California

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Nonprofit Bets Asian-American Students Can Learn To Avoid Unhealthy Gambling

KFF Health News Original

It’s not clear why Asian-American college students have higher rates of compulsive gambling than their peers, but a nonprofit in the San Francisco Bay Area arms them with strategies to avoid getting hooked.

Paradise Lost: Wildfire Chases Seniors From Retirement Havens To Field Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

Having fled quickly — often without medications, wheelchairs or pets to comfort them — refugees from the Camp Fire manage as best they can in makeshift shelters miles from home. A virus is spreading, and medical attention is spotty.

Gun Control Vs. Mental Health Care: Debate After Mass Shootings Obscures Murky Reality

KFF Health News Original

More than half of mass shooters have serious mental health disorders, experts say, but the vast majority of mentally ill people are not violent. Some clinicians suggest strategic interventions, including closing loopholes in background checks to buy firearms and allowing family members to confiscate guns under temporary court orders for relatives at risk of doing harm.

For Wildfire Safety, Only Particular Masks Guard Against Toxic Particulate Matter

KFF Health News Original

As wildfires blaze in Northern and Southern California, millions of people outside of the burn zones are getting exposed to dangerous wildfire smoke. For those donning face masks for protection, only a specific mask will work.

An Underused Strategy For Surge In STDs: Treat Patients’ Partners Without A Doctor Visit

KFF Health News Original

For over a decade, federal health officials have recommended the practice, known as expedited partner therapy. It is allowed in most states, but many doctors don’t do it — either because of legal or ethical concerns, or because they are unaware of it.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Split Decision On Health Care

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss the Trump administration’s new birth control coverage rules and the potential impact of the midterm election results on health policy.

Measure To Cap Dialysis Profits Pummeled After Record Spending By Industry

KFF Health News Original

The dialysis industry raised nearly $111 million in a successful bid to defeat the measure, which also was opposed by hospitals and doctors. The union that sponsored the measure collected about one-sixth that amount.

California’s Top Lawyer Sees Election Win As Mandate To Sustain Trump Resistance

KFF Health News Original

Attorney General Xavier Becerra views his resounding Election Day win as a “clear signal” from voters to continue his work defending the Affordable Care Act and pushing back against the Trump administration.

California Dreamin’? With Newsom’s Win, Single-Payer Unlikely To Follow Anytime Soon

KFF Health News Original

Even though Democrat Gavin Newsom campaigned for single-payer, it’s unlikely that he and other lawmakers will completely overhaul the state’s health care system right away. Instead, they will likely propose incremental steps to provide more Californians with health insurance.

Hello? It’s I, Robot, And Have I Got An Insurance Plan For You!

KFF Health News Original

An “epidemic” of robocalls timed to open-enrollment season are largely illegal, fraudulent or aim to rope you into insurance you don’t need or can’t use. They’re also really annoying.

Ad Check: What Happens If California Limits Dialysis Center Profits?

KFF Health News Original

Both sides in the contentious and expensive battle over California’s Proposition 8 are cherry-picking the facts ahead of Tuesday’s vote as dialysis companies spend record amounts to persuade voters through ads.