Health Industry

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Optum Rx Invokes Open Meetings Law To Fight Kentucky Counties on Opioid Suits

KFF Health News Original

In a Goliath-versus-David fight, UnitedHealth Group’s pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, has filed lawsuits in five counties to stop them from including the company in national opioid litigation.

Guns, Race, and Profit: The Pain of America’s Other Epidemic

KFF Health News Original

Firearm violence is killing Americans at the scale of a public health epidemic. The suffering is concentrated in Black neighborhoods damaged by segregation, disinvestment, hate crimes, and other forms of racial discrimination.

Medicaid Cuts Could Have Vast Ripple Effects in This Rural Colorado Community

KFF Health News Original

In rural Colorado and across rural America, Medicaid is a lifeline, especially for people who wouldn’t otherwise have easy access to health care. That includes low-income seniors who need supplemental coverage in addition to Medicare, and people of all ages with disabilities.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding

Podcast

The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for critics of the covid vaccines. And President Donald Trump is demanding drugmakers drop their prices, quickly, but it’s unclear how he could make them comply. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.

Watch: Millions of Americans Live Where Telehealth Is Out of Reach

KFF Health News Original

In this video report, InvestigateTV and KFF Health News take viewers to Alabama, Idaho, and West Virginia to explore how gaps in internet connectivity and telehealth access cause residents to live sicker and die younger on average than their peers in well-connected regions.

Patient Numbers at NIH Hospital Have Plummeted Under Trump, Jeopardizing Care

KFF Health News Original

The renowned research hospital that cares for people with rare or life-threatening diseases has been pummeled by an employee exodus and the gutting of research, both driven by the Trump administration.

As California’s Behavioral Health Workforce Buckles, Help Is Years Away

KFF Health News Original

California has put a greater focus on behavioral health workers, but a huge spike in demand, an aging workforce, and employee burnout continue to hamper mental health and substance use treatment. The state is tapping Medicaid funds to train, recruit, and retain workers, but it will be a long time before the impacts are evident.

Aclarando la confusión sobre las vacunas contra covid-19

KFF Health News Original

Las agencias dentro del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales responsables de especificar quién debe vacunarse no están necesariamente sincronizadas, emitiendo recomendaciones en apariencia contradictorias.

This Test Tells You More About Your Heart Attack Risk

KFF Health News Original

Coronary artery calcium scans can offer a more precise estimate of a patient’s chances for major cardiac events. Some cardiologists say it remains underused.

Cosmetic Surgeries Led to Disfiguring Injuries, Patients Allege

KFF Health News Original

A joint investigation by KFF Health News and NBC News found that cosmetic surgery chains have been the target of scores of medical malpractice and negligence lawsuits, including 12 wrongful death cases.