Journalists Broach Topics From Treating Shooting Victims to Sunscreen Safety
May 18, 2024
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News and California Healthline staffers made the rounds on national and local media in the last couple of weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
California Is Investing $500M in Therapy Apps for Youth. Advocates Fear It Won’t Pay Off.
By Molly Castle Work
Updated April 26, 2024
Originally Published April 26, 2024
KFF Health News Original
California launched two teletherapy apps as part of the governor’s $500 million foray into health technology with private companies. But the rollout has been so slow that one company has yet to make its app available on Android, and social workers worry youths who need clinical care won’t get referrals.
Paris Hilton Speaks up for California’s ‘Troubled’ Teens
By Molly Castle Work
April 17, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Heiress Paris Hilton is on a mission to shine a light on the “troubled teen industry,” a largely unregulated multibillion-dollar industry that is gaining public scrutiny for alleged abuse of vulnerable youths. Hilton told state lawmakers in Sacramento on Monday she was subjected to abuse disguised as therapy decades ago when she was housed in […]
Paris Hilton Backs California Bill Requiring Sunshine on ‘Troubled Teen Industry’
By Molly Castle Work
April 17, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton is expanding her campaign for more public reporting on residential therapeutic centers’ use of restraints and seclusion rooms in disciplining teens, setting her sights on legislation in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
Paris Hilton apoya ley en California que exige a la “industria de los jóvenes problemáticos” transparencia sobre cómo los tratan
By Molly Castle Work
April 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Estos programas no tienen supervisión federal y han sido expuestos por disturbios, agresiones e incluso muertes de menores, lo que ha generado una resistencia para proteger los derechos de los jóvenes.
Emergency Physicians Decry Surprise Air-Ambulance Bills
By Molly Castle Work
March 27, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Emergency room doctors say insurers are increasingly declining to cover costly air-ambulance rides for critically ill patients, claiming they aren’t medically necessary. And the National Association of EMS Physicians says the No Surprises Act, enacted in 2022, is partly to blame. The law protects patients from many out-of-network medical bills by requiring insurers and providers […]
A Mom’s $97,000 Question: How Was Her Baby’s Air-Ambulance Ride Not Medically Necessary?
By Molly Castle Work
March 25, 2024
KFF Health News Original
There are legal safeguards to protect patients from big bills like out-of-network air-ambulance rides. But insurers may not pay if they decide the ride wasn’t medically necessary.
Tal vez tu crédito ya no se destruya por una cuenta médica impaga
By Molly Castle Work
March 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Rob Bonta, fiscal general de California, anunció que está apoyando una legislación para impedir que la deuda médica aparezca en los informes de crédito del consumidor.
California Attorney General Boosts Bill Banning Medical Debt From Credit Reports
By Molly Castle Work
March 11, 2024
KFF Health News Original
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has thrown his weight behind state Sen. Monique Limón’s legislation to bar unpaid medical bills from showing up on consumer credit reports. If passed, California would join just a few other states with such protections.
Even in Bright-Blue California, Abortion Is on the Ballot
By Molly Castle Work
February 7, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The race to replace the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is in full swing in California. Although the state enshrined abortion rights into its constitution, the prospect of a national abortion ban has the candidates vying for a Senate seat putting a spotlight on reproductive rights. Or, at least the Democrats are. Steve Garvey, a […]
In Los Angeles, Occupational Therapists Tapped to Help Homeless Stay Housed
By Molly Castle Work
January 24, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Los Angeles County is deploying a small team of occupational therapists to help newly housed individuals adjust to life indoors. Therapists are trained to recognize disabilities and help with basic living skills, such as hygiene and cleanliness, that can help prevent clients from getting evicted or slipping back onto the streets.
New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ for California Mom
By Molly Castle Work
December 19, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Doulas, independent workers who act as advocates for birthing parents, have been shown to help prevent pregnancy complications and improve the health of both mothers and babies. California’s Medicaid program started covering their services this year, but some doulas say bureaucratic obstacles and inadequate pay prevent their effective use.
El condado de Los Angeles ofrece terapia virtual gratuita de salud mental para estudiantes
By Molly Castle Work
December 12, 2023
KFF Health News Original
La teleterapia desempeña un papel cada vez más importante en las escuelas del país, a medida que educadores y trabajadores sociales se enfrentan a la presión de abordar los crecientes problemas de salud mental.
LA County Invests Big in Free Virtual Mental Health Therapy for K-12 Students
By Molly Castle Work
December 12, 2023
KFF Health News Original
California is spending almost $5 billion to address a growing youth mental health crisis. In Los Angeles County, a contract with teletherapy provider Hazel Health is funding free therapy sessions for all interested students. School districts are grateful for the additional support, but express concerns about the remote arrangement.
‘I’m So Burned Out’: Fighting to See a Specialist Amplified Pain for Riverside County Woman
By Molly Castle Work
October 10, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Teresa Johnson has been in extreme pain for more than a year after what she believes was a severe allergic reaction to iodine. Her Medi-Cal plan approved her referral to a specialist, but it took her numerous phone calls, multiple complaints, and several months to book an appointment.
Legislatura aprueba la propuesta de Newsom para reformar la Ley de Servicios de Salud Mental
By Molly Castle Work
September 16, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Newsom prometió que la recién rebautizada Ley de Servicios de Salud Mental construiría 10,000 nuevas camas y viviendas para personas sin hogar con necesidades de salud mental.
California Legislature Passes Gov. Newsom’s Proposal to Retool Mental Health Services Act
By Molly Castle Work
September 15, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The California Legislature greenlighted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest plan to build more housing and increase addiction treatment as part of his response to the state’s homelessness and drug crises.
Patients in California County May See Refunds, Debt Relief From Charity Care Settlement
By Molly Castle Work
August 14, 2023
KFF Health News Original
As hospitals are criticized for skimping on financial assistance, Santa Clara County has agreed to notify 43,000 former patients of possible billing reductions as part of a settlement. Some patients had sued, alleging the county’s hospital system sent them to collections for bills they shouldn’t have received.
As a Union Pushes to Cap Hospital CEO Pay, It’s Accused of Playing Politics
By Molly Castle Work
August 9, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A union is asking Los Angeles city voters to cap hospital executive pay at the U.S. president’s salary. However, hospitals accuse the union of using the proposal as political leverage, and policy experts question whether the policy, if enacted, would be workable.
Advocates Call for 911 Changes. Police Have Mixed Feelings.
By Molly Castle Work
June 23, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Though most California counties are experimenting with dispatching health professionals rather than law enforcement to respond to people experiencing mental health crises, powerful police unions fear defunding.