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Latest KFF Health News Stories

‘A Fear Pandemic’: Immigration Raids Push Patients Into Telehealth

KFF Health News Original

With intensified immigration enforcement in California, community clinics serving Latino and immigrant populations say they’ve noticed an increase in appointment cancellations and telehealth usage. But, as the covid-19 pandemic showed, accessing the necessary technology can be a challenge and virtual appointments can take a person’s health care only so far.

Pandemia de miedo: redadas de inmigración empujan a pacientes a la telemedicina

KFF Health News Original

Los pacientes que necesitan atención médica tienen cada vez más miedo de buscarla después que Trump derogara una política de la era Biden que prohibía redadas en zonas “sensibles” como escuelas, iglesias y hospitales.

Medicaid Cuts Could Have Vast Ripple Effects in This Rural Colorado Community

KFF Health News Original

In rural Colorado and across rural America, Medicaid is a lifeline, especially for people who wouldn’t otherwise have easy access to health care. That includes low-income seniors who need supplemental coverage in addition to Medicare, and people of all ages with disabilities.

Experts Say Rural Emergency Rooms Are Increasingly Run Without Doctors

KFF Health News Original

Some doctors and the groups that represent them say physicians’ extensive training leads to better emergency care, and that some hospitals are trying to save money by not hiring them. They support new laws in Indiana, Virginia, and South Carolina that require physicians to be on-site 24/7.

Considering a Life Change? Brace for Higher ACA Costs

KFF Health News Original

Consumers contemplating an early retirement or starting a business should calculate how Trump administration and congressional policy changes could increase their health insurance costs — and plan accordingly.

Listen: Regulatory Rollbacks and Federal Layoffs Threaten America’s Food Supply

KFF Health News Original

The Trump administration’s anti-regulatory approach and cost-cutting moves risk unraveling the system of checks and balances that helps ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, say consumer advocates and former employees of the FDA and Department of Agriculture.

Even in States That Fought Obamacare, Trump’s New Law Poses Health Consequences

KFF Health News Original

GOP lawmakers in 10 states have refused for a decade to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But when President Donald Trump got another whack at Obamacare, these holdout states went unrewarded.

Patient Numbers at NIH Hospital Have Plummeted Under Trump, Jeopardizing Care

KFF Health News Original

The renowned research hospital that cares for people with rare or life-threatening diseases has been pummeled by an employee exodus and the gutting of research, both driven by the Trump administration.

Watch: Millions of Americans Live Where Telehealth Is Out of Reach

KFF Health News Original

In this video report, InvestigateTV and KFF Health News take viewers to Alabama, Idaho, and West Virginia to explore how gaps in internet connectivity and telehealth access cause residents to live sicker and die younger on average than their peers in well-connected regions.

Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

Veterans often face hurdles when they want the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for care from clinics and hospitals outside the federal system. A bill in Congress, coupled with a major funding request from the Trump administration, could help clear the path for many rural veterans.

As California’s Behavioral Health Workforce Buckles, Help Is Years Away

KFF Health News Original

California has put a greater focus on behavioral health workers, but a huge spike in demand, an aging workforce, and employee burnout continue to hamper mental health and substance use treatment. The state is tapping Medicaid funds to train, recruit, and retain workers, but it will be a long time before the impacts are evident.

This Physician-Scientist Is Taking on Trump on Behalf of Disadvantaged Communities

KFF Health News Original

California researcher Neeta Thakur is leading a challenge to President Donald Trump’s new administration — one that pits public health science against political ideology. Whether she prevails could influence both the future of academic research and the health of those she’s spent her life trying to help.