California

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Hidden Drugs And Danger Lurk In Over-The-Counter Supplements, Study Finds

KFF Health News Original

Dieters and gym rats, beware. Some dietary supplements promising weight loss or more muscle may contain active ingredients not listed on the label that fly under the radar of the Food and Drug Administration. The California Department of Public Health analyzed public data maintained by the FDA to suss out trends among tainted products, raising red flags.

Facebook Live: The Cancer Divide

KFF Health News Original

Californians and Americans are living longer with cancer — but some are living longer than others. California Healthline’s Facebook Live addresses disparities in cancer diagnosis, treatment and care — and what can be done about them.

Judges In California Losing Sway Over Court-Ordered Drug Treatment

KFF Health News Original

In a Medicaid-funded pilot project starting with 19 counties, clinicians and other providers are now in charge of deciding what kind of treatment an offender needs. The change has rankled some judges and attorneys — and forced some felons to spend more time in jail — but it has been largely embraced by clinicians and county agencies.

Threat To The ACA Turns Up The Heat On Attorney General Races

KFF Health News Original

As Republican and Democratic attorneys general square off on a Texas case that threatens to dismantle consumer protections in the federal health law, campaigns across the country for states’ highest legal officer get hotter.

‘Physicians Of The Mouth’? Dentists Absorb The Medical Billing Drill

KFF Health News Original

Health insurance generally pays more than dental insurance, and newly minted experts say it’s legitimate to bill medical plans for services extending beyond tooth care. Medical insurers caution against inappropriate billing and fraud.

Despite Red Flags At Surgery Centers, Overseers Award Gold Seals

KFF Health News Original

A decade ago, California stopped licensing surgery centers and then gave approval power to private accreditors that are commonly paid by the same centers they inspect. That system of oversight has created a troubling legacy of laxity, a Kaiser Health News investigation finds.

Doctor To The Stars Disciplined Over Use Of Controversial Menopause Therapy 

KFF Health News Original

Dr. Prudence Hall has made a name for herself in the field of “bioidentical hormones” — plant-based compounds purportedly customized for each patient’s needs. Experts say the popular approach is unproven; California regulators say she was grossly negligent in her care of two patients.

California: A Health Care Laboratory With Mixed Results

KFF Health News Original

California frequently innovates to address its wide-ranging health care needs, but it has not always achieved its aims. A series of articles in the journal Health Affairs shows, among other things, that efforts to care for HIV patients, provide better access to reproductive services for low-income women and fill gaps in primary care have sometimes fallen flat.

As California Hospitals Sweep Up Physician Practices, Patients See Higher Bills

KFF Health News Original

A Health Affairs study quantifies the financial effects of such mergers on consumers and their insurers. The hospital industry and doctor practices say the consolidation leads to better coordination of care.

A Texas Lawsuit Being Heard This Week Could Mean Life Or Death For The ACA

KFF Health News Original

On Wednesday, a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, is set to hear arguments from Republican attorneys general who want him to strike down the federal health law and from Democratic counterparts who say the law is constitutional and should remain.

Lawmakers Push To Protect Patients And Counter Trump

KFF Health News Original

California legislators approved some significant health care proposals in their rush to meet the Friday end-of-session deadline. They tackled controversial topics, such as making abortion pills available on college campuses, and adopted measures countering Trump administration attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

Low-Income Californians Feel Twice The Burn From Wildfires

KFF Health News Original

People living near highways and agricultural and industrial zones get hit with a “double whammy” when smoke blows into their neighborhoods, where the air is often polluted already.