Latest KFF Health News Stories
Effort to Decipher Hospital Prices Yields Key Finding: Don’t Try It at Home
Your dutiful columnist tried to make use of a federal “transparency” rule to compare the prices of common medical procedures in two California health care systems. It was a futile exercise.
Drugmakers’ Spending on Stock, Dividends and Executive Pay Exceeds Research, Democrats Say
The pharmaceutical industry argues that large profits are needed to fund extensive research and innovation. But Democrats on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, seeking to bolster their effort to let Medicare negotiate drug prices, say major drug companies plow more of their billions in earnings back into propping up their stock and enriching executives and shareholders.
Delta Variant Surges in Colorado as the Bands Play On
Mesa County is a breeding ground for the covid-19 delta variant, but few would guess with tens of thousands of people flocking to the state’s largest country music festival.
Most Inmates Have Had Their Covid Shots — But Their Guards Likely Haven’t
Hesitancy about the vaccines among prison staffers has led to a striking disparity: Inmates are better protected than corrections officials.
A Family Wellness Check: California Invests in Treating Parents and Children Together
The state will be the first to offer comprehensive counseling services to parents during pediatric visits as part of Medicaid.
Mientras baja la vacunación contra covid, partes de EE.UU. están lejos de la meta del 70%
El 4 de julio no fue la celebración que esperaba el presidente Joe Biden. La nación no alcanzó el objetivo de la Casa Blanca de dar al menos una primera dosis de la vacuna contra covid al 70% de los adultos para el Día de la Independencia.
California’s Highest Covid Infection Rates Shift to Rural Counties
As vaccination rates rise across the state, the overall numbers of covid cases and deaths have plunged. But health officials are still reporting nearly 1,000 new cases and more than two dozen deaths a day. So, where does covid continue to simmer in California? And why?
As Covid Vaccinations Slow, Parts of the US Remain Far Behind 70% Goal
Vermont and Massachusetts lead the nation, with more than 70% of adults having had at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine. Southern states like Tennessee lag far behind.
Paying Billions for Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug? How About Funding This Instead?
Aduhelm, approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month despite questions about its efficacy, could be prescribed to at least 1 million patients a year, for a price tag of about $56 billion. Experts suggest there might be better ways to spend that money.
Rural Ambulance Services Are in Jeopardy as Volunteers Age and Expenses Mount
Experts say rural communities must find new models to keep emergency services afloat as more 911 calls go unanswered.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Tips for Fighting Medical Bills from ProPublica’s Marshall Allen
Veteran health journalist Marshall Allen has been exposing health care grifters for years. Now he’s written a book about how to fight them. Host Dan Weissmann spoke with Allen about some of the best tips from “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win.”
Journalists Discuss Long Covid, Delta Variant, Clinic for Migrants
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
New Research Finds J&J Vaccine Has Muscle Against Covid’s Delta Variant
The data is reassuring to people who got this shot.
Hospital Prices Must Now Be Transparent. For Many Consumers, They’re Still Anyone’s Guess.
A Trump administration rule mandating that hospitals disclose true prices on their websites took effect this year. But compliance is spotty and even when the data is public, it’s hard to find and understand.
California Lawmakers Push Feds to Allow a Therapy That Pays Meth Users to Abstain
The approach, known as contingency management, has helped thousands of veterans kick the methedrine habit, but a federal government ruling has limited its use. California hopes to challenge that and make the treatment a Medi-Cal benefit.
Unprecedented Lobbying Effort Scores Big Win for California Public Health
After years of unstable funding, California’s 2022-23 budget will include a dramatic new investment in public health. Insiders say a powerhouse lobbying campaign made all the difference.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Un-Trumping the ACA
The Biden administration is moving to undo many of the changes the Trump administration made to the enrollment process for the Affordable Care Act to encourage more people to sign up for health insurance. Meanwhile, Congress is opening investigations into the controversial approval by the Food and Drug Administration of an expensive drug that might (or might not) slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of Insider and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, Rovner interviews Marshall Allen of ProPublica about his new book, “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win.”
Cómo un pueblo rural sin farmacia se une para conseguir medicamentos
Walden, en Colorado, ha sufrido el destino de muchos pueblos pequeños, ya que la economía ha dificultado la supervivencia de las farmacias comunitarias.
How One Rural Town Without a Pharmacy Is Crowdsourcing to Get Meds
As more independently owned community pharmacies close, a Colorado town is crowdsourcing ways of getting prescription medicines delivered to those who can’t travel the long distance to the closest pharmacy. But even those stopgap measures don’t always work.
Damage to Children’s Education — And Their Health — Could Last a Lifetime
Black and Hispanic students have lost up to 12 months of learning, which could lead to lower incomes and shorter, sicker lives.