Latest KFF Health News Stories
For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes
Medications such as methadone can cut the risk of a fatal opioid overdose in half. Medicaid covers the medication. But as state Medicaid programs reevaluated coverage of each enrollee following a pause in disenrollments during the covid-19 pandemic, some patients lost a crucial pillar of their sobriety.
Long-Term Care Facilities Must Provide Addiction Care, Advocates Say
When you think about the opioid crisis, the image of adults in their 20s, 30s, even sometimes those who are middle-aged, may come to mind. Rightly so, since most overdose deaths occur in people between ages 25 and 64. But did you know older adults are increasingly at risk of overdosing from opioids, too? In fact, from 2021 […]
Mothering Over Meds: Docs Say Common Treatment for Opioid-Exposed Babies Isn’t Necessary
Amid what has been called the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic, doctors and researchers are walking back medication-heavy methods of treating babies born experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms, replacing the regimen with the simplest care: parenting.
California Continues Progressive Policies, With Restraint, in Divisive Election Year
This legislative cycle, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills affirming reproductive rights and mandating insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization, but the Democrat was reluctant to impose new regulations and frequently cited costs for vetoing bills.
Colorado’s Naloxone Fund Is Drying Up, Even as Opioid Settlement Money Rolls In
Since Colorado created a pool of money to pay for naloxone in 2019, it has distributed more than half a million doses of the opioid reversal drug to hundreds of organizations throughout the state. Now, its main funding stream is drying up.
Vance-Walz Debate Highlighted Clear Health Policy Differences
The vice presidential debate showcased the very different views of Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ VP pick, on health policies past and present.
California Voters Consider Tough Love for Repeat Drug Offenders
A California ballot measure would roll back some decade-old criminal justice reforms that have become fodder for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Stiffer penalties for shoplifting have gotten much of the attention, but the measure also allows controversial treatment requirements for repeat drug offenders.
Trump Drastically Inflates Annual Fentanyl Death Numbers
The former president’s claim of 300,000 annual opioid deaths contradicts government statistics.
Readers Weigh In on Abortion and Ways To Tackle the Opioid Crisis
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Un grupo médico atiende a personas que viven en la calle… y gana dinero
Estos médicos, enfermeros y trabajadores sociales se están desplegando en las calles de Los Ángeles para ofrecer atención médica y servicios sociales a las personas sin hogar: soldados de un nuevo modelo de negocio que está arraigándose en comunidades de toda California.
A California Medical Group Treats Only Homeless Patients — And Makes Money Doing It
Healthcare in Action, a California medical group that exclusively serves homeless people, has tapped into growing demand and funding for street medicine services. Three years in, the innovative nonprofit is raking in revenue and serving thousands of people who otherwise might flock to the hospital for high-cost care.
Montana’s Plan To Curb Opioid Overdoses Includes Vending Machines
Details about where the machines would go — and how they would help those most at risk — are sparse. The state has proposed using them to distribute naloxone and fentanyl testing strips.
El plan de Montana para frenar las sobredosis de opioides incluye máquinas expendedoras
En todo Estados Unidos, las máquinas expendedoras que distribuyen naloxona y otros suministros de salud de forma gratuita se están convirtiendo en elementos de primera línea en la lucha contra las sobredosis de opioides. Diferentes versiones del modelo se están probando en al menos 33 estados.
Supreme Court Upends Purdue Pharma Opioid Settlement
The court struck down a $6 billion bankruptcy plan from Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. What does this mean? We’ll explain.
Muchos adultos jóvenes que empezaron a vapear de adolescentes no pueden dejar el hábito
El marketing de las empresas de cigarrillos electrónicos, que promocionan atractivos nombres con sabores frutales similares a los caramelos, llevó a muchos adolescentes a probar el vapeo.
Watch: California Pays Drug Users To Stay Clean
KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart discusses a state Medicaid experiment for people addicted to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants. For every clean urine test, they can earn money — up to $599 a year.
Many Young Adults Who Began Vaping as Teens Can’t Shake the Habit
New data on substance use among young adults suggests that many former teen e-cigarette users are continuing the habit.
Urged on by LGBTQ+ Activists, California Cities Weigh Stricter Smoking Rules
High rates of smoking in the LGBTQ+ community, and the ease with which young people can buy a range of nicotine products, is leading several Northern California cities to consider new restrictions on cigarettes, vapes, and cigars.
Readers Issue Rx for Clogged ERs and Outrageous Out-of-Pocket Costs
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Psychoactive Drugs Are Having a Moment. The FDA Will Soon Weigh In.
Mounting evidence suggests psychoactive drugs including LSD, ketamine, mushrooms, and MDMA can be powerful treatments for severe depression and PTSD. But not everyone is convinced. And even if such drugs gain FDA approval, safety protocols could render them extremely expensive.
