Latest KFF Health News Stories
Study Finds Nearby Retail Clinics Don’t Drive Down ER Visits
The results suggest that retail clinics may not provide a solution for reducing unnecessary emergency department visits, researchers say.
‘A Huge Improvement’: Study Finds Inmates Benefit From Much Shorter TB Treatment
A three-month drug regimen to treat latent TB in a California jail system was just as effective as the standard nine-month approach — and the patients were far more likely to finish treatment.
Could Legalizing Pot Diminish California’s Gains Against Smoking?
Some experts worry that smoking pot could lead to use of tobacco, but proponents of marijuana legalization argue that the two products are different and should not be conflated.
Surgeon General Murthy Wants America To Face Up To Addiction
More people struggle with alcohol or drugs than have cancer, and 1 in 5 Americans binge drink. It all costs the nation $420 billion a year. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says we know how to help.
Blue Shield, California’s Biggest Obamacare Insurer, Vows It’s Not ‘Running For The Hills’
The company’s CEO also dismisses Trump’s notion of selling insurance plans across state lines, calling it ‘perplexing.’
Electing To ‘Opt Out’ Of Obamacare
Despite tax penalties, opponents of the nation’s health law are emboldened by President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to scrap it. Others wonder why they should bother signing up.
A Consumer’s Guide To Medicare’s New Rules On Doctor Pay
Federal officials have released final regulations for the new program, which will reward physicians for providing high quality, efficient care.
Children’s Hospital Partnership Boosts Care For Sick Kids
An innovative partnership in which a children’s hospital shares revenue and costs with a community hospital helps improve access to specialized care.
Aborto por correo: mejor acceso pero fuerte controversia
Un pequeño estudio está evaluando la eficacia de enviar píldoras por correo, luego de una consulta médica por internet, para que las mujeres puedan tener el aborto en la intimidad del hogar.
As Non-Medical Vaccine Exemptions Grow, Texas Parents Seek Transparency In Schools
Although the state has an overall high level of vaccinations, some people are concerned about growing pockets with high numbers of children who are not immunized.
Podcast: The GOP’s Path To ‘Repeal And Replace’ May Not Be So Easy
KHN’s Julie Rovner and Mary Agnes Carey, The New York Times’ Margot Sanger-Katz and The Lancet’s Richard Lane discuss the future of the Affordable Care Act under GOP control of both the White House and Capitol Hill.
Obamacare: indiferencia y pánico ante los cambios
Las 20 millones de personas que han ganado cobertura bajo la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible (ACA) aún no saben cómo sus vidas cambiarán bajo la presidencia de Donald Trump, y las reacciones van de la ansiedad a la apatía.
Obamacare y Trump: ¿qué puede pasar con su plan de salud?
Respuestas a las preguntas de los consumidores que tienen planes, o quieren comprar uno, en los mercados de salud.
Some Panic, Others Shrug At Prospect Of Losing Obamacare
Consumers who feel they pay too much for skimpy coverage may welcome Donald Trump’s changes to the health law, but those who are sick are deeply worried.
Despite Anger At Health Law’s Mandate, GOP Plans Could Also Have Penalties
President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that he would like to keep the health law’s ban on preexisting conditions. But that only works if insurers can be guaranteed a robust market, so Republicans must figure out a way to coax in healthy customers.
Medical Device Employees Are Often In The O.R., Raising Concerns About Influence
The “reps,” who are there to answer any technical questions that arise during surgery, also often cultivate close relationships with the doctors, leading to questions about how much influence they wield.
Community Paramedics Work To Link Patients With Mental Health Care
Training these first responders to identify people who are suffering from mental illness and connect them with treatment other than the emergency room could be part of the solution to gaps in the nation’s mental health system.
Abortion By Mail Delivers Promise For Better Access But Political Questions Remain
The experiment — involving 50 women in Hawaii, Oregon, New York and Washington — breaks ground by letting women get an abortion without visiting a clinic.
Study: Many Caregivers Spend $7K Annually Out Of Pocket
Caregivers often pay some housing, medical, transportation and other living expenses for those they help, an AARP survey finds.
Republicans Likely To ‘Give Themselves Time’ To Set Health Law Replacement
KHN’s Julie Rovner joins a panel on ‘NewsHour’ to talk about how the new Trump administration and congressional Republicans might seek to repeal and replace the federal health law.