Latest KFF Health News Stories
L.A. County Health Department Allegedly Falsified Nursing Home Probe Records
Two staffers accuse the county of altering the dates when complaints were received amid rising concern over the pace of investigations.
Soda Tax Succeeds In Berkeley, Fizzles In San Francisco
The nation’s first tax on sugary drinks aims to combat obesity and diabetes, with a penny-per-ounce levy.
Undocumented Immigrant Not Allowed To Buy Health Insurance Through Marketplace
Even though Jessica Bravo, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, isn’t allowed to buy coverage under the Affordable Care Act, she works as a health outreach worker to educate people about the new health law. Until a few months ago, the 19-year-old Costa Mesa resident didn’t know coverage was a possibility for her as well.
California Audit Finds Backlog Of 11,000 Nursing Home Investigations
California’s public health department has failed to adequately manage investigations of nursing homes statewide, resulting in a backlog of more than 11,000 complaints, according to an audit released Thursday.
For Families With Mixed Immigration Status, Health Insurance Is A Puzzle
A young outreach worker for Obamacare is delighted to be eligible for coverage but worries about family members with no such luck.
L.A. County Officials Demand Details On Reduced Nursing Home Penalties
The order follows a Kaiser Health News report detailing three fatal cases in which sources say recommended nursing home citations were downgraded.
Soda Makers Battle Proposed Taxes In Berkeley, San Francisco
Voters could impose a penny per ounce tax on sugary drinks in Berkeley and a two-cent per ounce tax in San Francisco. Research shows that when soda prices go up, people drink less.
L.A. County Officials Allegedly Reduced Penalties In 3 Nursing Home Deaths
The cases appear to flesh out an auditor’s finding in August that citations recommended by inspectors were downgraded without explanation.
The Latest In Public Health Funding: Tapping Investors
An asthma prevention program in California hopes to offer returns based on savings from reduced hospital visits.
California Prop. 46, Inspired By Tragedy, Pits Doctors Against Lawyers
Opponents wage costly campaign, eroding public support.
Poll: Californians Support Health Coverage For Undocumented Immigrants
This story is part of a partnership that includes KQED, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) A majority of the state’s voters support extending current health insurance programs to all low-income Californians, including undocumented immigrants, according to a new statewide poll released today. The poll was commissioned by The California Endowment, […]
Obamacare Enrollment: Second Year An Even Tougher Challenge
States and the federal government aim to renew coverage for 15.3 million already signed up on exchanges and Medicaid — and enroll about 10 million more who are currently uninsured.
Calif. Law Bolsters National Effort To Give Workers Paid Sick Time
Nearly 4 in 10 private sector workers lack paid sick leave, many of them women and low-wage earners.
Scrambling To Prove He’s Eligible For Obamacare
Fabrizio Mancinelli is among thousands of people in California facing a Sept. 30 deadline to prove they are in the country legally, as required to receive coverage through insurance exchanges.
New Insurance Coverage Gives Tech Entrepreneur A New Flexibility
Once deemed ‘uninsurable,’ a businesswoman suffering from a chronic condition now has coverage — and it’s not tied to a job or a boyfriend.
Caring for His Elderly Dad With No Insurance Of His Own
In the remote reaches of California, a doctor’s son says coverage has nearly always eluded him, and his initial efforts to enroll in the state’s new insurance exchange were unsuccessful.
San Francisco Politician: ‘I Take A Pill Called Truvada’
This story is part of a partnership that includes KQED, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) In an effort to combat stigma that has arisen around a treatment that prevents HIV, a San Francisco elected official announced publicly Wednesday that he is taking the medicine. City Supervisor Scott Wiener […]
California To Broaden Autism Coverage For Kids Through Medicaid
A South Los Angeles family illustrates the opportunities and challenges as the state takes its first steps toward expanding behavioral treatment for poor children.
Calif. Bill Would Protect Estates Of Many Who Received Medicaid
Federal law allows states to seize assets, such as homes, after a Medicaid enrollee has died to help cover the costs of the program’s spending on basic health services for people 55 years and older.
Federal Officials Order Medicaid To Cover Autism Services
Advocates applaud the move, but some states are concerned about the costs of providing such therapy.
