KFF Health News Weekly Edition: Sept. 15, 2023
California Lawmakers Approve Nation-Leading $25 Minimum Wage for Health Workers
Don Thompson
A sweeping agreement approved by state lawmakers would gradually raise the minimum wage for hundreds of thousands of health workers to a nation-leading $25 an hour. The pact would also end labor’s years-long battle with dialysis clinics.
California Legislature Passes Gov. Newsom’s Proposal to Retool Mental Health Services Act
Molly Castle Work
The California Legislature greenlighted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest plan to build more housing and increase addiction treatment as part of his response to the state’s homelessness and drug crises.
A New Covid Booster Is Here. Will Those at Greatest Risk Get It?
Amy Maxmen
The CDC says everyone over 6 months old should get the new covid booster. But the emergency response mechanisms that supported earlier vaccine campaigns are gone. As one expert wonders: How to get boosters to people beyond Democrats, college graduates, and those with high incomes?
Rural Nursing Home Supporters Fear Proposed Staffing Standards Will Trigger More Closures
Tony Leys
The Biden administration says a recently proposed minimum staffing standard would help ensure quality care, but nursing home leaders predict many rural facilities would struggle to meet it.
Social Security Overpays Billions to People, Many on Disability. Then It Demands the Money Back.
David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group
Beneficiaries in five states described what happened when they received letters calling on them to return overpayments that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Pfizer and Moderna Are Pushing the New Covid Booster. Should You Get It? The CDC Is About to Decide.
Arthur Allen
Chances are, if you aren’t older, chronically ill, or obese, you don’t need a forthcoming covid vaccine to stay out of the hospital. But it probably wouldn’t hurt.
Despite Successes, Addiction Treatment Programs for Families Struggle to Stay Open
Christina Saint Louis
Residential addiction treatment programs that allow parents to bring their children along have been recognized for their success. But a mix of logistical challenges and low reimbursement rates mean they struggle to stay afloat.
Why the CDC Has Recommended New Covid Boosters for All
Arthur Allen
As covid-19 hospitalizations tick upward with fall approaching, the CDC says it’s time for new boosters — and not only for those at highest risk of serious disease. Here are seven things you need to know.
‘Dr. Google’ Meets Its Match: Dr. ChatGPT
Andrew Leonard
With the rise of generative AI, people who once turned to “Dr. Google” to check on medical symptoms are now turning to chatbots. Researchers say the bots are often more accurate, but urge caution in the absence of any regulations.
Montana State Officials Seek More Control Over Judicial Involuntary Commitments
Aaron Bolton, MTPR
Health department officials are asking legislators to change criminal commitment laws amid a bottleneck at the Montana State Hospital.
As More Patients Email Doctors, Health Systems Start Charging Fees
Harris Meyer
Doctors say billing for email consultations reduces message volume and gives them more free time. The increasingly prevalent practice has also raised fears about negative impacts to patient care.
Abortion Bans Fuel a Rise in High-Risk Patients Heading to Illinois Hospitals
Kristen Schorsch, WBEZ Chicago
High-risk patients from states that heavily restrict abortion are coming to hospitals in states such as Illinois that protect abortion rights. The journey can mean more medical risks and higher bills.
A Father Dreamed of a Home for His Family. Medical Debt Nearly Pushed Them Onto the Streets.
Noam N. Levey
As cities like Denver struggle to make homes more affordable, medical debt keeps housing out of reach for millions of Americans.
Watch: In Emergencies, First Comes the Ambulance. Then Comes the Bill.
Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV
This installment of InvestigateTV and KFF Health News' “Costly Care” series delves into the lack of cost protections for patients who find themselves on the hook for an emergency ground ambulance ride.
Underinsured Is the New Uninsured
The percentage of working-age adults with health insurance went up and the uninsured rate dropped last year, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week. There isn’t much suspense about which way the uninsured rate is now trending, as states continue efforts to strip ineligible beneficiaries from their Medicaid rolls. But is the focus on the uninsured obscuring the struggles of the underinsured? Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these issues and more.
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week.
Journalists Recap How Smallpox Was Wiped Out and How Opioid Settlement Cash Is Being Paid Out
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.