Southern Bureau Archives - Page 39 of 61

When an Anti-Vaccine Activist Runs for President

Episode 299

May 25, 2023

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s official entry into the presidential race poses a thorny challenge for journalists: how to cover a candidate who’s opposed to vaccines without amplifying misinformation. And South Carolina becomes the latest state in the South to ban abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani about her project to track the billions of dollars coming from opioid makers to settle lawsuits.

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A photo of a teenage transgender girl being hugged by her mother and father outside.

A Trans Teen No Longer Feels Welcome in Florida. So She Left.

Josie sensed Florida lawmakers were threatening her health care and ability to be herself at school. So she left. Families of other trans youth are plotting exits as well.

By Stephanie Colombini, WUSF

May 25, 2023

A photo of a black doctor showing a black pregnant woman an image of her ultrasound.

A Striking Gap Between Deaths of Black and White Babies Plagues the South

Infant mortality rates across the South are by far the worst in the U.S. A look at South Carolina — where multimillion-dollar programs aimed at improving rates over the past 10 years have failed to move the needle — drives home the challenge of finding solutions, especially in rural communities.

By Lauren Sausser

May 22, 2023

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Unpack Facility School Closures and Federal Investment in Crisis Hotlines

KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

May 20, 2023

Remote Work: An Underestimated Benefit for Family Caregivers

The debate about whether employees should be required to return to the workplace has generally focused on commuting, convenience, and child care. A fourth C, caregiving, has rarely been mentioned.

By Joanne Kenen

May 19, 2023

A photo of an older man receiving computer help from a younger man.

Navigating Aging

When Older Parents Resist Help or Advice, Use These Tips to Cope

Dealing with a stubborn or resistant older parent can be a difficult problem for adult children. Family caregivers and professionals have some hard-won lessons on how to manage these evolving relationships.

By Judith Graham

May 19, 2023

A photo of a pile of covid-19 at-home tests.

A Covid Test Medicare Scam May Be a Trial Run for Further Fraud

Before the covid-19 public health emergency ended, Medicare advocates around the country noticed a rise in complaints from beneficiaries who received at-home covid tests they never requested. Bad actors may have used seniors’ Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, say federal investigators.

By Susan Jaffe

May 18, 2023

A photo of a stethoscope and calculator resting on top of paperwork.

Thousands Face Medicaid Whiplash in South Dakota and North Carolina

Thousands of South Dakotans are being knocked off Medicaid, only to be eligible to requalify several months later. Even more enrollees are likely to experience a temporary loss of coverage in North Carolina.

By Arielle Zionts

May 18, 2023

Lawyer Fees Draw Scrutiny as Camp Lejeune Claims Stack Up

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which became law last year, created a pathway for veterans and their families to pursue damage claims against the government for toxic exposure at the military base. Now, advocates and lawmakers worry high lawyer fees could shortchange those injured.

By Michelle Andrews

May 17, 2023

A wooden picnic table has paper sand brochures laid out on the table and a bench. A banner reading "Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition" hangs on a raining behind the table.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

A Rural County’s Choice: Use Opioid Funds to Pay Off Debt, or Pay Them Forward to Curb Crisis

Greene County, Tennessee, so far has received more than $2.7 million from regional and national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. But most of the money is not going to help people and families harmed by addiction.

By Aneri Pattani

May 16, 2023

A photo of police officers standing behind crime scene tape at the Northside Medical Midtown medical office.

As More Hospitals Create Police Forces, Critics Warn of Pitfalls

Nearly 30 states have active or proposed laws authorizing independent hospital police forces. Groups representing nurses and hospitals say the laws address the daily realities of patients who become aggressive or agitated. But critics worry about unintended consequences.

By Renuka Rayasam

May 15, 2023

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Give Status Reports on the ‘Personhood’ Debate and the HIV Epidemic

KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

May 13, 2023

‘A System in Crisis’: Dysfunctional Federal Disability Programs Force the Poor to Pass Up Money

With little or no income, disability applicants are seeking Social Security early retirement benefits even though it could cost them tens of thousands of dollars in future income, lawyers say.

By Fred Clasen-Kelly

May 12, 2023

A photo of a woman wearing a floral tiara smiling inside her car.

Drive-Thru Baby Showers Serve Express Needs of Pregnant Veterans in Atlanta

Women are the fastest-growing group among U.S. veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs says it is working to meet their health needs, including pregnancy care.

By Jess Mador, WABE

May 11, 2023

A photo of a line of health industry executives sitting next to each other during a Senate HELP Committee hearing.

PBMs, the Brokers Who Control Drug Prices, Finally Get Washington’s Attention

Drugmakers, pharmacies, and physicians blame pharmacy benefit managers for high drug prices. Congress is finally on board, too, but will it matter?

By Arthur Allen

May 11, 2023

A photo of a hand typing on a computer keyboard.

An Outdated Tracking System Is a Key Factor in Texas’ Foster Care Shortcomings

The computer program, designed in 1996 to be a secure location for foster children’s medical and school records and histories of neglect and abuse, is older than Google — and has had far fewer updates.

By Colleen DeGuzman

May 10, 2023

A digital illustration in watercolor and pencil shows a hand holding an ID card in the foreground of the scene. Instead of showing a picture of a person, the ID card shows a microscopic image of an embryo. The ID card reads, “Class: embryo; name: TBD; date of birth: unknown; sex: unknown; weight: unknown; height: unknown; eyes: unknown.” In the background, there is an empty chair where the person holding the ID card might have expected to see a person.

Can a Fetus Be an Employee? States Are Testing the Boundaries of Personhood After ‘Dobbs’

Laws granting rights to unborn children have spread in the decades since the U.S. and Missouri supreme courts allowed Missouri’s definition of life as beginning at conception to stand. Now, a wrongful death lawsuit involving a workplace accident shows how sprawling those laws — often intended to curb abortion — have become.

By Bram Sable-Smith

May 5, 2023

Lead Contamination Surfaces in Affluent Atlanta Neighborhood

The Environmental Protection Agency recently confirmed high lead levels in an upscale Atlanta neighborhood. The location stands in contrast to many polluted sites investigated by the federal Superfund program — often in former industrial or waste disposal areas where environmental racism has left marginalized groups at risk.

By Andy Miller

May 5, 2023

A photo of the exterior of Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

Diagnosis: Debt

Biden Administration Issues New Warning About Medical Credit Cards

Americans paid an estimated $1 billion in deferred interest on medical debt in just three years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports. The agency warns against medical credit cards, which are often pitched right in doctors’ offices.

By Noam N. Levey

May 4, 2023

A photo of a male paramedic taking a woman's blood pressure in her home.

Primary Care Disrupted

Community Paramedics Don’t Wait for an Emergency to Visit Rural Patients at Home

Community paramedicine is expanding nationwide, including in rural areas, as health care providers, insurers, and state governments recognize its potential to improve health and save money.

By Arielle Zionts

May 2, 2023

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