California

Los Angeles Vape District A Black-Market Gateway

KFF Health News Original

A seedy section of downtown Los Angeles has become the go-to place for those who trade in wholesale — and sometimes counterfeit — vaping products. As more people fall ill with a mysterious lung disease linked to e-cigarette use, the manufacture and distribution of vaping products face increased scrutiny.

California To Provide Financial Boost To Help Buy Health Coverage

KFF Health News Original

Come Jan. 1, California will be the first state to offer financial aid to middle-class people who make too much money to qualify for federal Obamacare tax credits. And Californians will once again owe a penalty if they are uninsured.

No More Tater Tots? California Schools Put Healthier Lunches To The Test

KFF Health News Original

In the Golden State and elsewhere, school lunches include less meat, fewer processed foods and more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. One of the challenges nutrition advocates face is a new directive from the Trump administration that cuts the other way.

California Governor’s Bill-Signing Marathon Offers Glimpse Of 2020 Issues

KFF Health News Original

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off on an array of health care bills that will significantly affect the lives of Californians, including many college students, pregnant women, schoolchildren and dialysis patients.

California’s New Transparency Law Reveals Steep Rise In Wholesale Drug Prices

KFF Health News Original

Pharmaceutical companies raised the wholesale cost of their drugs by a median of nearly 26% from 2017 to early 2019, according to California’s first-ever report stemming from a new drug price transparency law. Prices for generic drugs rose nearly 38% during that time.

Vapers Accuse Officials Of Overreach As Investigation Into Deadly Lung Illness Lags

KFF Health News Original

With federal authorities offering few details about what is causing the deadly outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses, vaping advocates are crafting an alternative narrative reverberating through online communities.

Federally Funded Obria Prescribes Abstinence To Stop The Spread Of STDs

KFF Health News Original

Obria, a Christian medical chain, was awarded federal family planning funds for its California clinics for the first time this year. Clinics receiving Title X funds are expected to treat and prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Obria’s prohibition against condoms means its prevention efforts rest on abstinence, even as STD rates surge.

When Masculinity Turns ‘Toxic’: A Gender Profile Of Mass Shootings

KFF Health News Original

Men are far more likely than women to commit deadly mass shootings, both in California and across the nation. We break down the numbers — and ask experts why gender would have a role in indiscriminate violence.

Skin-Lightening Cream Put A Woman Into A Coma. It Could Happen Again.

KFF Health News Original

A Sacramento woman is in a coma after using a face cream from Mexico. It is the nation’s first case of methylmercury poisoning from a cosmetic, and public health officials can do almost nothing to prevent other contaminated cosmetics from hitting the shelves.

States Target Vaping With Bans. In California, The Action Is Local.

KFF Health News Original

Several states have adopted bans on vaping products, but California isn’t going that far. Instead, cities and counties in the Golden State are stepping in to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products within their jurisdictions — or ban the sale of e-cigarettes altogether.

College Won’t Be Fun If You’re Not Healthy. Take This Advice About Health Insurance.

KFF Health News Original

As you enter college this fall, health insurance may not be at the top of your mind. But it’s important to have coverage if you have a chronic condition or if something unexpected happens. Luckily, college students have several options.

5 Takeaways From Court Arguments On Trump’s New Abortion Referral Rule

KFF Health News Original

The legal fight over the Trump administration’s new rule barring health clinics that receive federal family planning grants from referring women for abortion services played out before a divided federal appeals court Monday. Here are key takeaways.