Study Finds ‘Mortality Gap’ Among Middle-Aged Whites
A Commonwealth Fund report says that stalled progress in fighting leading causes of death for this group is a bigger culprit than substance abuse and suicide for worse-than-expected rates.
Combined Effects Of Maternal Obesity, Diabetes ‘Substantially’ Raise Autism Risks
A study published in the February issue of Pediatrics examines both the independent and combined effects of these two maternal health factors on children’s likelihood of developing autism spectrum disorder.
Hispanic Children’s Uninsured Rate Hits Record Low, Study Finds
About 300,000 Hispanic children gained insurance in 2014 from 2013, dropping the number of uninsured to 1.7 million, researchers said, and two-thirds of 1.7 million uninsured Hispanic kids live in five states.
Study: Some Marketplace Customers Spend 25 Percent Of Income On Health Expenses
Urban Institute researchers found that premiums and out-of-pocket costs are still a major concern for people seeking coverage on the health care marketplaces.
Incentive Worth $550 Fails To Motivate Obese Workers To Lose Weight
Obese employees at the University of Pennsylvania were promised an insurance premium discount valued at $550 if they lost 5 percent of their weight, but the incentive failed.
Baby Boomers Set Another Trend: More Golden Years In Poorer Health
Medicare faces sharp cost increases as more baby boomers reach 65, and their life expectancies grow, as well as their chronic conditions, say researchers at the University of Southern California.
Many Hospitals Neglect Practices To Combat ER Overcrowding, Study Finds
Overcrowding in the emergency department can lead to worse outcomes for patients but too few hospitals implement successful programs.
