Proposed Rule Would Make Hospital Prices Even More Transparent
By Julie Appleby
August 14, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A Biden administration proposal would help standardize the data on prices that hospitals provide to patients, increase its usefulness to consumers, and boost enforcement. Previous rules gave hospitals too many loopholes.
‘Conscience’ Bills Let Medical Providers Opt Out of Providing a Wide Range of Care
By Carly Graf
August 3, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Opponents of the wave of state legislation say the measures place health providers’ preferences over patients’ rights.
WHO Overturns Dogma on Airborne Disease Spread. The CDC Might Not Act on It.
By Amy Maxmen
May 1, 2024
KFF Health News Original
After grave missteps in the covid pandemic, the World Health Organization revisited the science and now confirms that many respiratory viruses are inhaled as airborne particles. The new framework implies that stopping transmission relies on costly measures like ventilation and masking.
A Covid Test Medicare Scam May Be a Trial Run for Further Fraud
By Susan Jaffe
May 18, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Before the covid-19 public health emergency ended, Medicare advocates around the country noticed a rise in complaints from beneficiaries who received at-home covid tests they never requested. Bad actors may have used seniors’ Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, say federal investigators.
Health Care Workers Push for Their Own Confidential Mental Health Treatment
By Katheryn Houghton
February 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Montana may join about a dozen other states in creating “safe havens” that keep health care professionals from facing scrutiny from licensure boards for seeking mental health or addiction treatment.
New Eligibility Rules Are a Financial Salve for Nearly 2 Million on Medi-Cal
By Bernard J. Wolfson
February 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Nearly 2 million Medi-Cal enrollees, mainly people who are aged, disabled, or in long-term care, can now accumulate savings and property without limitations and still qualify for the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents. They join an additional roughly 12 million enrollees who already had no asset limits.
Medi-Cal Enrollees in California: Here’s How to Verify Your Eligibility
By Bernard J. Wolfson
May 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
California’s safety-net health program has resumed annual eligibility checks after three years, which means beneficiaries will need to provide updated personal information to maintain coverage. Here’s what to watch for.
The Business of Clinical Trials Is Booming. Private Equity Has Taken Notice.
By Rachana Pradhan
December 2, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Private equity-backed Headlands Research heralded its covid-19 vaccine trials as a chance to boost participation among diverse populations, then it shuttered multiple sites that conducted them.
Want a Clue on Health Care Costs in Advance? New Tools Take a Crack at It
By Julie Appleby
January 3, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Another effort to make upfront cost comparisons possible in an industry known for its opaqueness: an online tool for consumers to get some idea of what they may pay for medical care.
Covered California’s Insurance Deals Range From ‘No-Brainer’ to Sticker Shock
By Bernard J. Wolfson
December 21, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Families of four with incomes of less than about $40,000 a year can pay no premiums and have low deductibles. For some others, health insurance in 2022 will cost more than in 2021 — in some cases, significantly more.
The NIH Ices a Research Project. Is It Self-Censorship?
By Darius Tahir
August 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The National Institutes of Health appeared to be digging into health misinformation. But then the federal agency stepped back. It can’t quite explain why, sometimes even offering contradictory explanations.
Cardiovascular Disease Is Primed to Kill More Older Adults, Especially Blacks and Hispanics
By Judith Graham
May 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer of older Americans, with Black and Hispanic people at higher risk. Despite medical advances, researchers say, disparities are expected to worsen in the coming decades.
When That Supposedly Free Annual Physical Generates a Bill
By Julie Appleby
October 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Completing a routine depression screening questionnaire during an annual checkup is cost-free under federal law. But, as one woman discovered, answering a doctor’s follow-up questions might not be.
Localize This: Public Reporting of Opioid Settlement Cash
By Aneri Pattani
Updated April 4, 2024
Originally Published March 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News’ recent investigation offers a great opportunity for reporters to investigate an important issue of government accountability from a state or local angle.
Doubts Abound About a New Alzheimer’s Blood Test
By Judith Graham
October 26, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Quest Diagnostics is selling a blood test online to consumers. But results may not be reliable or easy to interpret. And it isn’t covered by insurance.
In This Oklahoma Town, Most Everyone Knows Someone Who’s Been Sued by the Hospital
By Mitchell Black and Noam N. Levey
January 19, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Hospitals nationwide face growing scrutiny over how they secure payment from patients, but at one community hospital, the debt collection machine has been quietly humming along for decades.
Why Medicare Doesn’t Pay for Rapid At-Home Covid Tests
By Michelle Andrews
January 24, 2022
KFF Health News Original
The laws governing Medicare don’t provide coverage for self-administered diagnostic tests, which is precisely what the rapid antigen tests are and why they are an important tool for containing the pandemic.
Montana Adds Protections for Kids in Private Residential Treatment Programs
By Cameron Evans
Updated July 12, 2023
Originally Published July 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Programs in the so-called troubled teen industry will be required to provide a 24-hour hotline and unmonitored video calls with family and be subject to more inspections under a new Montana law.
Ask a Chatbot: ‘What’s for Dinner?’
By Tarena Lofton
May 3, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The AI program ChatGPT can save time and energy spent meal planning, especially for people with dietary restrictions. But be sure to double-check its work, users say.
‘AGGA’ Inventor Testifies His Dental Device Was Not Meant for TMJ or Sleep Apnea
By Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News
December 22, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The FDA and Department of Justice are investigating the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or “AGGA.” TMJ and sleep apnea patients have filed lawsuits alleging the device harmed them. Its inventor now says the AGGA was never meant for these ailments.