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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Doctor To The Stars Disciplined Over Use Of Controversial Menopause Therapy 

KFF Health News Original

Dr. Prudence Hall has made a name for herself in the field of “bioidentical hormones” — plant-based compounds purportedly customized for each patient’s needs. Experts say the popular approach is unproven; California regulators say she was grossly negligent in her care of two patients.

Confusión deja a niños de bajos ingresos en un limbo de atención de salud

KFF Health News Original

Bajo la ley federal, los niños son elegibles para una amplia gama de servicios, pero proveedores confundidos y los planes de salud a menudo solo consideran los pocos servicios aprobados para los adultos.

The Remedy For Surprise Medical Bills May Lie In Stitching Up Federal Law

KFF Health News Original

The wide-ranging law has the potential to blindside many consumers whose health care comes from company and union health plans that are “self-funded,” meaning they pay claims out of their own funds.

Insulin’s Steep Price Leads To Deadly Rationing

KFF Health News Original

Alec Raeshawn Smith was 23 when diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and 26 when he died. He couldn’t afford $1,300 per month for his insulin and other diabetes supplies. So he tried to stretch the doses.

The High Cost Of Hope: When The Parallel Interests Of Pharma And Families Collide

KFF Health News Original

Desperate for help in finding a lifesaving drug for a fatal genetic disease, families banded together to fund early research and then worked with drug companies on clinical trials and marketing. Yet, this small patient advocacy group is stunned by pharma’s pricing.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health Policy Goes To Court

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Alice Ollstein of Politico talk about the latest court challenge to the Affordable Care Act, nomination hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and news from the reproductive health front. Plus, Rovner interviews Chad Terhune about the latest KHN/NPR “Bill of the Month” installment.

Look-Up: Infection Risk Factors At Nursing Homes Near You

KFF Health News Original

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the body’s response to an infection. Explore infection risk factors at nursing homes in your state. This tool tracks infection-related deficiencies and staffing levels for nursing homes that take Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Avoidable Sepsis Infections Send Thousands Of Seniors To Gruesome Deaths

KFF Health News Original

No one tracks sepsis cases closely enough to know how often these severe infections turn fatal. But the toll — both human and financial — is enormous, finds an investigation by KHN and the Chicago Tribune.

California: A Health Care Laboratory With Mixed Results

KFF Health News Original

California frequently innovates to address its wide-ranging health care needs, but it has not always achieved its aims. A series of articles in the journal Health Affairs shows, among other things, that efforts to care for HIV patients, provide better access to reproductive services for low-income women and fill gaps in primary care have sometimes fallen flat.

As California Hospitals Sweep Up Physician Practices, Patients See Higher Bills

KFF Health News Original

A Health Affairs study quantifies the financial effects of such mergers on consumers and their insurers. The hospital industry and doctor practices say the consolidation leads to better coordination of care.