Latest KFF Health News Stories
Can I Afford To Keep My Doctor?
Covered California says most consumers can avoid double-digit premium hikes next year if they shop around. But will enrollees be willing to switch plans if it means having to change doctors?
Teaching Future Doctors About Addiction
Most medical schools offer very little education on treating opioid addiction. Stanford University’s medical school is trying to ramp it up.
University Of California OKs $8.5 Million Payout In Spine Surgery Cases
Two Los Angeles area patients alleged a prominent UCLA spine surgeon harmed them by using Medtronic devices in experimental ways without their consent and failing to disclose his financial ties to the company. Both UCLA and Medtronic deny wrongdoing.
Court Decision Leaves Undocumented Immigrants’ Health Care Options In Limbo
Deportation-relief programs would have meant access to subsidized health care.
Congressman Decries Olympus’ Failure To Warn U.S. Hospitals About Tainted Scopes
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) renews his call for tightened laws that would force manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration when they issue safety warnings in other countries related to the design and cleaning of their devices.
Warning: Government Listing Of Clinical Trials Doesn’t Disclose Costs To Patients
Some clinics on NIH’s website charge people to participate in testing of unproven treatments — and it can come as a surprise to unsuspecting patients.
Olympus Told U.S. Executives No Broad Scope Warning Needed Despite Superbug Outbreaks
Newly released court documents show that after Tokyo-based Olympus Corp. alerted customers in Europe in 2013, it told its U.S. operation not to warn U.S. doctors and hospitals. Since then, at least 35 patients have died after being sickened in outbreaks.
What Do Covered California’s Big Rate Hikes Mean For You?
We answer some key questions to help consumers make sense of the news about large premium increases in the state’s Obamacare exchange.
Covered California Health Plan Rates To Jump 13.2 Percent In 2017
A double-digit increase, which follows two years of moderate rate hikes, is likely to resonate across the country in debate over Obamacare.
Los hispanos están menos preparados ante un desastre mayor en LA
Sólo el 38% de los hogares latinos tienen un plan ante un desastre, el porcentaje más bajo de cualquier grupo racial o étnico.
Hispanics Least Prepared For A Major Disaster In Los Angeles
Only 38 percent of Latino households have a disaster plan, the lowest of any ethnic or racial group.
Hospital Finance Measure On California Ballot May Stump Voters
Proposition 52 would permanently enshrine a significant source of funding for hospitals and limit lawmakers’ ability to change it.
Viejos moteles cobran nueva vida ayudando a las personas sin hogar a sanar
El uso de moteles deteriorados para cuidar y albergar temporalmente a personas sin hogar recientemente dadas de alta del hospital ayuda a estabilizarlos de manera económica, previniendo retornos innecesarios y costosos a las salas de emergencia y a los hospitales.
Inaccurate Provider Lists A Major Barrier To Care, Study Finds
Research published in Health Affairs shows that new patients were able to get an appointment with a primary care doctor less than 30 percent of the time.
For This Man, Reducing Gun Violence Is A Life’s Mission
Garen Wintemute, an ER doctor, gun violence researcher and advocate of tighter firearms restrictions, finds opportunity in the wake of mass shootings like the one that struck an Orlando night club last month.
As Marijuana Legalization Initiative Heads For Calif. Ballot, Health Groups Weigh In
Health experts remain divided on legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
Old Motels Get New Life Helping Homeless Heal
Using run-down motels to care for and temporarily house homeless people recently discharged from the hospital helps stabilize them inexpensively, preventing unnecessary and costly returns to ERs and hospitals.
‘Digital Health’ Not Just For Well-Heeled Fitness Fiends
A small group of advocates and entrepreneurs is using mobile phones and digital scales to make a difference in the health of poor people, too.
California Drug Price Measure Fiercely Opposed By Pharmaceutical Industry
Proposed legislation would require drugmakers to disclose and justify price hikes. The industry has taken to Facebook and Twitter, warning that the proposal could lead to medication shortages in some regions of the state.
A pioneering program in southern California provides ongoing care and housing to homeless people who are “super-utilizers” of hospital emergency rooms. The effort is reducing ER visits and saving a lot of money.
