Health Industry Archives - Page 54 of 203

The Abortion Pill Goes Back to Court

Episode 298

May 18, 2023

A three-judge appeals court panel heard testimony this week about revoking the FDA’s 22-year-old approval of a key pill used in medication abortion and miscarriage management. The judges all have track records of siding with abortion foes. Meanwhile, as the standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling continues in Washington, a major sticking point is whether to impose work requirements on recipients of Medicaid coverage. Victoria Knight of Axios, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

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An illustration of a woman using her phone that is distorted with a flickering film grain.

Perspective

An AI Chatbot May Be Your Next Therapist. Will It Actually Help Your Mental Health?

Given a dire shortage of human behavioral health providers in the U.S., it may prove tempting for insurers to offer up apps and chatbots to meet the federal mental health parity requirement. But artificial intelligence, by definition fake, can’t master the empathic flow between patient and doctor that’s central to therapy.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

May 17, 2023

A photo of a Black man sitting beside his son in a hospital bed, covering his face.

Study Reveals Staggering Toll of Being Black in America: 1.6M Excess Deaths Over 22 Years

The profound and painful loss — 80 million years of life, compared with the white population — is a call to action to improve the health of Black Americans, especially infants, mothers, and seniors, researchers say.

By Liz Szabo

May 16, 2023

A photo of Michael Milken speaking at a conference.

Spotlight

Michael Milken Wants to Speed Up Cures

In his new book, “Faster Cures,” the former “junk bond king,” now a philanthropist, promotes business principles as catalysts for medical breakthroughs.

By Mark Kreidler

May 16, 2023

Cloie Davila, her daughter, Amelia, her husband, Joshua, and her son, Noah, stand outside their home in Clayton, New Mexico. Cloie is visibly pregnant.

New Mexico Program to Reduce Maternity Care Deserts in Rural Areas Fights for Survival

A federally funded program in remote New Mexico has helped hundreds of pregnant mothers stay healthy, but it’s running out of time and money despite a growing national maternity care crisis. The four-year, nearly $3 million grant has provided telehealth, coordinated care, and social services to mothers in need.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

May 15, 2023

A photo of police officers standing behind crime scene tape at the Northside Medical Midtown medical office.

As More Hospitals Create Police Forces, Critics Warn of Pitfalls

Nearly 30 states have active or proposed laws authorizing independent hospital police forces. Groups representing nurses and hospitals say the laws address the daily realities of patients who become aggressive or agitated. But critics worry about unintended consequences.

By Renuka Rayasam

May 15, 2023

A photo of a gavel resting next to a stethoscope.

ER Doctors Vow to Pursue Case Against Envision Despite Bankruptcy

The lawyer for an emergency physicians group says its lawsuit against Envision Healthcare should be allowed to proceed even though the company has filed for Chapter 11 protection.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

May 12, 2023

An illustration shows a doctor using a tablet with a computer network diagram overlaid.

AI May Be on Its Way to Your Doctor’s Office, But It’s Not Ready to See Patients

Giant corporations like Microsoft and Google, plus many startups, are eyeing health care profits from programs based on artificial intelligence.

By Darius Tahir

May 12, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The Crisis Is Officially Ending, but Covid Confusion Lives On

Episode 297

May 11, 2023

The public health emergency declaration for covid-19 ends May 11, ushering in major changes in how Americans can access and pay for the vaccines, treatments, and tests particular to the culprit coronavirus. But not everyone will experience the same changes, creating a confusing patchwork of coverage — not unlike health coverage for other diseases. Meanwhile, outside advisers to the FDA formally recommended allowing a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription. If the FDA follows the recommendation, it would represent the first over-the-counter form of hormonal contraception. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too.

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An Arm and a Leg

Mental Health ‘Ghost Networks’ — And a Ghostbuster

Season 9, Episode 6

May 11, 2023

What should you do when your search for an in-network mental health care provider comes up empty? Abigail Burman has some expertise to share.

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A photo of a line of health industry executives sitting next to each other during a Senate HELP Committee hearing.

PBMs, the Brokers Who Control Drug Prices, Finally Get Washington’s Attention

Drugmakers, pharmacies, and physicians blame pharmacy benefit managers for high drug prices. Congress is finally on board, too, but will it matter?

By Arthur Allen

May 11, 2023

A photo of a hand typing on a computer keyboard.

An Outdated Tracking System Is a Key Factor in Texas’ Foster Care Shortcomings

The computer program, designed in 1996 to be a secure location for foster children’s medical and school records and histories of neglect and abuse, is older than Google — and has had far fewer updates.

By Colleen DeGuzman

May 10, 2023

An illustration shows a map of the United States separated into puzzle pieces with the chemical structure diagram of THC and a marijuana leaf superimposed on top of it.

Legal Pot Is More Potent Than Ever — And Still Largely Unregulated

As marijuana has become far more mainstream, potent, and sometimes dangerous, uneven regulation at the state and federal levels leaves consumers at risk.

By David Hilzenrath

May 9, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

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

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