Latest KFF Health News Stories
California’s Medicaid Experiment Spends Money to Save Money — And Help the Homeless
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious experiment in health care is supposed to cut costs as it fills the needs of hard-to-reach people. The program’s start is chaotic and limited, but it shows promise.
A Progress Check on Hospital Price Transparency
Hospitals are facing mixed reviews regarding their efforts to comply with a federal requirement that they post information about prices related to nearly every health care service they provide.
Truly Random Drug Testing: ADHD Patients Face Uneven Urine Screens and, Sometimes, Stigma
Doctors have no national standards on when to order urine tests to check whether adult ADHD patients are properly taking their prescription stimulants. Some patients are subjected to much more frequent testing than others.
Feds Move to Rein In Prior Authorization, a System That Harms and Frustrates Patients
The federal government wants to change the way health insurers use prior authorization — the requirement that patients get permission before undergoing treatment. Designed to prevent doctors from deploying expensive, ineffectual procedures, prior authorization has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities. New rules may not be enough to solve the problems.
Pacientes negros visten elegante y hablan distinto para evitar prejuicios cuando van al médico
Estos comportamientos se recogen en una encuesta con 3,325 participantes como parte de un estudio cuyo objetivo fue llamar la atención sobre el esfuerzo que deben realizar los pacientes negros para obtener una atención médica de calidad.
Black Patients Dress Up and Modify Speech to Reduce Bias, California Survey Shows
Many Black patients also try to be informed and minimize questions to put providers at ease. “The system looks at us differently,” says the founder of the African American Wellness Project.
Reentry Programs to Help Former Prisoners Obtain Health Care Are Often Underused
More than 600,000 people are released from prisons every year, many with costly health conditions but no medications, medical records, a health care provider, or insurance.
Montana Seeks to Insulate Nursing Homes From Future Financial Crises
Lawmakers are considering creating standards to set Medicaid reimbursement rates. But industry observers wonder whether the move would be too little, too late to bolster a beleaguered industry.
Armed With Hashtags, These Activists Made Insulin Prices a Presidential Talking Point
Twitter has been a hotbed for the burgeoning insulin access movement and activism surrounding other medical conditions. For people with diabetes, the platform has helped propel concern about insulin prices into policy. Can it continue to win with hashtags?
Doctors Are Disappearing From Emergency Rooms as Hospitals Look to Cut Costs
As a money-saving strategy, emergency rooms are turning to nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other staffers who earn far less than physicians.
Se acaba la era de las vacunas y las pruebas gratuitas contra covid. ¿Quién va a pagar?
Las personas podrán obtener estas vacunas a bajo costo o sin costo mientras duren los suministros del gobierno. Luego, dependerá de su seguro de salud.
Era of ‘Free’ Covid Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?
Insurers, employers, and taxpayers will all be affected as drug manufacturers move these products to the commercial market.
Community Resurrects Colorado Birth Center Closed by Private Equity Firm
A private equity firm bought a birth center and then shut it down. The community brought it back as a nonprofit.
Millones en riesgo de perder Medicaid, mientras terminan protecciones por la pandemia
Los estados se están preparando para remover a millones de personas de Medicaid, a medida que expiran las protecciones que se implementaron al comienzo de la pandemia de covid-19.
As Pandemic-Era Medicaid Provisions Lapse, Millions Approach a Coverage Cliff
States are trying to reach millions of Medicaid enrollees to make sure those still eligible remain covered and help others find new health insurance.
Nursing Home Owners Drained Cash During Pandemic While Residents Deteriorated
As the federal government debates whether to require higher staffing levels at nursing homes, financial records show owners routinely push profits to sister companies while residents are neglected. “A dog would get better care than he did,” one resident’s wife said.
Did Your Health Plan Rip Off Medicare?
KHN has released never-before-seen details of federal audits as the government weighs action against dozens of Medicare Advantage plans.
¿Clínica de urgencias o sala de emergencias? Cómo decidir donde recibir la atención adecuada
Las personas heridas o enfermas deben decidir con cuidado, en un momento de estrés, cuál es el mejor lugar para buscar ayuda. Y deben tomar esa decisión en medio de un número creciente de opciones.
The Decision of Where to Seek Care Is Complicated by the Multitude of Options
The proliferation of care options — particularly urgent care centers and free-standing emergency departments — can make the head spin. Facilities have little incentive to clear up the confusion of where to go. But for patients, the wrong choice can mean big bills and possibly poor health outcomes.
More Orthopedic Physicians Sell Out to Private Equity Firms, Raising Alarms About Costs and Quality
While some doctors seem eager for a huge payoff, others are warily watching what happens when private equity firms take charge of orthopedic practices.
