Data Center Health Worries Animate Midterm Campaigns
Opposition to the rapid emergence of data centers in states such as Ohio and Arizona has ginned up activism and unified voters. A range of public health issues have played into the resistance.
Southern Bureau
KFF Health News tells the stories of Georgia and the rest of the South.
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She Needed an EpiPen. But First, an Urgent Care Asked Her To Pay.
An uninsured woman sought help at a Virginia urgent care center after being stung by a wasp. She said she was stunned when the center asked her to pay before giving her a shot to reverse her allergic reaction.
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Remember This Acronym Next Time You’re Facing a Big Medical Decision: B.R.A.I.N.
If your doctor recommends a big test or procedure, this tool can help you talk through options collaboratively. It works at a routine checkup or in high-stakes medical situations like childbirth.
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Jacksonville, Florida’s Gun Violence Is Rooted in Redlining and Homes Built on Toxic Waste
Poisons from Jacksonville, Florida’s “Brown’s Dump” seeped into the lifeblood of residents. The harm to their physical and mental health is tied today to another public health crisis: high rates of gun violence among children.
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The Cost of Healthcare Is Hitting America Where It Hurts: The Wallet
Rising healthcare costs are upending the lives of Americans. People are forgoing health insurance, rationing medications, cutting back on doctor visits, and putting off health procedures they can’t afford. But bringing the costs down won’t be easy.
By Renuka Rayasam and Sam Whitehead -
Many Medicare Patients Could Lose Access to Remote Monitoring Devices
A proposed federal rule could dramatically reduce access to remote patient monitoring programs for people on Medicare. The services aim to keep patients out of the hospital by giving them devices to monitor their health at home, but critics say there isn’t enough oversight.
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Medicaid at Risk for Hundreds of Thousands of Lawfully Present Immigrants
Hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants could lose government health coverage. This change stems from healthcare cuts in a GOP budget law. KFF Health News’ Andrew Jones tells WAMU’s “Health Hub” which Medicaid enrollees are affected and shares resources for newly uninsured people in the Washington, D.C., area.
By Andrew Jones -
Job-Based Health Plan Costs Rise, With Little Relief in Sight
Employers saw their healthcare premiums rise 5% this year — and some passed on that burden to workers — as the cost of family coverage in job-based insurance exceeds $28,000 for family plans.
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Trump Dangles Rural Health Dollars To Push States To Change Hospital Laws
The Trump administration has tied billions in rural health funding for states partly to the policy commitments they make, including ending their certificate of need, or CON, laws governing the construction of new hospitals.
By Andrew Jones -
‘Go to Canada’: Trump Touted Americans’ Access to Cheaper Drugs. A New Rule Threatens It.
The Trump administration pushed back a rule — until after the midterm elections — that would complicate Americans’ access to less expensive medication imports from Canada and other countries.
By Arthur Allen -
New Arrivals in the ER? Georgia Gears Up To Solve Rural Maternal Health Crisis
Most of Georgia’s counties are without a labor and delivery unit. To fill the gap, the state is looking to equip emergency rooms to handle obstetric emergencies. Advocates and doctors worry, however, that the ER is being used as a stopgap.
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After Booting 760K People From ACA Plans, Trump Administration Has Added Some Back
The Trump administration has provided few details about its process for canceling hundreds of thousands of Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollments — even as the next stage of the anti-fraud effort is underway.
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Hidden Help
7 Takeaways From an Investigation Into Financial Aid at Texas Hospitals
Hospitals can prevent medical debt by preemptively wiping out a patient’s bill. But a Tradeoffs analysis finds that few nonprofit facilities in Texas use this tool to the maximum benefit of patients.
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Hidden Help
What Texas Reveals About the Obstacles to Getting Hospital Financial Aid
Hospitals can prevent medical debt by offering financial help before sending big bills. A Tradeoffs investigation found that nearly half of nonprofit facilities in Texas say they will bill patients before screening them for aid. And most will not offer refunds to patients who pay and are later found to qualify for free care.
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Aging Life Care Managers Can Be a ‘Godsend’ for Families
These service providers, formerly known as geriatric care managers, can arrange a move to a senior living facility, deal with Medicare and Medicaid, recommend doctors, drive a client to the dentist, and much more.
By Paula Span -
The Sometimes-Awkward Art of Asking for a Second Opinion
A doctor has recommended a course of action that is invasive, expensive, or somehow different from what you'd prefer. Is it OK to get a second opinion? The answer is yes. Here’s how to make the ask a little less awkward.
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Fears About Kids’ Online Safety Unite Democrats and Republicans
Amid a decline in youth mental health, momentum builds for a federal crackdown on social media companies over protections for kids.
By Darius Tahir -
‘We Are Seen as Disposable’: Rural Residents Fight a Proposed Gas Pipeline
Research shows natural gas pipelines — and the public health risks they carry — are concentrated in low-income and minority areas where people suffer higher rates of poverty and physical disabilities and have fewer means to respond to crises.
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News analysis
‘Medicare for All’ Is Back. Now Comes the Hard Part.
At a time when more than 100 million Americans carry medical debt, it’s easy to get behind a promise of free, or free-ish, no-hassle health care. But turning an inspirational slogan into law gets gnarly.
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Food Aid Enrollment Tanks After SNAP Rule Changes
It’s been more than a year since President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and SNAP enrollment is down more than 20% in Louisiana. Anti-hunger groups say far more people could lose access if states are required to cover more of the food program’s cost.