KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Dems Debate Health Care
June 27, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Democratic presidential candidates disagreed on how to fix health care in their first debate Wednesday, although they all called for boosting insurance coverage and lowering prices. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is keeping health care in the news, too, with a new plan to make medical prices more available to the public. Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this, plus the latest in news about bipartisan progress on catch-all legislation to address “surprise” medical bills. Plus, Rovner interviews NPR’s Jon Hamilton about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment.
Trump Promises ‘Phenomenal’ Health Plan. What Might That Mean?
By Julie Appleby
September 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In the background, advisers weigh the risks of rolling out a comprehensive health care proposal. Peering into the crystal ball, here’s a glimpse of what could be included in the GOP plan.
How Obamacare, Medicare And ‘Medicare For All’ Muddy The Campaign Trail
By Shefali Luthra
May 13, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A talking point used by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refers to all three of these distinct concepts in a way that could magnify public misperceptions.
Feds Want To Show Health Care Costs On Your Phone, But That Could Take Years
By Fred Schulte
May 7, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Giving consumers more knowledge about the costs of care has long been desired, but administration officials cautioned it could take two years or more for useful data to appear in a phone app.
Americans More Likely Than Swedes To Fill Prescriptions For Opioids After Surgery
By Julie Appleby
September 4, 2019
KFF Health News Original
New research published in JAMA Network Open quantified for the first time international differences in doctors’ prescribing habits and patients’ use of these highly addictive painkillers.
Firing Doctor, Christian Hospital Sets Off National Challenge To Aid-In-Dying Laws
By JoNel Aleccia
Photos by Heidi de Marco
August 30, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In Colorado case, the right to aid a cancer patient’s death runs up against faith-based hospital policies. As more states have passed laws, about 1 in 6 acute care beds nationally is in a hospital that is Catholic-owned or -affiliated.
For Boomers Reframing Aging, Age-Proofing A Home Won’t Come Cheap
By Sharon Jayson
October 21, 2019
KFF Health News Original
More baby boomers look forward to aging in place — in their homes, rather than in a care facility. But the costs of retrofitting a house is likely prohibitive for many Americans.
Biden Calling ACA A ‘Breakthrough’ For Mental Health Parity Only Highlights Gaps
By Shefali Luthra
July 11, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Did the Affordable Care Act create equal coverage of mental and physical health? Seems true on paper but not always in practice.
Pharma Cash Rolls Into Congress To Defend An Embattled Industry
By Emmarie Huetteman and Jay Hancock and Elizabeth Lucas
August 27, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Congress has a variety of reforms in mind that could roil the drugmaking business and potentially slash prices.
A Medical Sanctuary For Migrant Farmworkers
By John M. Glionna
May 21, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A former farmworker, now a doctor, runs two clinics in California’s Central Valley providing care — often free of charge — for migrants who don’t have money and are deeply worried about the federal government’s hard-line stance on immigration.
Sprained Your Ankle? The Cost Of A Brace Could Sprain Your Wallet.
By Michelle Andrews
May 3, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Your health insurance might not cover items such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and braces, or you may have to deal with a supplier that has a contract with your insurer.
DIY Tech Gives People More Freedom In Managing Diabetes
By Heidi de Marco
August 19, 2019
KFF Health News Original
People with diabetes say they’ve been waiting for years for better technology to manage their chronic condition. Tired of waiting, some tech-savvy, do-it-yourselfers are constructing their own devices using open-source programming instructions.
Bill Of The Month: A College Student’s $17,850 Drug Test
By Fred Schulte
February 16, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with NPR, kicks off a series that will examine and decode your perplexing medical bills.
State Highlights: Physician Alleges Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Retaliated Against Him For Raising Safety Concerns; Humana Fined By Texas For Out-Of-Network Bills
October 12, 2018
Morning Briefing
Media outlets report on news from Texas, Washington, Michigan, Maryland, California, Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Florida.
A Brush With A Notorious Cat, My Rabies Education And The Big Bill That Followed
By Caitlin Hillyard
August 20, 2019
KFF Health News Original
An encounter with a cat led to rabies shots and provided yet another illustration of how confusing, contrary and expensive the American health care system is.
Taken For A Ride? Ambulances Stick Patients With Surprise Bills
By Melissa Bailey
Photos by Heidi de Marco
November 27, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Public outrage over surprise medical bills prompted 21 states to pass consumer protection laws. But these laws largely ignore ambulance rides, which can leave patients stuck with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in bills.
California Hospital Giant Sutter Health Faces Heavy Backlash On Prices
By Chad Terhune
May 16, 2018
KFF Health News Original
In a case with possible national repercussions, the state’s attorney general has sued over alleged price gouging, and other legal and legislative challenges are afoot. Sutter is pushing back hard, denying anticompetitive behavior.
Doctors Can Change Opioid Prescribing Habits, But Progress Comes In Small Doses
By Julie Appleby and Elizabeth Lucas
August 14, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Research out Wednesday indicates that guidelines are making strides in cutting back the number of pain pills doctors offer after specific types of surgeries.
‘Climate Grief’: Fears About The Planet’s Future Weigh On Americans’ Mental Health
By Victoria Knight
July 18, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Although there’s no official clinical diagnosis, the psychiatric and psychological communities have names for the phenomenon of worrying about the Earth’s fate: “climate distress,” “climate grief,” “climate anxiety” or “eco-anxiety.” The concept also is gradually making its way into the public consciousness in television shows and movies.
‘Never Seen Anything Like This’: Food Banks Face Unprecedented Number Of Hungry Americans
April 9, 2020
Morning Briefing
TV footage recently showed cars lined up on the interstate in Pittsburgh waiting in line for food assistance. That scene is typical of the rest of the country, and the industry isn’t built to withstand the need, The New York Times reports. For the next six months, Feeding America, the nation’s largest network of food banks, has projected a $1.4 billion shortfall. In other news on food shortages, celebrity chefs pitch in to help out New York City and the District of Columbia.