Health Industry

Latest KFF Health News Stories

As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire

KFF Health News Original

After the FDA issues a public warning about the test, one of its senior officials says point-of-care coronavirus tests can miss 20% of cases and still be considered useful. Public health experts are split.

California Hits Up Libraries and Tax Offices To Recruit 20,000 New Disease Detectives

KFF Health News Original

As California begins one of the largest contact-tracing training programs in the country, many of the new recruits will be librarians: who are known to be curious, tech-savvy and really good at getting people they barely know to open up.

Citing COVID, Sutter Pushes To Revisit Landmark Antitrust Settlement

KFF Health News Original

Six months after agreeing to a $575 million settlement in a landmark antitrust case, Sutter Health has yet to pay a single dollar and now says the terms may be untenable, given the strain caused by the pandemic.

At A Time Of Great Need, Public Health Lacks ‘Lobbying Muscle’

KFF Health News Original

Public health officials are asking for more money in California’s state budget. But unlike some rich and powerful health care interests, they don’t have an army of lobbyists to curry favor with lawmakers.

Federal Help Falters As Nursing Homes Run Short Of Protective Equipment

KFF Health News Original

More than 3,000 nursing homes reported less than a week’s worth of supplies, and 653 said they had run out entirely at some point. Stopgap FEMA equipment has not reached many facilities, and packages that have arrived have fallen short of promises.

At-Home Care Designed For COVID Likely Here To Stay At Cleveland Hospital

KFF Health News Original

A public hospital in Cleveland has been trying to keep COVID patients out of its beds. It tried a number of innovations for developing better communication — even better relationships — with patients. Officials think this groundwork helped keep the outbreak at bay — and should be the new business model going forward.

Social Media Fears About Lack Of Coverage For Protest Injuries Are Overblown

KFF Health News Original

After some protests over the death of George Floyd resulted in violence, online discussions raised concerns that health plans might deny medical coverage. Although plans do sometimes make exclusions for “illegal acts” or riots, experts say concerns by people who are protesting Floyd’s death may be overstated.

COVID-19 Overwhelms Border ICUs

KFF Health News Original

Some California hospitals near the Mexican border have received so many COVID-19 patients the past few weeks that they have had to divert some to other facilities. Hospital officials say most of the infected patients are U.S. citizens or legal residents who live in, or recently traveled to, Mexico and came to the U.S. for care.