On The Air With KHN: We Make Sense Of The Senate Health Bill’s Latest Twists
July 14, 2017
KFF Health News Original
KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner and KHN senior correspondent Mary Agnes Carey have been featured on a variety of radio and television shows to discuss the revised Senate GOP legislation to overhaul the Affordable Care Act.
Take Our Quiz To Test Your Wits On Aging
June 27, 2017
KFF Health News Original
As we get older, it helps to tickle the noggin with trivia. Here’s a pop quiz to see what you have learned as a regular reader of Kaiser Health News.
Training New Doctors Right Where They’re Needed
By Ana B. Ibarra
Photos by Heidi de Marco
October 9, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Eight teaching centers in California aim to train and retain doctors in medically underserved areas such as California’s Central Valley. They are among 57 such institutions across the country that may soon receive a boost in funding from Congress.
Entrenando a nuevos médicos justo en donde se los necesita
By Ana B. Ibarra
Photos by Heidi de Marco
October 9, 2017
KFF Health News Original
En el Valle Central de California, no hay una escuela de medicina, y los nuevos médicos a menudo evitan el área en favor de los centros urbanos más ricos, donde pueden ganar más dinero.
$10B Deal To Overhaul VA’s Digital Health Records Signed Despite Warnings It Could Prove To Be Boondoggle
May 18, 2018
Morning Briefing
Acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a statement that the 10-year deal would make much-needed improvements that “will modernize the VA’s health care IT system and help provide seamless care.” Critics say that the contract is not written in a way that guarantees success for VA patients.
Renewed Scrutiny Of 340B Program Seems Like Win For Pharma, But Drugmakers Shouldn’t Celebrate Yet
May 16, 2018
Morning Briefing
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress show interest in increasing oversight to the drug discount program that the pharmaceutical industry wants reined in. But lawmakers’ attention isn’t solely directed at the role of hospitals. Meanwhile, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) plans a hearing about President Donald Trump’s plans to curb high drug prices, and the industry’s lobbying group has some “serious concerns” with the president’s blueprint.
On The Air With KHN: Obamacare Replacement Bill Heads To The Senate
May 9, 2017
KFF Health News Original
In a variety of broadcasts, Kaiser Health News and California Healthline reporters discuss the bill passed by the House to change the Affordable Care Act.
Even Without Congress, Trump Can Still Cut Medicaid Enrollment
By Phil Galewitz
July 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The Trump administration is poised to grant states waivers that some critics say could change the shape of the program.
Stoked! Weed May Light The Flame For A Roll In The Hay
By Carrie Feibel, KQED
October 31, 2017
KFF Health News Original
A new study of tens of thousands of Americans contradicts stereotypes that stoners have less sex.
Medicaid Covers All That? It’s The Backstop Of America’s Ailing Health System
By Phil Galewitz
September 25, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Those relying on the federal government’s safety net are grandmothers, the kid next door, your supermarket cashier — maybe even you.
The Virus That’s Been Plaguing Humans Since The Bronze Age
May 10, 2018
Morning Briefing
Researchers have recovered DNA from the oldest viruses known to have infected humans. The discovery may provide clues to the continuing evolution of hepatitis B, a disease that infects an estimated 257 million people worldwide. In other public health news: breast-feeding, medical devices, pregnancy and labor, assisted suicide, and Ebola.
Putting A Lid On Waste: Needless Medical Tests Not Only Cost $200B — They Can Do Harm
By Chad Terhune
May 24, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The health care industry thrives on ordering up tests and treatments, but some hospitals are urging restraint.
Trump Touts ‘Promise Kept’ As HHS Moves Forward With Plan To Restrict Funding For Abortion Providers
May 23, 2018
Morning Briefing
At the Susan B. Anthony List annual gala, President Donald Trump spoke about the new restrictions and encouraged supporters to rally ahead of midterms. “We are nine votes away from passing the 20-week abortion bill in the Senate,” said Trump, adding that Democratic senators are up for re-election in 10 states that he said he won “by a lot.”
Why Glaring Quality Gaps Among Nursing Homes Are Likely To Grow If Medicaid Is Cut
By Jordan Rau
September 28, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Medicaid covers about two-thirds of nursing home residents, but it pays less than other types of insurance.
4 Takeaways As HHS Relaxes Rules On Contraception Coverage At Work
By Mary Agnes Carey and Lexie Verdon
October 6, 2017
KFF Health News Original
The new rules, announced Friday, will significantly expand the number of employers eligible for exemptions from the requirement that they provide women, at no cost, coverage of any contraception method approved by the FDA.
Por miedo a la deportación, niños sin papeles pueden abandonar el Medicaid
By Ana B. Ibarra
May 18, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Desde que California permitió por ley que niños indocumentados recibieran servicios completos del Medi-Cal, se inscribieron cerca de 190,000. Con el clima político actual, defensores temen que los padres no los reinscriban por miedo a las deportaciones.
Fearing Deportation, Parents Worry About Undocumented Kids In Medicaid Program
By Ana B. Ibarra
May 18, 2017
KFF Health News Original
A 2016 California law allowed children without papers to sign up for full Medicaid benefits. More than 189,000 children have been covered, but some families now fear renewing coverage or signing up their kids for the first time.
In Preparation Of Its Acquisition Of Aetna, CVS Sells $40B Of Bonds
March 7, 2018
Morning Briefing
Regulators aren’t expected to pass judgment on the $69 billion Aetna purchase until late this year, but CVS issued the debt this week to avoid the risk that interest rates continue to rise.
Grassley Wades Into Hotly Contested 340B Drug Debate With Transparency Legislation
March 2, 2018
Morning Briefing
The 340B program requires pharmaceutical companies to give steep discounts to hospitals and clinics that serve high volumes of low-income patients. Through Medicare, the federal government then reimburses the facilities for the drugs at a higher rate. A bill from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) would require hospitals to disclose how much they pay for drugs under the program.