Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Committed to Randol: One Family’s Long-Term Care Journey
As a child, Randol Brock had a high fever that caused brain damage. Now 52, there are two things Randol loves more than anything else: tractors and his sister-in-law Doris, who helps take care of him.
Where ‘Hospital Food’ Takes On A New Meaning
A Minneapolis clinic gives its patients what they need to stay healthy: screenings, immunizations, prescriptions. And, in an uncommon twist, food.
N.Y. Malpractice Program May Offer Model For Medical Liability Cases
Under the system, when a lawsuit is filed, a judge with expertise in medical matters becomes the point person for that case and helps broker a settlement.
Super Committee Urged To Alter Coverage For Some Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries
State Medicaid directors and health insurers press panel to move people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid into private health plans for more efficient care.
The Walmart Opportunity: Can Retailers Revamp Primary Care?
Just as Walmart and other retailers shook up the pharmacy business by offering $4 generic drugs, the industry now aims to apply its clout to tackle unpredictable costs, a lack of primary care doctors and inefficient management of chronic illnesses.
Hospitals Offering Complementary Medical Therapies
Experts say the move comes with consumers’ willingness to spend money on therapies such as acupuncture and massage and with the recognition that some can be effective.
Florida Politics Creating Bumps On Health Information ‘Highway’
Florida is one of the first states to help doctors and hospitals adopt a new way of transferring patient information. But Gov. Rick Scott objects to the Health Information Exchange Network, which was built with federal stimulus money.
Helping Low-Income Veterans Maintain The Best Possible Quality Of Life
The Veterans’ Affairs Aid and Attendance program can help wartime veterans remain at home or assist them in paying for long-term care. A large number of veterans across the country who qualify for this aid, however, somehow are slipping through the cracks. A Washington state pilot program is correcting this problem.
How PARIS Is Helping Veterans In Need
In Washington state, the Public Assistance Reporting Information System — PARIS — has proven to be an important tool in efforts to identify eligible veterans and connect them with the benefits they earned while serving their country.
Different Takes: Shifting Vets From Medicaid To The VA Is A Win-Win
Washington state officials have created a program, which has since been copied by other states, to identify veterans who have fallen through the cracks in terms of the benefits they earned with their military service.
Walmart Wants To Be Nation’s Biggest Primary Care Provider
According to confidential documents obtained by KHN, Walmart is seeking to become the largest provider of primary health care in the United States in order to “lower the cost of health care.” Analysts say Walmart could also be trying to get more people in their stores.
After Bike Crash In Canada, Columnist Finds No Clear Road To Recovery At Home In NYC
After a serious bike crash in Canada, a writer returns home and finds many uncertainties in her medical options.
The Accidental (Medical) Tourist
Michelle Andrews shares with Jackie Judd about the health care system ordeal she went through after a bike accident in Canada landed her in the hospital there and about the follow-up care she got in the U.S.
When TLC Doesn’t Satisfy Patients, Elite Hospitals May Pay A Price
As Medicare prepares to factor patient ratings into reimbursements, hospitals everywhere are pulling out the stops to please. Some of the nation’s most prestigious hospitals are struggling to appease their exacting patients.
Grading Docs With Electronic Medical Records
Digitized medical records have the potential to have a powerful effect on doctors’ behavior and patients’ care.
$6.8 Billion Spent Yearly On 12 Unnecessary Tests And Treatments
The conclusion comes from a study that looked at procedures and prescriptions ordered by primary care doctors frequently.
Minnesota Health Systems Try Partnering, Not Competition, To Boost Their Bottom Lines
A partnership between two rival health systems in the Minneapolis area is offering a glimpse of the future, at least as envisioned in the federal health law.
States Are Limiting Medicaid Hospital Coverage In Search For Savings
Hospitals say the burden of cost-cutting falls on them because they’ll be stuck with the bill for care if Medicaid refuses to pay.
Managing Asthma With More Than Medicine
Truly treating childhood asthma takes a team of doctors, health educators and parents. They are trying this approach in Philadelphia, where the prevalence of the disease in the African-American community is especially high.
State Medicaid Spending Skyrockets
KHN staff writer Phil Galewitz reports that the combination of rising enrollments and the end of federal stimulus funds is forcing a huge spike in state spending on Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor.
