A Proposal To Make It Harder For Kids To Skip Vaccines Gives Powerful Voices Pause
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester
June 14, 2019
KFF Health News Original
California lawmakers are debating whether to tighten the rules on childhood vaccinations and give the ultimate say to state public health officials. But questions are emerging from unexpected quarters: the state medical board and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Listen: ‘Death Certificate Project’ Aims At Opioid Crisis, But Doctors Cry Foul
By April Dembosky, KQED
January 23, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A radio report on an effort in California to hold doctors responsible when a patient overdoses on opioids. Doctors say it is unfair, but the state medical board defends the new project.
Students With Disabilities Call College Admissions Cheating ‘Big Slap In The Face’
By Barbara Feder Ostrov and Ana B. Ibarra
March 14, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Parents of students with legitimate learning disabilities worry that a backlash against providing special accommodations in college admissions testing could make it harder for them to succeed.
Is New App From Feds Your Answer To Navigating Medicare Coverage? Yes And No
By Rachel Bluth
February 22, 2019
KFF Health News Original
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched this month the “What’s Covered” app, designed to provide yes-or-no answers about what services are covered under traditional Medicare. KHN took it for a test drive with real consumers.
Detention Centers In California Lack Oversight And Proper Care, Reports Find
By Anna Gorman and Ana B. Ibarra
February 27, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Health and safety problems at immigration detention facilities throughout California pose a serious risk to detainees, according to two reports released Tuesday. State Attorney General Xavier Becerra and California State Auditor Elaine Howle concluded that federal and local governments are failing to adequately oversee the facilities, allowing the problems to persist.
Denuncias de inseguridad y falta de atención en centros de inmigrantes de California
By Anna Gorman and Ana B. Ibarra
February 26, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Dos informes oficiales denuncian problemas con el acceso a la atención médica y la falta de seguridad en al menos 10 centros del estado.
White House Relents In Face Of Lawmakers’ Pleading, Requests $1.25B In New Funding To Fight Coronavirus
February 25, 2020
Morning Briefing
The emergency spending request also includes accessing $535 million previously earmarked to fight Ebola and money from allocated to other federal agencies, for a package totaling $2.5 billion. “To this point, no agency has been inhibited in response efforts due to resources or authorities. However, much is still unknown about this virus and the disease it causes,” acting White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought wrote to congressional leaders. Democrat were quick to slam the funding request as too small for the scope of the outbreak. Meanwhile, Republicans were worried about potential drug shortages as fallout from the virus continues.
Trump Signs Robust $8.3B Emergency Coronavirus Funding Bill That Congress Sent Through With Unusual Speed
March 6, 2020
Morning Briefing
Lawmakers from both parties have stressed that Congress is “going to watch where the money goes.” Each state will be getting at least $4 million in assistance and HHS has also been ordered to use $3.1 billion of its quota on medical supplies, vaccine-making and ensuring health systems are up to handling the outbreak. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry was able to secure a win on vaccine price controls but progressives are still pushing the issue.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health Care’s Back (In Court)
March 28, 2019
KFF Health News Original
It’s been a wild week for health policy, mostly because of developments surrounding two different legal cases. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to sort it out with a discussion of a setback for Medicaid work requirements and the Trump administration’s decision to back a lawsuit claiming the entire Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. Also, Rovner interviews filmmaker Mike Eisenberg about his movie “To Err Is Human: A Patient Safety Documentary.”
Genetic-Testing Scam Targets Seniors And Rips Off Medicare
By Melissa Bailey
July 31, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Capitalizing on the growing popularity of genetic testing — and fears of terminal illness — scammers are persuading seniors to hand over cheek swabs with their DNA, not knowing it may lead to identity theft and Medicare fraud.
White House Gets Cold Feet Over $1B Price Tag For Ventilators From GM Even As Hospitals Plead For Supplies
March 27, 2020
Morning Briefing
The White House had been planning to announce a venture that would lead to the production of as many as 80,000 ventilators. Then the bill came. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said he didn’t believe hospitals need as many ventilators as they say they do, even as New York approved a risky policy of sharing the equipment between patients and New Jersey starts making plans on how to ration care.
Trump Plan To Beat HIV Hits Rough Road In Rural America
By Jackie Fortiér, StateImpact Oklahoma
February 21, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Health officials and doctors treating patients with HIV welcome the funding push, but warn that the strategies that work in progressive cities don’t necessarily translate to rural areas.
When Medicine Makes Patients Sicker
By Sydney Lupkin
Photos by Heidi de Marco
January 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
The Food and Drug Administration is supposed to inspect all factories, foreign and domestic, that produce drugs for the U.S. market. But a KHN review of thousands of FDA documents — inspection records, recalls, warning letters and lawsuits — reveals how drugs that are poorly manufactured or contaminated can reach consumers.
Sobering Up: In An Alcohol-Soaked Nation, More Seek Booze-Free Social Spaces
By Laura Ungar and Jayne O’Donnell, USA Today
July 8, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A national trend of boozeless bars is cropping up nationwide to create social spaces without the hangovers, DUIs and alcoholism culture. It’s part of a new push for sober options.
With Mom’s Green Card On The Line, Family Forgoes Autism Services For Citizen Child
By Ashley Lopez, KUT
February 1, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A Texas girl needs autism treatment, but her immigrant mother is afraid of turning to Medicaid. As more U.S. children go without health coverage, advocates blame politics of intimidation.
First Kidney Failure, Then A $540,842 Bill For Dialysis
By Jenny Gold
July 25, 2019
KFF Health News Original
He needed the lifesaving treatment — he never expected a half-million-dollar bill for 14 weeks of care.
Hope You’re Sitting Down: Hospital Charges $4,700 For A Fainting Spell
By Phil Galewitz
January 28, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A 39-year-old man fainted after getting a flu shot at work, and a colleague called 911. He turned out to be fine, but the trip to the ER cost him his whole deductible.
Year One Of KHN’s ‘Bill Of The Month’: A Kaleidoscope Of Financial Challenges
December 21, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A crowdsourced investigation in which we dissect, investigate and explain medical bills you send us.
Public Health Experts Say Trump Administration Response Has Improved But Still Falling Short: They’re ‘At A C Now’
May 5, 2020
Morning Briefing
The officials driving the Trump administration’s coronavirus response have expanded testing and helped revamp medical supply chains. “I think the administration is at a C now because they’re at least meeting the needs in a pandemic,” said a former Trump administration official. “But they’re not an A or B yet because we’re not getting ahead of the problem.” In other news from the administration: a top FEMA leader to depart and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticizes the White House for not allowing task force members to testify in front of Congress.
Trump Adds A Global Pricing Plan To Wide Attack On Drug Prices, But Doubts Persist
By Sarah Jane Tribble
October 26, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Over the past five months, the Trump administration has proposed a series of reforms to lower the cost of prescription drugs.