Latest KFF Health News Stories
Sheltered At Home, Families Broach End-Of-Life Planning
Barbara Dreyfuss died March 1 after contracting COVID-19 at a Seattle-area nursing home. Her earlier decision to document her final wishes may offer an example for families as the deadly virus spurs interest in end-of-life care.
En Seattle, enfermeras se vuelven creativas para cuidarse y trabajar en medio de la pandemia
Al aumentar el número de pacientes con coronavirus, escasean las máscaras y otros equipos de protección. Y las enfermeras de Washington recurren a métodos alternativos para cuidarse y cuidar a los pacientes.
Seattle Nurses Scrounge For Masks To Stay Safe On Pandemic’s Front Lines
As illness from the new coronavirus stresses the health care system, nurses said they are being forced to make do with less and learning to be good stewards of available equipment and protective gear.
Funerarias, y familias, reflexionan sobre las muertes en la era de COVID-19
Se están promoviendo los funerales en internet, tomando precauciones extra al atender los cuerpos, y pidiendo que los servicios sean breves y con pocas personas. Un luto distinto.
Funeral Homes, Families Ponder Deaths In The Age Of COVID-19
As the novel coronavirus marches across the country, it is upending how families and funeral homes honor the dead — and, ultimately, put them to rest.
Estos científicos crearon rápido una prueba eficaz mientras el coronavirus se acercaba
Los doctores Keith Jerome y Alex Greninger, de la Universidad de Washington, han supervisado la implementación de más de 4,000 pruebas de pacientes de todo el país.
How Intrepid Lab Sleuths Ramped Up Tests As Coronavirus Closed In
Drs. Keith Jerome and Alex Greninger fast-tracked a test for the deadly new coronavirus weeks before it began spreading in the U.S. Their work has been key to detecting community transmission and ramping up the nation’s testing capacity.
Preocupación por el coronavirus: cancelan eventos de donación de sangre
Los bancos necesitan tener una reserva de sangre de al menos dos o tres días, pero algunos tienen sólo para un día por las cancelaciones y la falta de donantes.
Blood Drives — And Donors — Fall Off As Coronavirus Worries Grow
Cancellations and no-shows for blood drives in states where the virus is spreading — and in ones where it’s not — pose risks for the nation’s inventories.
Nursing Home Outbreak Spotlights Coronavirus Risk In Elder Care Facilities
The spread of coronavirus disease to a skilled nursing facility in Washington state underscores the risk the deadly new virus poses in elder care facilities, where illnesses caused by more common pathogens, like seasonal influenza, often spread rapidly.
Brote de coronavirus en Washington revela riesgo en los centros de adultos mayores
En los Estados Unidos, 2.2 millones de personas viven en entornos de atención a largo plazo y pueden estar en mayor riesgo debido a la edad y a condiciones de salud subyacentes.
Response To Nation’s 1st Coronavirus Case Draws On Lessons From Measles Outbreak
When the first confirmed U.S. patient was pinpointed in Washington state, health clinic workers there weren’t rattled. They were prepped by new statewide protocols on contagion containment, in the wake of last year’s measles scare.
As States With Legal Weed Embrace Vaping Bans, Black-Market Risks Linger
Many cases of vaping-related injury seem to involve THC, health officials say. That’s led some states to take another look at the safety of the regulated cannabis market, as well as the black market.
Pharma Sells States On ‘Netflix Model’ To Wipe Out Hep C. But At What Price?
Manufacturers of lucrative drugs say they’re offering discounts off the high sticker prices ― but taxpayers footing the big bills might never know what the state is paying or if it’s getting a good deal.
Washington State Law On Behavioral Care Balances Parental Rights, Teens’ Autonomy
Many states have rules that keep parents from knowing about or consenting to certain types of care for their children, including mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Washington state, however, has revised its policies.
Whistleblower Alleges Medicare Fraud At Iconic Seattle-Based Health Plan
A lawsuit against Group Health surfaces as the White House promotes Medicare Advantage for seniors.
Patients Eligible For Charity Care Instead Get Big Bills
Nonprofit hospitals admit they sent $2.7 billion in bills over the course of a year to patients who probably qualified for free or discounted care.
‘Locally Grown’ Insurance Companies Help Fortify Washington State Market
The individual insurance market in Washington is dominated by companies that do business only in the Pacific Northwest, and the state’s insurance commissioner credits them with helping keep premium rates lower than in other states.
Payroll Tax Is One State’s Bold Solution To Help Seniors Age At Home
Under a program enacted in Washington state this spring, workers can get up to $36,500 to help pay for long-term health care and services such as installing grab bars in the shower or respite care for family caregivers.
Mired In Medical Debt? Federal Plan Would Update Overdue-Bill Collection Methods
More than half of Americans contacted about an overdue bill said it related to medical debt. A federal agency has proposed new guidance for what debt collectors are allowed to do when pursuing many types of overdue consumer bills, including medical debt. But some consumer advocates have panned the effort.
