Latest KFF Health News Stories
California Hospitals Seek a Broad Bailout, but They Don’t All Need It
As hospitals squeeze Democratic leaders in Sacramento for more money, health care finance experts and former state officials warn against falling for the industry’s fear tactics. They point to healthy profits and a recession-era financing scheme that allows rich hospitals to take tax money from poorer ones.
California’s Fentanyl Problem Is Getting Worse
State lawmakers have recently been debating whether and how to stiffen punishments for dealers, while Gov. Gavin Newsom is targeting fentanyl trafficking and distributing more naloxone. The problem, experts say, is one with no easy or clear answers.
Se agrava la crisis del fentanilo en California
Impulsadas en gran medida por la prevalencia del fentanilo, un opioide sintético hasta 100 veces más potente que la morfina, las sobredosis de drogas en California matan ahora a más del doble de personas que los accidentes de tráfico.
Young People Are Having Less Sex Than Their Parents Did at Their Age. Researchers Explore Why.
The percentage of young adults not having sex was rising even before covid made dating harder. Data and research suggest economic precarity, technology, and the warping effects of porn on sexual attitudes may play a role.
Por qué los adultos jóvenes tienen menos sexo que el que tuvieron sus padres
La cantidad de adultos jóvenes que no tienen relaciones sexuales ya estaba aumentando antes de que covid-19 hiciera que las citas fueran más difíciles y riesgosas.
State Lawmakers Eye Forced Treatment to Address Overlap in Homelessness and Mental Illness
Democratic politicians in California and Oregon are reconsidering the restrictions of involuntary commitment laws. They argue that not helping people who are seriously ill and living in squalor on the streets is inhumane.
Michael Milken Wants to Speed Up Cures
In his new book, “Faster Cures,” the former “junk bond king,” now a philanthropist, promotes business principles as catalysts for medical breakthroughs.
Las empresas quieren que sus IA tomen notas para los médicos y ofrezcan una segunda opinión, suponiendo que puedan evitar que divulgue la información privada de los pacientes.
ER Doctors Vow to Pursue Case Against Envision Despite Bankruptcy
The lawyer for an emergency physicians group says its lawsuit against Envision Healthcare should be allowed to proceed even though the company has filed for Chapter 11 protection.
AI May Be on Its Way to Your Doctor’s Office, But It’s Not Ready to See Patients
Giant corporations like Microsoft and Google, plus many startups, are eyeing health care profits from programs based on artificial intelligence.
California Confronts Overdose Epidemic Among Former Prison Inmates
Individuals newly released from prison are 40 times as likely to die of opioid overdoses than members of the general population, researchers say. In response, California corrections officials aim to arm departing inmates with an antidote that can be used to reverse the effects of opioid poisoning.
California Debates Extending PTSD Coverage to More First Responders
A state Senate bill would extend workers’ compensation coverage of post-traumatic stress injuries for firefighters and police officers. But a separate bill to cover paramedics and EMTs is unlikely to be heard.
Medi-Cal Enrollees in California: Here’s How to Verify Your Eligibility
California’s safety-net health program has resumed annual eligibility checks after three years, which means beneficiaries will need to provide updated personal information to maintain coverage. Here’s what to watch for.
California Says New Cigarettes Appear to Violate State’s Flavored Tobacco Ban
The attorney general is warning two tobacco companies, R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands LLC, that their reformulated cigarettes appear to violate the state’s ban on flavored tobacco products, based on marketing materials. R.J. Reynolds said Thursday that its cigarettes comply with the law.
Federal Rules Don’t Require Period Product Ingredients on Packaging Labels. States Are Stepping In.
New York and California have passed laws requiring disclosure of ingredients on menstrual product packaging. Advocates want more transparency across the U.S.
The Nation’s Health Secretary Has This Doctor on Call
Carolina Reyes, a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies, says providers and health systems have a role in tackling systemic racism. She’s also married to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
For California Teen, Coverage of Early Psychosis Treatment Proved a Lifesaver
A Medi-Cal patient illustrates how early schizophrenia treatments can yield big benefits. Advocates want California to expand such services to more people living with severe mental illness, which they argue will not only improve lives but also save money over time.
Disability Rights Groups Sue to Overturn California’s Physician-Assisted Death Law
Disability rights advocates and two individuals with disabilities sued Tuesday to overturn the state’s physician-assisted death law, arguing it is unconstitutional, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and makes it too easy for people with terminal diseases whose deaths aren’t imminent to kill themselves with a doctor’s help.
A California Physician Training Program Adds Diversity, but Where Do Graduates End Up?
Researchers found that, while a University of California medical training program has diversified the system’s pool of medical students, there’s not enough long-term data to know whether graduates return to practice where they’re needed most.
California’s Medicaid Experiment Spends Money to Save Money — And Help the Homeless
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious experiment in health care is supposed to cut costs as it fills the needs of hard-to-reach people. The program’s start is chaotic and limited, but it shows promise.
