Heartbreaking Bills, Lawsuit and Bankruptcy — Even With Insurance
By Laura Ungar
September 25, 2020
KFF Health News Original
With health insurance that can leave him on the hook for more than a quarter of his salary every year, a Kentucky essential worker who has heart disease is one of millions of Americans who are functionally uninsured. At only 31, he has already been through bankruptcy and being sued by his hospital. This year, he faced a bill for more than $10,000.
Looking to Kentucky’s Past to Understand Montana Health Nominee’s Future
By Katheryn Houghton and Laura Ungar
March 1, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Montana’s pick for health director has garnered both praise and criticism for his past in Kentucky, where he sought to add work requirements to the state’s Medicaid program and was a top health official amid a hepatitis A outbreak.
With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
By Laura Ungar
September 14, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Studies show that at least half of ground ambulance rides across the nation leave patients with “surprise” medical bills. And a $300-a-mile ride is not unusual. Yet federal legislation to stem what’s known as balance billing has largely ignored ambulance costs.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Election Preview: What’s Next for Health?
October 1, 2020
KFF Health News Original
How will health issues affect voter choices? What will happen if President Donald Trump is reelected or the White House goes to Joe Biden? In this special election preview episode, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Schools Walk the Tightrope Between Ideal Safety and the Reality of Covid
By Laura Ungar and Samantha Young
February 8, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Across the country, politics have muddied the question of when and how to reopen schools. Even though teachers continue to fear for their safety, lawmakers and parents are demanding that schools take advantage of declining infection rates to open safely and quickly.
Maryland County Pledges Investigation of Health Worker’s Coronavirus Death
By Laura Ungar
August 4, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The disease intervention specialist at the Prince George’s County Health Department was among at least 20 department employees infected by the coronavirus, union officials say. The outbreak underscores the stark dangers facing the nation’s front-line public health army.
Essential and in Danger: Coronavirus Sickens, Even Kills Public Health Workers
By Laura Ungar
July 22, 2020
KFF Health News Original
As the coronavirus threatens the nation’s public health army, an outbreak in Maryland reflects the tension between serving the community and protecting workers from a deadly disease.
Listen: How Skimpy Insurance Led To A $21,634 Hospital Bill
November 8, 2019
KFF Health News Original
KHN editor and correspondent Laura Ungar appeared on Illinois Public Media’s “The 21st” to discuss her reporting for the latest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month installment.
As Deaths Mount, Coronavirus Testing Remains Wildly Inconsistent In Long-Term Care
By Laura Ungar
May 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Testing for COVID-19 varies widely across nursing homes and assisted living facilities, even within the same states and communities — increasing the risks for some of America’s most vulnerable seniors.
Readers and Tweeters Shed Light on Vaccine Trials and Bias in Health Care
October 28, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Médicos temen por sus familias, mientras luchan contra COVID-19 con poca armadura
By Laura Ungar
March 27, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Miles de médicos de todo el país escribieron una apasionada carta al Congreso pidiendo que se libere el equipo de protección personal de la Reserva Nacional Estratégica, para aquellos en la primera línea de batalla.
Physicians Fear For Their Families As They Battle Coronavirus With Too Little Armor
By Laura Ungar
March 27, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Doctors sent an impassioned, desperate letter to Congress describing the lack of protective equipment across the country — from masks to respirators to gowns to goggles. They’re using equipment from construction sites and home-repair stores or wearing the same mask from patient to patient. And they worry about what exposure without sufficient protection means for them and their families.
Looking For Answers After Coronavirus Contact? Welcome To The Gray Zone
By Laura Ungar
March 13, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The COVID-19 outbreak has spawned confusion among health officials, doctors and the public, especially for people who fall into the gray area for testing and deciding whether they need to quarantine themselves. Where to turn for answers about isolation and quarantine varies by locale. All this means agencies are sometimes delaying needed advice and giving people incorrect information.
Congress Approves Boost In Food Aid For Seniors But Funding Falls Short Of Growing Need
By Laura Ungar
March 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Congress passed legislation Wednesday reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, which provides for home-delivered and group meals. Although proposed funding increases are substantial, they still don’t keep up with the nation’s growing senior population.
Watch: Five Things To Know About Hunger Among America’s Aging
September 6, 2019
KFF Health News Original
One out of every 13 seniors in America struggles to get enough food to eat while the federal program intended to help hasn’t kept pace with the graying population. KHN Midwest editor/correspondent Laura Ungar explains what you need to know about this largely hidden problem.
Five Years Later, HIV-Hit Town Rebounds. But The Nation Is Slow To Heed Lessons.
By Laura Ungar
February 19, 2020
KFF Health News Original
In February 2015, an unprecedented HIV outbreak fueled by intravenous drug use hit the small city of Austin, Indiana. Under pressure, then-Gov. Mike Pence reluctantly allowed a syringe exchange. Five years later, HIV is undetectable in most of the outbreak patients. Still, the lessons haven’t been learned nationwide. Fewer than a third of the 220 counties deemed by the federal government as vulnerable to similar outbreaks have active syringe-exchange programs.
Millions Stuck At Home With No Plumbing, Kitchen Or Space To Stay Safe
By Laura Ungar and Elizabeth Lucas
May 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
In 470,000 American homes spread across every state, washing hands to prevent COVID-19 may not be as easy as turning on a faucet. They don’t have showers or toilets or, in some cases, even water piped into their homes. Nearly a million U.S. homes don’t have complete kitchens and millions more are overcrowded, making it much tougher for people to shelter in place and avoid infection.
Battling The Bullets From The Operating Room To The Community
By Laura Ungar
December 12, 2019
KFF Health News Original
St. Louis trauma surgeon Dr. Laurie Punch is on a mission to stop the bleeding of her patients and the violence-plagued communities around her. But the single mom worries she and her 7-year-old will have to move from their home, where bullets buzz in her backyard.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Elections Matter
November 7, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Key Democratic wins in 2019 state elections in Virginia and (probably) Kentucky could have big implications for health care in general and Medicaid in particular. And in the Democratic presidential primary, Elizabeth Warren is catching flak from all sides over her “Medicare For All” plan. This week, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Caitlin Owens of Axios and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Laura Ungar, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month.” For “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.
Diferente a la cocaína de antes: más muertes por droga contaminada
By Laura Ungar
November 25, 2019
KFF Health News Original
El poderoso opioide fentanilo a menudo se mezcla con cocaína, convirtiendo el estimulante en un asesino mucho más grande que la droga del pasado.