Latest KFF Health News Stories
In Deep-Blue State, Millions in Reddish Heartland Are Counting On Medicaid
The prospect of cutbacks has led to agitation and activism in California’s largely agricultural Central Valley, with relatively high poverty rates and a significant number of Trump voters.
Many Californians Could Be Priced Out Of Exchange Coverage, Analysis Finds
California’s health insurance exchange released an analysis showing that Republicans’ plan to trim subsidies, on average, by 40% would fall hard on elderly and very low-income people, especially in expensive areas like San Francisco.
Proposed Law Would Require All California Children To Be Screened For Lead
Under the current statute, kids are tested for lead only if they’re on certain government programs or live in older buildings. That leaves many other California children at risk, lawmaker says.
HMO Doctors Take Pains To Slash Opioid Prescriptions
A Kaiser Permanente pain management program in Southern California aims to help patients taper off addictive painkillers. Some doctors and patients see it as a godsend; others complain that patients have been cut off medications they need.
GOP Health Plan Could Be Bitter Pill For California’s Obamacare Exchange
Critics say the proposed changes could poison one of the nation’s healthiest marketplaces, driving up premiums and drawing in only the sickest patients. Republicans and industry analysts call those concerns overblown.
To Save On Drug Costs, Insurer Wants To Steer You To ‘Preferred’ Pharmacies
Blue Shield of California is hoping to steer consumers to “preferred” pharmacies where drugs are cheaper and copays lower.
LA County Health Chief Wants To ‘Catch’ People Dropped From Coverage
Mitch Katz, director of the L.A. County Health Agency, says California must find ways to cover state residents who might lose their health coverage if Obamacare is repealed.
Los Angeles County Scores An E-Success In Managing Specialist Care
An electronic consulting and referral system adopted by the county’s safety net public health system in 2012 has reduced waiting times for appointments with specialists and eliminated the need for such appointments in a significant number of cases, according to a new study in the journal Health Affairs.
Are Virtual Doctor Visits Really Cost-Effective? Not So Much, Study Says
Rand Corp. finds that telehealth encourages patients to seek care for minor illnesses they wouldn’t bother to make an office visit for, raising overall health costs.
Cancer Rates Dropped During The Recession. That’s Not Necessarily A Good Thing.
Researchers believe Californians, many of whom lost health coverage, delayed doctor visits that could have led to earlier detection. Now, with people seeking medical care under the Affordable Care Act, some experts expect to see an increase in late-stage cancers.
‘Right-To-Try’ Laws Expose Dying Patients To Exploitation, Ethicists Warn
More than 30 states have laws on the books to allow dying patients the right to try experimental treatments. But these treatments may not be covered by insurance, and ethicists worry vulnerable people could be exploited near the end of their lives. The laws may also duplicate a process the FDA already has in place.
State Fires Contractor After Problems Put California HIV Patients At Risk
The company tasked with enrolling eligible patients in an HIV assistance program failed to keep an online enrollment portal working effectively and violated other contract terms, the public health agency said.
California Medical Board President Faces Questions Over Vote In Sexual Misconduct Case
After the medical board reinstated the license of doctor who molested patients, one member –now president — secured a $40 million donation for a pet project from the doctor’s relative. He says the two events are unrelated. Critics are demanding an investigation.
Récord de infecciones sexuales dispara nacimientos de bebés con sífilis
Los condados de Kern y Fresno, en el Valle Central de California, tienen las tasas más altas de sífilis congénita. Oficiales de salud piensan que esta explosión de casos se debe a la falta de cuidado prenatal, al uso de drogas, al sexo sin protección y a la falta de concientización. Cómo es la situación a nivel nacional.
Cuando los padres y el pediatra no hablan el mismo idioma
Un nuevo estudio en California revela que los padres latinos que sólo hablan español son menos propensos a reportar buenas experiencias con los médicos de sus hijos que los que hablan inglés.
Lost In Translation: When Parents And Pediatricians Don’t Speak The Same Language
Latino parents who speak only Spanish are less likely to report having satisfactory experiences with their children’s doctors than Latino parents who speak English, a new California study shows.
Spike In Syphilis Among Newborns Driven By Broader Epidemic
Sexually transmitted diseases are at an all-time high across the United States. Syphilis among women and babies is a particularly serious problem in Louisiana, California and Georgia.
Faring Better Than Many ACA Insurers, Molina Backs Health Law ‘Tuneup’
The health insurance company, which operates in 12 states plus Puerto Rico, grew out of a network of Southern California clinics founded in 1980. Molina’s track record of working with low-income patients has served it well under Obamacare.
¿Pagar o no pagar? Qué hacer con la multa por no tener seguro de salud
La promesa de los republicanos de revocar y reemplazar la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible ha generado confusión entre los consumidores: al hacer la declaración de impuestos, ¿hay que pagar o no la multa si no se tuvo seguro en 2016?
To Pay Or Not To Pay – That Is The Question
With the future of Obamacare up in the air, many consumers are wondering if they must comply with the tax requirements related to the law, including whether to pay the penalty for being uninsured.
