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Latest KFF Health News Stories

More Psych Hospital Beds Are Needed for Kids, but Neighbors Say Not Here

KFF Health News Original

Amid a youth mental health crisis and a shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds, residents of a St. Louis suburb opposed a plan to build a 77-bed pediatric mental health hospital. Resistance to such facilities has occurred in other communities as misconceptions about mental health spur fear.

Trump HHS Eliminates Office That Sets Poverty Levels Tied to Benefits for at Least 80 Million People

KFF Health News Original

Recent cuts eliminated a small, specialized workforce that sets the poverty standards determining who is eligible for Medicaid as well as assistance with food, home heating, child care, and more.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Dismantling of HHS

Podcast

A week into the reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services announced by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the scope of the staff cuts and program cutbacks is starting to become clear. Among the biggest targets for reductions were the nation’s premier public health agencies: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the […]

RFK Jr.’s Purge of FOIA Staff at FDA Spares People Working on Covid Vaccine Lawsuits

KFF Health News Original

A purge of FDA staff spared some people tasked with responding to a judge’s orders to disclose government records on covid vaccines, according to agency employees. The FOIA litigation was brought by Aaron Siri, an ally of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s who represents anti-vaccine interests.

Tax Time Triggers Fraud Alarms for Some Obamacare Enrollees

KFF Health News Original

Consumers who were enrolled fraudulently in Affordable Care Act coverage could receive unexpected tax bills — the first and possibly only clue they were a victim of fraud. Getting help may become difficult as federal workers are laid off and funding for assistance programs is cut.

Se cancelan clínicas de vacunación por recortes federales, mientras aumentan los casos de sarampión

KFF Health News Original

Los esfuerzos de inmunización en todo el país se vieron afectados después que los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades cancelaran abruptamente $11.400 millones en fondos relacionados con covid-19 que se usaban para muchas vacunas.

This Bill Aims To Help Firefighters With Cancer. Getting It Passed Is Just the Beginning.

KFF Health News Original

Amid the Los Angeles wildfires, California’s U.S. senators cosponsored legislation that would provide support to first responders who develop or die from service-related cancers. But those involved with similar efforts say the road to implementation is rough and paved with long waits, restrictive eligibility requirements, and funding issues.

Slashed Federal Funding Cancels Vaccine Clinics Amid Measles Surge

KFF Health News Original

Federal funding cuts, though temporarily blocked by a judge, have upended vaccination clinics across the country, including in Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, and Washington state, amid a rise in vaccine hesitancy and a resurgence of measles.

Federal Judge Blocks Mandate on Nursing Home Staffing

KFF Health News Original

A federal judge in Texas blocked a Biden administration rule to boost staffing at nursing homes. The decision comes even though many homes lack enough workers to maintain residents’ care.

For Opioid Victims, Payouts Fall Short While Governments Reap Millions

KFF Health News Original

Pharmaceutical companies accused of fueling the nation’s opioid crisis are paying state and local governments billions of dollars in legal settlements. But how much are victims who suffered addiction and overdoses getting?

Public Health Risks of Urban Wildfire Smoke Prompt Push for More Monitoring

KFF Health News Original

As the fires burned in Los Angeles, scientists and local air regulators deployed monitors to measure the levels of heavy metals, carcinogens, and other toxic substances released into the air when homes, buildings, and cars burned. They hope their efforts will inform ongoing cleanup efforts and protect the public in future fires.

Rural Hospitals Question Whether They Can Afford Medicare Advantage Contracts

KFF Health News Original

Some rural hospitals have canceled — or are considering ending — contracts with insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans, saying the private policies jeopardize their finances and impede patient care.

Firings at Federal Health Agencies Decimate Offices That Release Public Records

KFF Health News Original

The Department of Health and Human Services’ mass firings included people who fulfill Freedom of Information Act requests for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and FDA, which result in the release of records about government handling of infectious diseases, medical products, and safety problems in health facilities.