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.
Personal Medical Debt in Los Angeles County Tops $2.6 Billion, Report Finds
By Molly Castle Work
June 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Medical debt is a leading public health problem, researchers say. Despite the county’s ongoing expansion of health coverage, the prevalence of medical debt remained unchanged from 2017 to 2021.
Medics at UCLA Protest Say Police Weapons Drew Blood and Cracked Bones
By Molly Castle Work Brett Kelman
Updated May 16, 2024
Originally Published May 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In contrast to police statements, volunteer medics said they treated serious wounds as UCLA’s pro-Palestinian protest was besieged by police and counterprotesters, including some injuries that appeared to be caused by “less lethal” projectiles fired by cops.
Médicos que atendieron a manifestantes en la protesta estudiantil en la UCLA dicen que la policía dejó huesos rotos y hemorragias
By Molly Castle Work Brett Kelman
May 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
La protesta de la UCLA, que reunió a miles de personas que se oponen a los continuos bombardeos de Israel sobre la Franja de Gaza, comenzó en abril y alcanzó un peligroso crescendo en mayo, cuando manifestantes pro Israel y la policía se enfrentaron a los activistas y a los que los apoyaban.
Rising Suicide Rate Among Hispanics Worries Community Leaders
By Andy Miller Molly Castle Work
January 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The suicide rate for Hispanics in the United States has increased significantly over the past decade. The reasons are varied, say community leaders and mental health experts, citing factors such as language barriers, poverty, and a lack of bilingual mental health professionals.
What the Health Care Sector Was Selling at the J.P. Morgan Confab
By Molly Castle Work Arthur Allen
January 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
When bankers and investors flocked to San Francisco for the largest gathering of health care industry investors, the buzz was all about artificial intelligence, the next hit weight-loss drug, and new opportunities to make money through nonprofit hospitals.
Líderes comunitarios alarmados por el aumento de la tasa de suicidios en hispanos
By Andy Miller Molly Castle Work
January 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Incluso niños hispanos en edad escolar han intentado hacerse daño o han expresado pensamientos suicidas, indican investigaciones.
Readers Speak Up About Women’s Health Issues, From Reproductive Care to Drinking
April 9, 2024
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
California Is Investing $500M in Therapy Apps for Youth. Advocates Fear It Won’t Pay Off.
By Molly Castle Work
Illustration by Lydia Zuraw
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.
Doctors, Nurses Press Ahead as Wildfires Strain Los Angeles’ Health Care
By Bernard J. Wolfson Molly Castle Work Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times
January 10, 2025
KFF Health News Original
A primary care clinic burned, medical offices closed, and hospitals struggled with possible evacuations. The wildfires that have incinerated large swaths of Los Angeles County are stressing the region’s health care infrastructure. Still, providers continue to find ways to deliver vital care.
Médicos y enfermeras siguen haciendo su trabajo, mientras los incendios jaquean el sistema de salud de Los Ángeles
By Bernard J. Wolfson Molly Castle Work Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times
January 10, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Los incendios que se propagan rápidamente y han transformado gran parte del condado de Los Ángeles en un infierno están poniendo a prueba a hospitales, clínicas de salud, socorristas y hogares de adultos mayores.
