Expectant Mom Needed $15,000 Overnight to Save Her Twins
Doctors rushed a pregnant woman to a surgeon who charged thousands upfront just to see her. The case reveals a gap in medical billing protections for those with rare, specialized conditions.
Southern Bureau
KFF Health News tells the stories of Georgia and the rest of the South.
801-820 of 1,222 results
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As US Life Expectancy Falls, Experts Cite the Health Impacts of Incarceration
In a nation with one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, imprisonment speeds the aging process, research shows. Some experts complain the federal government isn’t collecting or releasing data that could identify disease patterns and prevent deaths.
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How a 2019 Florida Law Catalyzed a Hospital-Building Boom
In Wesley Chapel, Fla., near Tampa, residents will soon have three general hospitals within a five-minute drive. The new construction is part of a hospital-building boom across Florida unleashed almost four years ago, when the state dropped a requirement that companies obtain government approval to open new hospitals.
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As Federal Emergency Declaration Expires, the Picture of the Pandemic Grows Fuzzier
The pandemic gave federal officials expanded power to access crucial data about the spread of covid-19, but that authority will change when the public health emergency sunsets in May. That, along with the end of popular covid trackers, will make it harder for policymakers and the public to keep an eye on covid and other threats.
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US Officials Want to End the HIV Epidemic by 2030. Many Stakeholders Think They Won’t.
The federal government’s ambitious plan to end the HIV epidemic, launched in 2019, has generated new ways to reach at-risk populations in targeted communities across the South. But health officials, advocates, and people living with HIV worry significant headwinds will keep the program from reaching its goals.
By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead -
The Biden Administration Vowed to Be a Leading Voice on Opioid Settlements But Has Gone Quiet
Billions of dollars are headed to state and local governments to address the opioid crisis. Policy experts and advocates expect the federal government to play a role in overseeing the use of the money. Failure to do so, they say, could lead to wasted opportunities. And, since Medicaid helps pay health care costs, the feds could have a claim to portions of states’ opioid settlements.
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Feds Launch Criminal Investigation Into ‘AGGA’ Dental Device and Its Inventor
KFF Health News and CBS News recently reported that multiple lawsuits allege the device has led to grievous injuries to patients’ mouths, resulting in loss of teeth.
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For Uninsured People With Cancer, Securing Care Can Be Like Spinning a Roulette Wheel
When uninsured people are diagnosed with cancer, accessing resources and paying for treatment can be daunting. The safety nets meant to help often fall short, say cancer physicians and health policy experts who study access to care. Some patients find it easier to play the odds.
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Special Medicaid Funds Help Most States, but Prompt Oversight Concerns
Georgia is among 35-plus states that have used an under-the-radar federal funding mechanism to boost payments for hospitals and other providers under Medicaid. But a government watchdog and a congressional advisory commission say sparse oversight makes it hard to tell if the “directed payments” program is meeting its goals.
By Andy Miller -
High Inflation and Housing Costs Force Many Americans to Delay Needed Care
A recent Gallup Poll suggests that Americans are putting off medical care because of costs. Inflation and rising rents make it harder for people to make ends meet.
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The Big Squeeze: More Enrollees and Smaller Networks Plague Some ACA Plans
Despite record enrollment in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, some consumers who bought coverage and agents who helped them do so have had a tough start to the new year: Many say it’s hard to find an in-network doctor or hospital.
A Doctor’s Love Letter to ‘The People’s Hospital’
Season 9, Episode 4Could a charity hospital founded by a crusading Dutch playwright, a group of Quakers, and a judge working undercover become a model for the U.S. health care system? In this episode of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann speaks with Dr. Ricardo Nuila to find out.
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FDA Evaluates ‘Safety Concerns’ Over Dental Devices Featured in KHN-CBS Investigation
A KHN and CBS News investigation found that a dental appliance called the AGGA has been used by more than 10,000 patients, and multiple lawsuits allege it has caused grievous harm to patients.
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In Texas, Medicaid Coverage Ends Soon After Childbirth. Will Lawmakers Allow More Time?
Pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage ends just two months after childbirth in Texas — some advocates and researchers say that cutoff contributes to maternal deaths and illnesses in the state.
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$50 Billion in Opioid Settlement Cash Is on the Way. We’re Tracking How It’s Spent.
Spending the money effectively and equitably is a tall order for state and local governments, and a lack of transparency in the process is already leading to fears of misuse.
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States Try to Obscure Execution Details as Drugmakers Hinder Lethal Injection
Pharmaceutical companies have put the brakes on many states’ ability to execute prisoners using lethal injections. Lacking alternatives, states are trying to keep the public from learning details about how they carry out executions.
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ER’s Error Lands a 4-Year-Old in Collections (For Care He Didn’t Receive)
A Florida woman tried to dispute an emergency room bill, but the hospital and collection agency refused to talk to her — because it was her child’s name on the bill, not hers.
By Daniel Chang -
Truly Random Drug Testing: ADHD Patients Face Uneven Urine Screens and, Sometimes, Stigma
Doctors have no national standards on when to order urine tests to check whether adult ADHD patients are properly taking their prescription stimulants. Some patients are subjected to much more frequent testing than others.
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Banning Noncompete Contracts for Medical Staff Riles Hospitals
It’s about the money — on both sides — as arguments swirl about patient safety, rising prices, and paying back on-the-job training.
By Harris Meyer -
End of Covid Emergency Will Usher in Changes Across the US Health System
The May 11 expiration of the federal government’s pandemic emergency declaration will affect patient care across a broad range of settings, including telemedicine, hospitals, and nursing homes.