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Meet The Health Officials Who Alerted The World To The Alarming Vaping Illness

By Lauren Weber September 25, 2019 KFF Health News Original

Without the teamwork, communication and quick action of several veteran health officials in Wisconsin, the world might not know about the vaping illness the U.S. is battling today. This is their story.

A Jolt To The Jugular! You’re Insured But Still Owe $109K For Your Heart Attack

By Chad Terhune August 27, 2018 KFF Health News Original

A Texas teacher, 44, faces a “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary for a heart attack he never expected to have.

Meth Trip Or Mental Illness? Police Who Need To Know Often Can’t Tell

By Martha Bebinger, WBUR November 1, 2019 KFF Health News Original

The calming techniques that officers learn during training to intervene in a mental health crisis don’t seem to work as well when a suspect is high on meth. Meth calls can be much more dangerous, police say.

Flavor Bans Multiply, But Menthol Continues to Divide

By Ana B. Ibarra November 8, 2019 KFF Health News Original

As states and communities ban the sale of flavored tobacco products linked to vaping, anti-smoking activists are piggybacking on the momentum to target menthol cigarettes. But some African Americans say menthol cigarette bans will lead to discrimination.

Democrats, Republicans Unite Against Much-Hated Surprise Medical Bills At Hearing In Rare Bipartisan Battle

April 3, 2019 Morning Briefing

Not everyone in the health industry, though, is feeling quite as gung-ho as Congress. Hospitals and some medical-specialty groups say that the federal government shouldn’t dictate terms between private business, and that establishing rates for out-of-network bills could be a slippery slope that later leads to broader rate setting.

The $109K Heart Attack Bill Is Down To $332. What About Other Surprise Bills?

By Chad Terhune August 31, 2018 KFF Health News Original

“I don’t feel any consumer should have to go through this,” says Drew Calver, who faced a life-changing surprise bill from an Austin hospital after a heart attack last year. After attention as a “Bill of the Month” patient, he paid the hospital $332. But he worries about other patients with surprise bills.

Surgeon General’s Marijuana Warning Omits Crucial Context

By Shefali Luthra November 15, 2019 KFF Health News Original

Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the drug has a “unique impact” on the developing brain ⁠— technically true, but neglecting a vital comparison to other drugs, as well as shortcomings in the existing research.

State Lawmakers Eye Federal Dollars To Boost Mental Health Counseling By Peers

By Rob Waters July 1, 2019 KFF Health News Original

Medicaid pays for mentoring of mental health patients by “peer supporters,” but only if they are state-certified. California is one of two states with no certification program. Legislation pending in Sacramento would change that — if the governor backs it.

States Have Been Leading The Charge Against Surprise Medical Bills–Can Congress Catch Up?

April 5, 2019 Morning Briefing

At least 25 states now have laws protecting patients from surprise out-of-network bills. Now, there’s starting to be more movement in Congress over the issue, which both Republicans and Democrats have spoken out against. In other news: outpatient prices outpace in-office costs for same treatments, and why cash rewards are powerful enough to change consumers’ behavior.

Despite Failed Promises, Stem Cell Advocates Again Want Taxpayers To Pony Up Billions

By Ana B. Ibarra August 16, 2019 KFF Health News Original

California’s stem cell agency, created by a $3 billion bond measure 15 years ago, is almost out of money. Its supporters plan to ask voters for even more funding next year, even though no agency-funded treatments have been approved for widespread use.

Readers And Tweeters Demand Action On Gun Violence, Mental Health Care Options

December 3, 2018 KFF Health News Original

Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Playing On Fear And Fun, Hospitals Follow Pharma In Direct-To-Consumer Advertising

By Shefali Luthra November 19, 2018 KFF Health News Original

Hospitals are increasingly advertising medical services directly to patients to enhance their national brands. They think the image building improves their ability to negotiate with health plans and brings in wealthier patients.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health On The Hill

September 20, 2018 KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico talk about a spate of health-related legislative action on Capitol Hill, including Senate passage of a bill to address the opioid epidemic. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week.

As Medicare Enrollment Nears, Popular Price Comparison Tool Is Missing

By Susan Jaffe October 8, 2019 KFF Health News Original

For more than a decade, customers used the online plan finder to compare dozens of policies. Yet after a redesign of the website, the search results no longer list which plan offers a customer the best value. Federal officials say it will be fixed before enrollment begins next week.

Draft Proposal To Protect Patients From Surprise Medical Bills Eschews Arbitration Method Favored By Hospitals

May 15, 2019 Morning Briefing

The bipartisan measure instead sets up a process for determining how much the insurance company needs to pay the medical providers for the out-of-network care, basing the payments on the usual rates in that geographic area. “There is no question this proposal would transfer a bargaining power from providers to insurers — a fact that is sure to have provider groups up in arms,” Benedic Ippolito of the American Enterprise Institute tells Modern Healthcare. In other news from Capitol Hill: “Medicare for All,” detention centers, and a caucus for female veterans.

‘We Vape, We Vote’: How Vaping Crackdowns Are Politicizing Vapers

By Rachel Bluth and Lauren Weber October 10, 2019 KFF Health News Original

In response to the crackdowns on vaping, those who use or sell the e-cigarette products are mobilizing. Touting the “We Vape, We Vote” slogan, this burgeoning movement is positioning itself to be a factor in 2020 elections.

When Caring For A Sick Spouse Shakes A Marriage To The Core

By Judith Graham November 7, 2019 KFF Health News Original

A long illness creates a real risk: that the relationship will be undermined and essential emotional connections lost.

In The Battle Of The Fitness Trackers, The Most Steps Might Not Win

By Bruce Horovitz July 30, 2019 KFF Health News Original

Fitness trackers took off about a decade ago, and it’s not unusual for devoted walkers to log several miles a day. But is such a feat necessary?

How To Get A Cheaper Prescription Before Leaving The Doctor’s Office

By Phil Galewitz July 10, 2019 KFF Health News Original

A pricing tool embedded in their electronic health record and prescribing system lets doctors see how much patients will pay out-of-pocket based on their insurance and the pharmacy. But doctors have been slow to adopt the technology, which has limitations.

California Requires Suicide Prevention Phone Number On Student IDs

By Mark Kreidler August 30, 2019 KFF Health News Original

The new law, a response to escalating suicide rates among teens, is intended to ensure students know that immediate help is available if they need it.

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