Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Advantage Plans Send Pals to Seniors’ Homes for Companionship — And Profits
Many Medicare Advantage plans send caregivers to the homes of seniors periodically to help with housework and provide companionship. But the workers may also prod seniors into activities that boost the plans’ Medicare ratings and federal reimbursements.
A Dog Day at the Dentist’s: North Carolina Regulates Pups in Dentistry
Snuggle-ready dogs comfort anxious patients at dental offices, but some patients worry about the risks, from slobber to nips. North Carolina is thought to be the first state with regulations to ensure the dogs are appropriately trained.
I Write About America’s Absurd Health Care System. Then I Got Caught Up in It.
A KHN reporter had written for years about the people left behind by the absurdly complex and expensive U.S. health care system. Then he found himself navigating that maze as he tried to get his insulin prescription filled.
Local Pharmacists Fill Rx Void as Big Brands Pull Out of Rural Areas
Stores like Walmart and Shopko opened pharmacies in small towns, either buying out the local pharmacy or driving it out of business. What happens when those chains later withdraw, leaving communities with no pharmacy?
When the Eye on Older Patients Is a Camera
High-tech tools ease caregivers’ stress but can raise sticky privacy questions and concerns about cost.
How Rural Communities Are Losing Their Pharmacies
More than 1,000 independent rural pharmacies have closed since 2003, leaving 630 communities with no retail drugstore. As 41 million people stuck in pharmacy deserts make do, the remaining drugstores struggle to survive.
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Is Open Season for Scammers
Medicare officials say complaints are rising from seniors lured into private plans with misleading information or enrolled without their consent. In response, officials have threatened to penalize the private companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or agents working on their behalf mislead consumers.
Medicare Enrollment Blitz Doesn’t Include Options to Move Into Medigap
TV ads and mailings targeting seniors tout Medicare Advantage plans this time of year, but millions choosing traditional Medicare make a costly and difficult decision about Medigap coverage, which gets much less attention.
Medicare Plans’ ‘Free’ Dental, Vision, Hearing Benefits Come at a Cost
The ads for supplemental Medicare Advantage plans describe vision and dental benefits, even grocery discounts and food deliveries. But look at the fine print.
A Wrenching Farewell: Bidding Adieu to My Primary Care Doctor After Nearly 30 Years
Long-term relationships between patients and doctors often enrich the quality of care and create deep emotional bonds. When the doctors retire or move on, saying goodbye can be hard.
Alzheimer’s Drug Targets People With Mild Cognitive Impairment. What Does That Mean?
The condition can be an early signal of Alzheimer’s disease, but not always. Other health concerns could be causing thinking or memory problems, and the new drug, Aduhelm, would not be appropriate for those patients.
Mission and Money Clash in Nonprofit Hospitals’ Venture Capital Ambitions
Nonprofit hospitals of all sizes have been trying their luck as venture capitalists, saying their investments improve care through the creation of new medical devices, health software and other innovations. But the gamble at times has been harder to pull off than expected.
With a Diagnosis at Last, Black Women with ADHD Start Healing
Black women and girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often remain undiagnosed because their symptoms are mischaracterized by the blinders of sexism and racism. Getting treatment and finding the right medication can be even more difficult because they aren’t taken seriously or, worse, they’re racially profiled while getting their medicines.
Teen Volunteers Get a Foot in the Door for Nursing Home Careers
A group of New York senior living facilities offer teens from 10 underserved schools the chance to volunteer and get free training for entry-level health jobs, career coaching and assistance on college prep.
Why We May Never Know Whether the $56,000-a-Year Alzheimer’s Drug Actually Works
It could take years for follow-up studies to prove Aduhelm slows the disease — or doesn’t. Meanwhile, its maker will profit.
Can a Subscription Model Fix Primary Care in the US?
Medical subscriptions, a $199 million CEO payday and the race to fix primary care in the U.S. One Medical is betting big that a subscription model can fix primary care. But the firm faces competition from CVS, Target and large hospital systems.
Kidney Experts Say It’s Time to Remove Race From Medical Algorithms. Doing So Is Complicated.
When estimating how well a patient’s kidneys are working, doctors frequently turn to an equation that depends on a question: Is the patient Black? Kidney experts are now debating how to remove the race adjustment and whether the question is a function of sound science. It’s considered just the first step in dismantling institutional racism in kidney care.
Pandemic Leads Doctors to Rethink Unnecessary Treatment
Covid-caused delays in medical treatments and surgeries are producing data for health care providers to take another look at what’s needed and what isn’t.
Aiding Her Dying Husband, a Geriatrician Learns the Emotional and Physical Toll of Caregiving
When the covid pandemic hit, Dr. Rebecca Elon was thrust into a new role, primary caregiver for her severely ill husband and her elderly mother. “Reading about caregiving of this kind was one thing. Experiencing it was entirely different,” she says.
Masks at the Campfire: Summer Camps for Kids With Medical Needs Adapt to Covid
Camp Ho Mita Koda, an Ohio camp for children with diabetes, plans to host in-person camp this year despite the pandemic. It’s unusual, especially given that children under 12 likely won’t be able to get covid vaccines for months and many who attend medically focused camps could be especially vulnerable to serious covid complications. But these camps are important not just for the kids, but also for parents.
