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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Robotic Surgical Tool, Not Medical Evidence, Drives Free Hernia Screenings

KFF Health News Original

Hospitals around the country are promoting free hernia screenings that tout their robotic surgery tools. But some experts warn such screenings could lead people to get potentially harmful operations that they don’t need.

Migrant Moms Await Due Dates And Court Dates

KFF Health News Original

A growing number of pregnant women are among the migrants seeking asylum in the United States. Many must wait in Mexico until their cases are heard, spending weeks or months in migrant shelters with limited access to health care.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Cue The Drug Price Debate

KFF Health News Original

Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee unveiled their long-awaited proposal to try to rein in prescription drug costs, even as bipartisan leaders of the other Senate committee that oversees health announced it would not bring its drug price bill to the Senate floor until fall. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this, plus court actions on health issues.

Your Go-To Guide To Decode Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

Kaiser Health News gives you a user-friendly toolkit to help patients understand some of the ins and outs of medical billing, what to do if you receive a surprise medical bill and things to keep in mind before getting medical care.

On A Mission To Help People Control Diabetes — And Save Money On Insulin

KFF Health News Original

Patients with Type 2 diabetes are often steered toward medicine or insulin treatment. But with additional support, it’s possible to use diet and exercise to control blood sugar. The rising price of insulin drives patients to lower their dependence on the medicine.

When A Doctor’s Screen Time Detracts From Face Time With Patients

KFF Health News Original

Electronic health records can help reduce medical errors, but when not used well they can strain the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Wei Wei Lee, an internist with the University of Chicago Medicine, has developed strategies to make sure tech is a tool, not a barrier.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Real Lessons Doctors Can Learn From Fake Patients

KFF Health News Original

Are physicians asking patients the right questions in order to provide good care? Laser-focused on biomedical symptoms, some doctors miss the psychosocial factors that can be a barrier to good health. In Episode 7 of the podcast, we hear about a creative study that uncovers how some medical errors happen.

Why It’s So Hard To Predict How Much Funding 9/11 First Responders Need

KFF Health News Original

Eighteen years ago, most first responders were not thinking about their future health when they spent hours searching “The Pile” for the remains of terror victims. Today, their illnesses are a slow-moving epidemiological nightmare that has been as difficult for scientists to study as it has been easy for politicians to overlook.

¿Quieres retirarte y vivir en el exterior? Medicare no viaja muy bien

KFF Health News Original

De 2012 a 2017, el número de trabajadores jubilados que vivían en países extranjeros y que recibían beneficios del Seguro Social creció casi un 15%, a más de 413,000, según la Administración del Seguro Social.

Child Drowning Rates Drop As Communities Adopt Stricter Building Codes

KFF Health News Original

Children are far less likely to drown than they were in the 1980s, in California and across the nation. Experts say state and local laws that require more fencing and security features around family swimming pools have made a difference and should be expanded nationwide.

Dream Of Retiring Abroad? The Reality: Medicare Doesn’t Travel Well

KFF Health News Original

More than 400,000 U.S. workers have retired in foreign countries and their ranks are rising. But Medicare doesn’t cover most expenses overseas, so these expats will need to confront the cost of finding alternative insurance.