Health Industry Archives - Page 46 of 194

Health Programs Are at Risk as Debt Ceiling Cave-In Looms

Episode 296

May 4, 2023

A warning from the Treasury Department that the U.S. could default on its debt as soon as June 1 has galvanized lawmakers to intervene. But there is still no obvious way to reconcile Republican demands to slash federal spending with President Joe Biden’s demand to raise the debt ceiling and save the spending fight for a later date. Meanwhile, efforts to pass abortion bans in conservative states are starting to stall as some Republicans rebel against the most severe bans. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

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A photo of the exterior of Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

Diagnosis: Debt

Biden Administration Issues New Warning About Medical Credit Cards

Americans paid an estimated $1 billion in deferred interest on medical debt in just three years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports. The agency warns against medical credit cards, which are often pitched right in doctors’ offices.

By Noam N. Levey

May 4, 2023

A digital illustration in watercolor and pencil shows a hand holding a box of sanitary pads that are used for menstruation. On the cover of the box, a diagram shows different layers of material that make up the pad. The list of ingredients, however, remains a mystery and reads only as a confusing series of the letter “X.”

Federal Rules Don’t Require Period Product Ingredients on Packaging Labels. States Are Stepping In.

New York and California have passed laws requiring disclosure of ingredients on menstrual product packaging. Advocates want more transparency across the U.S.

By Erica Zurek

May 3, 2023

A photo of Carolina Reyes posing for a portrait by an ultrasound machine.

Spotlight

The Nation’s Health Secretary Has This Doctor on Call

Carolina Reyes, a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies, says providers and health systems have a role in tackling systemic racism. She’s also married to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

By Samantha Young

May 2, 2023

A photo of a male paramedic taking a woman's blood pressure in her home.

Primary Care Disrupted

Community Paramedics Don’t Wait for an Emergency to Visit Rural Patients at Home

Community paramedicine is expanding nationwide, including in rural areas, as health care providers, insurers, and state governments recognize its potential to improve health and save money.

By Arielle Zionts

May 2, 2023

A dentist and dental assistant perform dental work on a patient.

Millions Are Stuck in Dental Deserts, With No Access to Oral Health Care

Vulnerable and marginalized communities are getting left behind in dental deserts, where patient volume exceeds provider capacity or too few dentists are willing to serve the uninsured or those on Medicaid.

By Lauren Peace, Tampa Bay Times

May 1, 2023

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Discuss Enduring Effects of Long Covid and Handling of Opioid Settlement Funds

KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

April 29, 2023

A photo of an American flag patch on camoflage.

Some Private Companies Charge Hefty Fees to Help Veterans With Disability Claims

Unaccredited companies promise to help veterans file for disability benefits. But unlike the thousands of service representatives who have been vetted and approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide aid, these “medical consultants” or “coaches” operate with no restrictions on how much they can charge.

By Michelle Andrews

April 28, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Dancing Under the Debt Ceiling

Episode 295

April 27, 2023

House Republicans passed their plan to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, along with major cuts to health (and other domestic) programs. Unlikely to become law, it calls for new work requirements for adults on Medicaid. Meanwhile, state efforts targeting trans people bear a striking resemblance to the fight against abortion rights. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, 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 Renuka Rayasam, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about a specialist’s demand to be paid as much as $15,000 before treating a woman’s serious pregnancy complication.

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A digital illustration in bright copic marker and pencil shows a Black woman back-to-back with a mirror image of herself. On the left side, she wears her hair in a natural afro — the way, she was told, was required for an EEG procedure, allowing no product or protective styles. The version of herself on the right shows her hair in protective braids, which are separated to reveal parts of her scalp where an EEG device would need to be placed. That hairstyle would actually make it easier to get an accurate reading from the procedure, despite the instructions she was given.

How One Patient’s Textured Hair Nearly Kept Her From a Needed EEG

An EEG can help diagnose conditions like epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain tumors. But a design flaw and outdated Eurocentric practices make the test less effective on thicker, denser, and curly hair types, potentially excluding or deterring some people from getting screened.

By Tarena Lofton

April 27, 2023

A photo of a hospital building with a sign that reads, "BayCare."

How a 2019 Florida Law Catalyzed a Hospital-Building Boom

In Wesley Chapel, Fla., near Tampa, residents will soon have three general hospitals within a five-minute drive. The new construction is part of a hospital-building boom across Florida unleashed almost four years ago, when the state dropped a requirement that companies obtain government approval to open new hospitals.

By Phil Galewitz, Lauren Sausser, and Daniel Chang

April 26, 2023

A photo illustration of athletes Justin Renfrow, Riley Cote, and Mike Lee surrounded by psychedelic mushrooms.

Pain, Hope, and Science Collide as Athletes Turn to Magic Mushrooms

A group of former professional athletes traveled to Jamaica to try psychedelics as a way to help cope with the aftereffects of concussions and a career of body-pounding injuries. Will this still largely untested treatment work?

By Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN

April 24, 2023

A photo of a woman sitting for a portrait outside.

Lose Weight, Gain Huge Debt: NY Provider Has Sued More Than 300 Patients Who Had Bariatric Surgery

The private equity-backed practice has been known to demand more than $100,000 in charges or penalties. One patient is fighting back.

By Fred Schulte

April 20, 2023

An Arm and a Leg

A $229,000 Medical Bill Goes to Court

Season 9, Episode 5

April 20, 2023

Lisa French was told her surgery would cost $1,337. But the hospital sent her a bill for $229,000, then sued her. The case went all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. The court’s ruling could have major implications for determining a “reasonable price” in health care.

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A photo of a sign outside of the CDC's headquarters.

The CDC Lacks a Rural Focus. Researchers Hope a Newly Funded Office Will Help.

Advocates for improving rural health pushed for the CDC to extend its rural health focus by creating an Office of Rural Health. They hope the agency will commit to rural health research and provide analyses that lead to good public health policies for rural communities.

By Christina Saint Louis

April 19, 2023

Social Media Is Fueling Enthusiasm for New Weight Loss Drugs. Are Regulators Watching?

Online platforms are overflowing with testimonials for GLP-1s. The drugs show promise for inducing weight loss, but many aren’t FDA-approved for that use.

By Darius Tahir and Hannah Norman

April 18, 2023

A photo of an older woman with her adult daughter sitting for a portrait outside by a barn.

People With Down Syndrome Are Living Longer, but the Health System Still Treats Many as Kids

The median life expectancy for a U.S. baby born with Down syndrome jumped from about four years in 1950 to 58 years in the 2010s. That’s largely because they no longer can be denied lifesaving care, including surgeries for heart defects. But now, aging adults with Down syndrome face a health system unprepared to care for them.

By Tony Leys

April 17, 2023

A photo of Horizon Therapeutics' CEO speaking at an event.

The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs

Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen is acquiring for about $28 billion, grew large by snapping up cheap drugs from other companies, marketing them to perfection, and jacking up prices.

By Arthur Allen

April 13, 2023

When Medical Devices Malfunction

Feds Launch Criminal Investigation Into ‘AGGA’ Dental Device and Its Inventor

KFF Health News and CBS News recently reported that multiple lawsuits allege the device has led to grievous injuries to patients’ mouths, resulting in loss of teeth.

By Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News

April 12, 2023

As Montana’s Mental Health Crisis Care Crumbles, Politicians Promise Aid

One of Montana’s largest mental health providers has ratcheted back services amid financial troubles, leaving a vacuum. State policymakers have promised more money to aid behavioral health care, but lasting change could be years out.

By Katheryn Houghton

April 12, 2023

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