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Dancing Under the Debt Ceiling

Episode 295

April 27, 2023

House Republicans passed their plan to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, along with major cuts to health (and other domestic) programs. Unlikely to become law, it calls for new work requirements for adults on Medicaid. Meanwhile, state efforts targeting trans people bear a striking resemblance to the fight against abortion rights. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Renuka Rayasam, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about a specialist’s demand to be paid as much as $15,000 before treating a woman’s serious pregnancy complication.

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As US Life Expectancy Falls, Experts Cite the Health Impacts of Incarceration

In a nation with one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, imprisonment speeds the aging process, research shows. Some experts complain the federal government isn’t collecting or releasing data that could identify disease patterns and prevent deaths.

By Fred Clasen-Kelly

April 27, 2023

A digital illustration in bright copic marker and pencil shows a Black woman back-to-back with a mirror image of herself. On the left side, she wears her hair in a natural afro — the way, she was told, was required for an EEG procedure, allowing no product or protective styles. The version of herself on the right shows her hair in protective braids, which are separated to reveal parts of her scalp where an EEG device would need to be placed. That hairstyle would actually make it easier to get an accurate reading from the procedure, despite the instructions she was given.

How One Patient’s Textured Hair Nearly Kept Her From a Needed EEG

An EEG can help diagnose conditions like epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain tumors. But a design flaw and outdated Eurocentric practices make the test less effective on thicker, denser, and curly hair types, potentially excluding or deterring some people from getting screened.

By Tarena Lofton

April 27, 2023

A photo of a woman and her husband sitting at home.

Bill Of The Month

Expectant Mom Needed $15,000 Overnight to Save Her Twins

Doctors rushed a pregnant woman to a surgeon who charged thousands upfront just to see her. The case reveals a gap in medical billing protections for those with rare, specialized conditions.

By Renuka Rayasam

April 27, 2023

COVID-19

As Federal Emergency Declaration Expires, the Picture of the Pandemic Grows Fuzzier

The pandemic gave federal officials expanded power to access crucial data about the spread of covid-19, but that authority will change when the public health emergency sunsets in May. That, along with the end of popular covid trackers, will make it harder for policymakers and the public to keep an eye on covid and other threats.

By Sam Whitehead

April 26, 2023

A photo of a hospital building with a sign that reads, "BayCare."

How a 2019 Florida Law Catalyzed a Hospital-Building Boom

In Wesley Chapel, Fla., near Tampa, residents will soon have three general hospitals within a five-minute drive. The new construction is part of a hospital-building boom across Florida unleashed almost four years ago, when the state dropped a requirement that companies obtain government approval to open new hospitals.

By Phil Galewitz, Lauren Sausser, and Daniel Chang

April 26, 2023

A photo of a doctor showing a patient a medical form on a clipboard.

Disability Rights Groups Sue to Overturn California’s Physician-Assisted Death Law

Disability rights advocates and two individuals with disabilities sued Tuesday to overturn the state's physician-assisted death law, arguing it is unconstitutional, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and makes it too easy for people with terminal diseases whose deaths aren't imminent to kill themselves with a doctor's help.

By Don Thompson

April 25, 2023

Primary Care Disrupted

A California Physician Training Program Adds Diversity, but Where Do Graduates End Up?

Researchers found that, while a University of California medical training program has diversified the system’s pool of medical students, there’s not enough long-term data to know whether graduates return to practice where they’re needed most.

By Stephanie Stephens

April 25, 2023

A digital illustration in watercolor and pencil shows a human with a melancholy expression at the center of the image. Their head is encircled by air pollution that billows up from surrounding smoke stacks. The background depicts a city at night.

Depressed? Anxious? Air Pollution May Be a Factor

A growing body of research is finding links between air quality and mental health, as therapists report seeing patients with symptoms linked to pollution.

By Jim Robbins

April 25, 2023

A person wearing military fatigues and holding a gun stands centrally in the foreground. Behind them is a sign that reads "Welcome to Fort Detrick" and cars driving past a guard house.

Did a Military Lab Spill Anthrax Into Public Waterways? New Book Reveals Details of a US Leak

“Pandora’s Gamble” describes how 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of wastewater potentially containing anthrax, Ebola, and other deadly pathogens spilled from an Army facility in Frederick, Maryland, in 2018.

By Alison Young

April 25, 2023

KFF Health News On Air

Listen: Mifepristone Remains Available for Now. What Happens Next?

The Supreme Court on April 21 ruled that the abortion pill mifepristone should remain widely available while the lower courts consider the issue, blocking earlier rulings that banned or restricted access to the drug. KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner joined NPR’s “Weekend All Things Considered” to discuss the complicated case.

April 24, 2023

A photo illustration of athletes Justin Renfrow, Riley Cote, and Mike Lee surrounded by psychedelic mushrooms.

Pain, Hope, and Science Collide as Athletes Turn to Magic Mushrooms

A group of former professional athletes traveled to Jamaica to try psychedelics as a way to help cope with the aftereffects of concussions and a career of body-pounding injuries. Will this still largely untested treatment work?

By Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN

April 24, 2023

A photo of officials visiting public health workers.

US Officials Want to End the HIV Epidemic by 2030. Many Stakeholders Think They Won’t.

The federal government’s ambitious plan to end the HIV epidemic, launched in 2019, has generated new ways to reach at-risk populations in targeted communities across the South. But health officials, advocates, and people living with HIV worry significant headwinds will keep the program from reaching its goals.

By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead

April 24, 2023

Tension Builds in Transgender Policy Debate in Montana

Two transgender lawmakers are trying to lay the groundwork for LGBTQ-friendly policies in a conservative state, but tensions are running high as the legislative session nears its end.

By Keely Larson

April 21, 2023

A photo shows a woman wiping away tears while speaking to Joe Biden at an event. She is holding a young girl in her arms.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

The Biden Administration Vowed to Be a Leading Voice on Opioid Settlements But Has Gone Quiet

Billions of dollars are headed to state and local governments to address the opioid crisis. Policy experts and advocates expect the federal government to play a role in overseeing the use of the money. Failure to do so, they say, could lead to wasted opportunities. And, since Medicaid helps pay health care costs, the feds could have a claim to portions of states’ opioid settlements.

By Aneri Pattani

April 21, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Will They or Won’t They (Block the Abortion Pill)?

Episode 294

April 20, 2023

The Supreme Court is considering the future of the abortion pill mifepristone, after GenBioPro sued the FDA over limitations that effectively block generic production of the drug, a major part of the market. Congress is considering proposals that would impose Medicaid work requirements, crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, and more. And President Joe Biden moved to expand health coverage to young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more.

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An Arm and a Leg

A $229,000 Medical Bill Goes to Court

Season 9, Episode 5

April 20, 2023

Lisa French was told her surgery would cost $1,337. But the hospital sent her a bill for $229,000, then sued her. The case went all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. The court’s ruling could have major implications for determining a “reasonable price” in health care.

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A photo of a woman sitting for a portrait outside.

Lose Weight, Gain Huge Debt: NY Provider Has Sued More Than 300 Patients Who Had Bariatric Surgery

The private equity-backed practice has been known to demand more than $100,000 in charges or penalties. One patient is fighting back.

By Fred Schulte

April 20, 2023

Payback: Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash

By Lydia Zuraw

April 20, 2023

A photo of a man and a woman hugging outside of a restaurant.

Medi-Cal Makeover

California’s Medicaid Experiment Spends Money to Save Money — And Help the Homeless

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious experiment in health care is supposed to cut costs as it fills the needs of hard-to-reach people. The program’s start is chaotic and limited, but it shows promise.

By Angela Hart

April 19, 2023

Trump 2.0

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