California Author Uses Dark Humor — And a Bear — To Highlight Flawed Health System
By Rachel Scheier
January 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A new graphic novel by Kathleen Founds follows an angst-ridden bear on his quest for mental health treatment. Founds drew on her own experience with bipolar disorder.
States Step In as Telehealth and Clinic Patients Get Blindsided by Hospital Fees
By Markian Hawryluk
April 3, 2023
KFF Health News Original
At least eight states have implemented or are considering limits on what patients can be billed for the use of a hospital’s facilities even without having stepped foot in the building.
If You’re Worried About the Environment, Consider Being Composted When You Die
By Bernard J. Wolfson
October 11, 2022
KFF Health News Original
The idea of human composting — to help restore a forest or grow flowers — may be a little off-putting to some, but it has many advantages over traditional-but-toxic methods of burial and cremation.
Tacos y pollo al curry: Medi-Cal ofrece comidas preparadas en un experimento de atención médica
By Heidi de Marco and Angela Hart
June 1, 2022
KFF Health News Original
El programa ayuda a personas con diabetes y otras afecciones a comer más sano y a aprender sobre alimentos saludables. Busca mejorar la salud y reducir costos en atención médica.
‘I Just Want to Stay in One Spot’: From Homeless to Housed in Rugged Del Norte
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester
February 18, 2022
KFF Health News Original
California’s homeless crisis is often understood through cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, where the sheer number of people living unsheltered can quickly capsize the programs designed to help them. But in remote counties like Del Norte, California’s Project Homekey is having a tangible impact.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Future of Public Health
September 9, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The covid pandemic has spotlighted the often-unseen role of public health in Americans’ daily lives. And the picture has not all been pretty. What is public health and why is it so important — and controversial? Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, explains the basics. Then, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Lauren Weber of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss what could happen next.
Escasez crónica de salvavidas resalta desigualdades raciales
By Michelle Andrews
June 12, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Cuando las autoridades locales toman decisiones sobre el cierre de piscinas o la reducción de horarios, lo hacen sabiendo que la natación tiene un tenso historial de desigualdades raciales.
Teen Volunteers Get a Foot in the Door for Nursing Home Careers
By Michelle Andrews
July 13, 2021
KFF Health News Original
A group of New York senior living facilities offer teens from 10 underserved schools the chance to volunteer and get free training for entry-level health jobs, career coaching and assistance on college prep.
As Temperatures Rise, So Do the Health Risks for California’s Farmworkers
By Miranda Green and Heidi de Marco
August 23, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Workers who harvest crops ranging from grapes to cauliflower in the Coachella Valley are accustomed to temperatures well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This summer the thermometer has already hit 122, and heatstroke is becoming more common.
Journalists Track Biden’s First 100 Days
May 1, 2021
KFF Health News Original
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Al planificar tu muerte, ¿considerarías que tu cuerpo se usara como fertilizante?
By Bernard J. Wolfson
October 11, 2022
KFF Health News Original
California se ha convertido en el quinto estado que permite este método de eliminación de cadáveres, conocido comúnmente con el nombre más científico de “reducción orgánica natural”.
Climate Change May Push the US Toward the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ for West Nile Virus
By Melissa Bailey
March 28, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Colorado recently recorded the most West Nile virus deaths and cases of neuroinvasive infections in nearly two decades. Scientists warn that climate change will make conditions ripe for more West Nile transmission.
California Ballot Will Be Heavy on Health Care
By Samantha Young
January 7, 2022
KFF Health News Original
In the Nov. 8 general election, California voters will consider overturning the state’s flavored tobacco ban and hiking medical malpractice awards. Other proposals to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, target dialysis clinics and boost public health funding could also be on the ballot, along with a plan to limit business and school closures during public health emergencies.
In PA County Jails, Guards Use Pepper Spray and Stun Guns to Subdue People in Mental Crisis
By Brett Sholtis, WITF
January 9, 2023
KFF Health News Original
An investigation of records from 25 county jails across Pennsylvania showed that nearly 1 in 3 “use of force” incidents by guards involved a confined person who was having a psychiatric crisis or who had a known mental illness.
Adolescentes voluntarios se abren paso como futuros profesionales en hogares de adultos mayores
By Michelle Andrews
July 13, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Desde que se puso en marcha en 2006, el programa de desarrollo para la carrera en geriatría ha ayudado a más de 700 estudiantes de secundaria de 10 escuelas de bajos recursos, en la ciudad de Nueva York, a adquirir experiencia práctica en cuidados geriátricos.
When False Information Goes Viral, COVID-19 Patient Groups Fight Back
By Alex Smith, KCUR
November 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Fear and uncertainty about the coronavirus have made online patient support groups fertile ground for the spread of misinformation. But some in these groups make fact-checking a part of the mission to support fellow COVID sufferers.
As Broad Shutdowns Return, Weary Californians Ask ‘Is This the Best We Can Do?’
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Jenny Gold
November 18, 2020
KFF Health News Original
California’s ping-ponging approach to managing the pandemic — twice reopening large portions of the service sector economy only to shut them again — has residents and business owners on edge. But experts say the push and pull on businesses may be what success looks like in much of the U.S. for months to come, given COVID-19’s pervasive spread.
Temperaturas extremas aumentan los riesgos de salud de los trabajadores agrícolas
By Miranda Green and Heidi de Marco
August 23, 2021
KFF Health News Original
El calor es la principal causa de muerte relacionada con el clima en los Estados Unidos. Entre 1992 y 2017, el estrés por calor mató a 815 trabajadores estadounidenses y lesionó gravemente a más de 70,000, según la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales.
‘Peer Respites’ Provide an Alternative to Psychiatric Wards During Pandemic
By Sarah Kwon
January 11, 2021
KFF Health News Original
A growing number of “peer respites,” nonclinical settings for psychiatric recovery, can help people in distress who mainly need to talk to people who understand their problems.
The Advice to Vaccinate and Test Isn’t Much Help to Parents With Kids Under 5
By Bram Sable-Smith
February 2, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Many parents of children too young for vaccines are exhausted. Some feel isolated and even forgotten by those who just want to move on even as omicron continues to sweep through parts of the country.