La deuda médica afecta a gran parte de EE.UU., pero en especial a inmigrantes en Colorado
By Rae Ellen Bichell Lindsey Toomer, Colorado Newsline
April 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Las luchas del área reflejan una paradoja sobre Colorado. En general, la carga de deuda médica del estado es más baja que la de la mayoría. Pero las disparidades raciales y étnicas son más amplias.
Attacks on Emergency Room Workers Prompt Debate Over Tougher Penalties
By Sejal Parekh
April 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In California, assaulting paramedics or other emergency medical workers in the field carries stiffer fines and jail time than assaulting emergency room staffers. State lawmakers are considering a measure that would standardize the penalties.
Oregon Just Recriminalized Possession Of Small Drug Amounts
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, signed a bill ending a drug decriminalization experiment that was limited by challenges. The new bill does establish a way for treatment to be offered as an alternative to criminal penalties.
HHS: Teaching Hospitals Must Get Consent To Conduct Invasive Exams
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
HHS reinforced to teaching hospitals and medical schools that the law requires patients to provide informed consent before “sensitive examinations” like pelvic exams can take place. Other Biden administration news reports on cybersecurity, the menthol ban, and more.
Florida Court OKs 6-Week Abortion Ban, But Amendment Will Be On Ballot
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The state’s highest court ruled that Florida’s Constitution does not protect abortion access, triggering a strict six-week ban. An amendment protecting abortion was, however, OK’d for November’s ballot. In Kansas, abortion “coercion” was criminalized.
CDC Confirms First Human Case Of Bird Flu In Texas
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
A person in Texas is believed to have been infected with avian flu after “direct contact” with infected dairy cattle in Texas. The case is a rare animal-to-human transmission of the virus, which has been detected in cows in 3 states.
Supreme Court Denies Worker’s Appeal Over Covid Vaccine Refusal
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Supreme Court rejected the case of a worker who was fired from her job at AstraZeneca after refusing to comply with the company’s covid vaccine requirement. She was denied unemployment benefits by Minnesota.
Overworked And Underpaid: Experts Sound Alarm On Primary Doc Shortage
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Also in the news about health care workers: losing trust in the American medical system; residents and fellows at UChicago Medicine move to unionize; California’s Santa Clara County nurses prepare to strike; and more.
Senate Committee Examines Possible ER Care Damage By Private Equity
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The goal is to examine if private equity’s management of a large share of ERs across the country has harmed patients. Separately, Intermountain Health closed Saltzer Health’s multispecialty clinics after not being able to find a buyer.
Study Finds Many Hospital Pneumonia Diagnoses Are Inappropriate
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Misdiagnosed adults in hospitals are almost always given a full antibiotic course for pneumonia that may not be necessary, according to researchers. Also in the news: safer table saws, exercise-related injuries, mental health, and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, April 2, 2024
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
ACA plans, Medicare Advantage payments, bird flu, opioid settlements, patient consent for exams, abortion, and more are in the news.
Biden Administration Confirms 2025 Medicare Advantage Payments To Drop
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Stat notes that the government wasn’t convinced by insurer and lobbyist efforts arguing that Medicare Advantage payouts wouldn’t cover the costs for people using health care. Also, experts warn Medicare coverage for Wegovy could hike monthly payments for many.
First Edition: April 2, 2024
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: It’s Time To Abolish The Comstock Act To Protect Women; Should It Be Legal To Sell Your Kidney?
April 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss an arcane law being used against abortion, selling your kidneys, “Havana Syndrome” and more.
More Patients Are Losing Their Doctors — And Trust in the Primary Care System
By Lynn Arditi, The Public’s Radio
April 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
A shortage of primary care providers is driving more people to seek routine care in emergency settings. In Rhode Island, safety-net clinics are under pressure as clinicians retire or burn out, and patients say it’s harder to find care as they lose connections to familiar doctors.
California Universities Are Required to Offer Abortion Pills. Many Just Don’t Mention It.
By Jackie Fortiér, LAist Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, LAist
April 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
One year after California became the first state to require public universities to provide abortion pills to students, LAist found that basic information for students to obtain the medication is often nonexistent.
ACA Plans Are Being Switched Without Enrollees’ OK
By Julie Appleby
April 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Insurance agents say it’s too easy to access consumer information on the Affordable Care Act federal marketplace. Policyholders can lose their doctors and access to prescriptions. Some end up owing back taxes.
Track Opioid Settlement Payouts — To the Cent — In Your Community
By Aneri Pattani Lydia Zuraw Holly K. Hacker
April 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Want to know how much opioid settlement money your city, county, or state has received so far? Or how much it’s expecting in the future? Use our new searchable database to find out.
Download the Data: Opioid Settlement Payouts
By Lydia Zuraw
April 1, 2024
Page
We encourage any news organization to use the data and localize it for your own reporting.
UnitedHealth To Roll Physician Group Stewardship Health Into Optum
April 1, 2024
Morning Briefing
Stat notes the move is a noteworthy departure for UnitedHealth, which has “gobbled up” many independent physician practices over recent years. Also in the news: concierge physician care, for-profit companies’ psychiatric hospitals, more.
