Health Industry Archives - Page 41 of 196

The New Speaker’s (Limited) Record on Health

Episode 320

Oct. 26, 2023

The House finally has a new speaker: Mike Johnson (R-La). He’s a relative newcomer who’s been a lower-level member of the House GOP leadership. And while he’s an outspoken opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, his record on other health issues is scant. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health appears on track to be getting a new director, and Georgia’s Medicaid work requirement experiment is off to a very slow start. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

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A health care technician preps the arm of a senior adult for a blood draw.

Navigating Aging

Doubts Abound About a New Alzheimer’s Blood Test

Quest Diagnostics is selling a blood test online to consumers. But results may not be reliable or easy to interpret. And it isn’t covered by insurance.

By Judith Graham

Oct. 26, 2023

A photo of Governor Gavin Newsom during a press conference taken from the side. On the wall behind him is California's state seal.

California Expands Paid Sick Days and Boosts Health Worker Wages

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation expanding paid sick leave to five days, extending bereavement leave to miscarriages and failed adoptions, and approving an eventual $25-an-hour health care minimum wage. Still, in a possible sign of national ambitions, the Democrat vetoed free condoms in schools and refused to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms.

By Don Thompson

Oct. 25, 2023

Medical documents on a clipboard are resting on a table or desk with a stethoscope and pen in sunlight.

Tiny, Rural Hospitals Feel the Pinch as Medicare Advantage Plans Grow

More than half of seniors are enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans instead of traditional Medicare. Rural enrollment has increased fourfold and many small-town hospitals say that threatens their viability.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Oct. 23, 2023

A photo of a magnifying glass held up to a printed genome sequence.

Quick Genetic Test Offers Hope for Sick, Undiagnosed Kids. But Few Insurers Offer to Pay.

A new, rapid genetic test shows promise in increasing diagnoses and improving treatment for some children with rare genetic conditions. Many insurers won’t cover it, but Florida's Medicaid program is among those that see benefits — and, potentially, savings.

By Phil Galewitz

Oct. 23, 2023

A photo of Monica Bertagnolli sitting inside of a Senate committee room with her nameplate visible in front of her.

Postcard from Capitol Hill

Biden Pick to Lead NIH Finally Has Her Day, but Still Gets Caught Up in Drug Price Debate

Monica Bertagnolli, the president’s choice to head the National Institutes of Health, appeared before a Senate committee this week. Her confirmation has been held up by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has demanded President Joe Biden work more aggressively to lower prescription drug prices.

By Colleen DeGuzman

Oct. 19, 2023

A photo of a Black woman sitting and speaking to someone out of frame.

For People With Sickle Cell Disease, ERs Can Mean Life-Threatening Waits

When patients with sickle cell disease have a health crisis — crescent-shaped red blood cells blocking blood flow — their condition can quickly lead to a fatal stroke or infection. But, despite efforts to educate doctors, research shows that patients are waiting hours in ERs and are often denied pain medication.

By Sara Hutchinson

Oct. 17, 2023

A photo of a school nurse standing by a window in her office.

A Third of Schools Don’t Have a Nurse. Here’s Why That’s a Problem.

School nurses treat children daily for a wide range of illnesses and injuries, and sometimes serve as a young patient’s only health provider. They also function as a point person for critical public health interventions. Yet many states don’t require them, and school districts struggle to hire them.

By Colleen DeGuzman

Oct. 16, 2023

Listen: Inroads for Women in California’s Health Care Workforce

KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart leads a discussion about the role women play as California grapples with a shortage of health care providers.

Oct. 16, 2023

A photo of a woman's arm as a medical worker puts a second bandage after giving the woman vaccines.

The New Vaccines and You: Americans Better Armed Than Ever Against the Winter Blechs

Flu, covid, and respiratory viruses kill thousands of Americans each year, but the latest batch of vaccines could save lives.

By Amy Maxmen

Oct. 13, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Health Funding in Question in a Speaker-Less Congress

Episode 318

Oct. 12, 2023

A bitterly divided Congress managed to keep the federal government running for several more weeks, while House Republicans struggle — again — to choose a leader. Meanwhile, many people removed from state Medicaid rolls are not finding their way to Affordable Care Act insurance, and a major investigation by The Washington Post attributes the decline in U.S. life expectancy to more than covid-19 and opioids. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews physician-author-playwright Samuel Shem about “Our Hospital,” his new novel about the health workforce in the age of covid.

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A collection of framed images, candles, a cross, a rosary, and other items on a table.

California Bans Controversial ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis

California is the first state to ban the controversial diagnosis known as “excited delirium,” which has been used increasingly to justify excessive force by law enforcement. A human rights advocate described the law, signed this week by Gov. Gavin Newsom, as a “watershed moment” in criminal justice.

By Samantha Young

Oct. 12, 2023

An illustration showing bacteria infecting the bloodstream.

Feds Hope to Cut Sepsis Deaths by Hitching Medicare Payments to Treatment Stats

A new rule sets specific treatment metrics for suspected sepsis cases in an effort to reduce deaths, but some experts say the measures could add to antibiotic overuse and need to be more flexible.

By Julie Appleby

Oct. 11, 2023

A man with his arms crossed in leans against a white pickup truck parked in a driveway.

When Medical Devices Malfunction

Thousands Got Exactech Knee or Hip Replacements. Then, Patients Say, the Parts Began to Fail.

In a torrent of lawsuits, patients accuse Florida device maker Exactech of hiding knee and hip implant defects for years. The company denies the allegations.

By Fred Schulte

Oct. 10, 2023

Teresa Johnson is sitting on a couch in her home. She is turning her head to look towards the photographer.

Faces of Medi-Cal

‘I’m So Burned Out’: Fighting to See a Specialist Amplified Pain for Riverside County Woman

Teresa Johnson has been in extreme pain for more than a year after what she believes was a severe allergic reaction to iodine. Her Medi-Cal plan approved her referral to a specialist, but it took her numerous phone calls, multiple complaints, and several months to book an appointment.

By Molly Castle Work

Oct. 10, 2023

A woman looks into the distance to the right of the frame, while holding her baby on her shoulder

Mothers of Color Can’t See if Providers Have a History of Mistreatment. Why Not?

Many women, especially Black women, have reported discrimination in maternity care, but expectant mothers lack tools to see where this happens. Funding and regulations to measure disparities have been slow in arriving, but some innovators are trying to fill the void.

By Sarah Kwon

Oct. 6, 2023

KFF Health News & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Trump Misplaced Blame When He Said Drug Shortages Were Biden’s Fault

Former President Donald Trump, who’s running for another term in the White House, recently blamed drug shortages on his successor, President Joe Biden. Our findings don’t align with Trump’s claims; by some measures, drug shortages increased more on Trump’s watch than on Biden’s.

By Michelle Andrews

Oct. 6, 2023

A photo of a Dollar General parking lot with a mobile health clinic van.

Primary Care Disrupted

What Mobile Clinics in Dollar General Parking Lots Say About Health Care in Rural America

Dollar General’s pilot mobile clinic program has been touted by company officials, rural health experts, and analysts as a model that could help solve rural America’s primary care shortage. But its Tennessee launch has been met with local skepticism.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Oct. 4, 2023

Two vector images of a Black woman. In the left image, she is pregnant. In the right image, she is holding a newborn baby.

Facing Criticism, Feds Award First Maternal Health Grant to a Predominantly Black Rural Area

Mississippi has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. Now, it also has a federal grant to help in rural areas. The award could signal more flexibility from federal officials.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Oct. 2, 2023

A photo of protesters with signs gathering outside of a hospital.

The Only Hospital in Town

These Appalachia Hospitals Made Big Promises to Gain a Monopoly. They’re Failing to Deliver.

Ballad Health, the only hospital system across a large swath of Tennessee and Virginia, has fallen short of quality-of-care and charity care obligations — even as it’s sued thousands of patients for unpaid bills.

By Brett Kelman and Samantha Liss

Sept. 29, 2023

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