Latest KFF Health News Stories
Gaps In Women’s Health Care May Derail Zika Prevention In Texas, Florida
In these two high-risk states, public health workers face challenges in educating women about the virus and minimizing its impact.
If Zika Concerns Might Derail A Trip, Consider ‘Cancel-For-Any-Reason’ Plans
Consumers planning a vacation who have worries about health issues may want to look into travel insurance that allows them to cancel the trip for any reason.
By Sharing Painkillers, Friends And Family Members Can Fuel Opioid Epidemic: Study
New research also highlights the public’s lack of knowledge regarding the proper ways to store and dispose of these highly addictive prescriptions.
As Hospital Chains Grow, So Do Their Prices For Care
The average patient stay costs $4,000 more at Sutter and Dignity hospitals than at other California medical centers, study shows.
Legal Medical Abortions Are Up In Texas, But So Are DIY Pills From Mexico
Women seeking an abortion in restrictive Texas now often pick the medical version, thanks to FDA rules making it easier. Others seek cheaper pills in Mexico, and aren’t getting guidance from a doctor.
Medicare’s Efforts To Curb Backlog Of Appeals Not Sufficient, GAO Reports
Investigators from the GAO call for HHS to improve oversight of the Medicare appeals process and streamline it to make sure repetitive claims are handled more efficiently.
Customers’ Pot Smoking May Not Be A Deal Breaker For Life Insurers
A survey of officials at life insurance companies finds that many factor in marijuana use when considering coverage, but they are often concerned about the frequency of use.
For Doctors-In-Training, A Dose Of Health Policy Can Help The Medicine Go Down
Medical residents at George Washington University spend three weeks examining and diagnosing the nation’s health care system.
At This Medical School, Students Mix Science And Health Policy
Health policy is far from an afterthought at George Washington University, where med students begin tackling the knotty topic in their first semester.
HHS Announces Plans To Curtail Consumers’ Use Of Short-Term Insurance Policies
The plans, which do not qualify as coverage under the Affordable Care Act and put consumers at risk of a tax penalty, can siphon healthy people away from the online marketplaces because they are generally less expensive.
A New Sort Of Consultant: Advising Doctors, Patients On California’s Aid-In-Dying Law
A Berkeley doctor begins an unusual practice as a law takes effect this week permitting doctors to prescribe lethal medications to terminally ill patients who request them.
FDA Eases Paperwork To Help Some Patients Get Experimental Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration has introduced a simplified form that doctors will use to seek FDA approval to treat seriously ill patients with experimental drugs after other options run out.
Calif. Senate Nixes Bill Requiring Disclosures From Disciplined Doctors
The proposal would have required physicians and other medical clinicians to tell their patients if they were on probation for serious offenses.
Students Fill A Gap In Mental Health Care For Immigrants
Latinos who’ve recently arrived in the U.S. often have poor access to health care, mental health treatment in particular. UNC Charlotte is among several universities trying to change that.
Study Suggests Federal Standard May Be Thwarting Some Transplant Patients
Researchers report that performance standards set by federal health officials may have led to many patients being dropped from transplant lists without improving survival rates.
Despite New Access To Health Insurance, Drug-Treatment Rates For Ex-Offenders Barely Changed
More emerging prisoners are covered by Medicaid, but they still face barriers in navigating the health system, researchers said.
Factors Beyond Coverage Limit Mental Health Care Access
According to a new study, the health law’s insurance expansions have helped more people gain access to mental health services. But racial and ethnic disparities continue.
Florida Stores Help Consumers Buy Imported Drugs Despite Federal Ban
Thousands of Floridians patronize storefront businesses that help them buy cheaper drugs online from Canada and other countries, but the Food and Drug Administration calls the practice illegal and risky.
Regulators Probing Whether Health Net Is Stiffing Drug Treatment Providers
Insurance officials in California have received widespread complaints that the insurer has not paid rehab centers for months, as the company sifts claims for fraud.
Details On Death Certificates Offer Layers Of Clues To Opioid Epidemic
Deaths from opioid overdoses are on the rise, and we know that because of data on death certificates. States determine who fills them out and what information they record. And that can vary widely.