‘True Cost of Aging’ Index Shows Many Seniors Can’t Afford Basic Necessities
By Judith Graham
July 25, 2022
KFF Health News Original
The Elder Index, developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, shows that nearly 5 million older women living alone, 2 million older men living alone, and more than 2 million older couples have incomes that make them economically insecure.
Employers Are Concerned About Covering Workers’ Mental Health Needs, Survey Finds
By Michelle Andrews
October 27, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Nearly half of large employers report that increasing numbers of their workers were using mental health services, according to a KFF annual employer survey. Yet almost a third of those employers said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough behavioral health care providers for employees to have timely access to the care they need.
Vance-Walz Debate Highlighted Clear Health Policy Differences
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs
October 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
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.
Tossed Medicine, Delayed Housing: How Homeless Sweeps Are Thwarting Medicaid’s Goals
By Angela Hart
September 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
As California cities crack down on homeless encampments in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling authorizing fines and arrests, front-line workers say such sweeps are undercutting billions in state and federal Medicaid spending meant to stabilize people’s health and get them off the streets.
Programas de inteligencia artificial diagnostican retinopatÃa diabética en minutos
By Hannah Norman
March 27, 2024
KFF Health News Original
En medio de todo el revuelo en torno a la inteligencia artificial en la atención médica, la tecnologÃa de exámenes de la vista está surgiendo como uno de los primeros casos de uso probados de diagnósticos basados en IA en un entorno clÃnico.
The FDA Calls Them ‘Recalls,’ Yet the Targeted Medical Devices Often Remain in Use
By David Hilzenrath
August 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
With medical devices, recalls are not always what they seem. In some recalls, including some of the most serious, the FDA and the manufacturers let doctors and hospitals continue to use the devices.
Are US Prescription Drug Prices 10 Times Those of Other Nations? Only Sometimes
By Michelle Andrews
May 19, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ broad statement that some U.S. drug prices are 10 times those of other nations doesn’t paint the full picture. Studies we examined generally found that U.S. prices were two to four times those in other countries, not 10.
What Older Americans Need to Know About Taking Paxlovid
By Judith Graham
January 18, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Covid-19 continues to hit seniors with disproportionate severity. Experts say Paxlovid is an effective therapy that is being underprescribed for people 65 and older.
Dementia Can Take a Toll on Financial Health, as Some Families Learn the Hard Way
By Sarah Boden, WESA
June 20, 2023
KFF Health News Original
People with dementia and their families often find themselves with few legal rights when dealing with financial scams or the mismanagement of their assets. Research reveals financial troubles can be both an early sign and a painful symptom of cognitive decline.
Feds Move to Rein In Prior Authorization, a System That Harms and Frustrates Patients
By Lauren Sausser
March 13, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The federal government wants to change the way health insurers use prior authorization — the requirement that patients get permission before undergoing treatment. Designed to prevent doctors from deploying expensive, ineffectual procedures, prior authorization has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities. New rules may not be enough to solve the problems.
Empleadores se preocupan por la salud mental, pero no hay suficientes proveedores
By Michelle Andrews
October 27, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Casi la mitad de los grandes empleadores encuestados, con al menos 200 trabajadores, informaron que una proporción cada vez mayor de sus empleados utilizaba servicios de salud mental.
Senators Ask GAO to Examine Medicaid’s Low Covid Vaccination Rates
By Phil Galewitz
March 25, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Sens. Robert Casey Jr. and Ron Wyden want a probe into what barriers are keeping Medicaid plans from reaching enrollees.
The Case of the Two Grace Elliotts: A Medical Billing Mystery
By Mark Kreidler
December 21, 2022
KFF Health News Original
A health system charged a woman for a shoulder replacement at a hospital across the country that she had not visited for years. She didn’t receive the care, but she did receive the bill — and the medical records of a stranger.
Save Billions or Stick With Humira? Drug Brokers Steer Americans to the Costly Choice
By Arthur Allen
September 19, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Thousands of patients with autoimmune diseases who rely on Humira, with a list price of $6,600 a month, could get financial relief from new low-cost rivals. So far, the pharmacy benefit managers that control drug prices in America have not delivered on those savings.
After People on Medicaid Die, Some States Aggressively Seek Repayment From Their Estates
By Tony Leys
March 2, 2023
KFF Health News Original
States take drastically different approaches to recovering Medicaid money from deceased participants’ estates. Demands for repayment of Medicaid spending can drain the assets a person leaves behind, depending on where they lived.
5 Things to Know About Montana’s ‘Born Alive’ Ballot Initiative
By Matt Volz
October 20, 2022
KFF Health News Original
A ballot measure that seeks to protect infants following failed abortions would impose stiff penalties on health care providers in Montana.
Colorado’s Efforts Are Not Enough to Solve Its Ozone Problem
By Jim Robbins
July 11, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Some health experts said measures underway by state and federal officials won’t lower ozone pollution to safe levels across nine counties of Colorado’s Front Range.
Pfizer’s Covid Cash Powers a ‘Marketing Machine’ on the Hunt for New Supernovas
By Arthur Allen
November 8, 2022
KFF Health News Original
While sales of its covid vaccines are falling, Pfizer plans to triple the price of the shots and use its bonanza from government contracts to buy and develop new blockbusters.
Extra Fees Drive Assisted Living Profits
By Jordan Rau
November 20, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The add-ons pile up: $93 for medications, $50 for cable TV. Prices soar as the industry leaves no service unbilled, out of reach for many families.
Patient Satisfaction Surveys Earn a Zero on Tracking Whether Hospitals Deliver Culturally Competent Care
By Rae Ellen Bichell
September 8, 2022
KFF Health News Original
In an industry obsessed with consumer satisfaction national patient surveys still don’t get at an important question: Are hospitals delivering culturally competent care?
