Latest KFF Health News Stories
Awaiting Voters’ Decision on Abortion, When Medicine and Politics Collide
As Michigan and several other states await voters’ verdicts on ballot measures about abortion, the providers, patients, and activists on both sides strategize their next steps.
Campaigning Ramps Up as South Dakota Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion
A broad coalition of Medicaid expansion supporters faces off against a smaller group of opponents as early voting begins on a constitutional amendment that would increase coverage under South Dakota’s program.
In Jackson, the Water Is Back, but the Crisis Remains
Unsafe water and all that comes with it — constant vigilance, extra expenses, and hassle — complicate every aspect of daily life for residents of Jackson, Mississippi. Health advocates say stress exacerbates underlying health problems. That is why a free clinic in one of Jackson’s poorest neighborhoods has been organizing water giveaways for the past year and a half.
Niños del norte de California aprenden a lidiar con el trauma que dejan los incendios
A medida que los incendios forestales de California se vuelven más intensos, frecuentes y generalizados, muchos niños que los sobreviven experimentan traumas psicológicos duraderos, como ansiedad, depresión y trastorno de estrés postraumático.
Children in Northern California Learn to Cope With Wildfire Trauma
Doctors and health officials say more children in the state are growing up with wildfire, which can cause stress, depression, anxiety, and other lasting trauma. Experts say there are ways to help kids stay calm.
‘Still a Lot of Pain’: Four Years After Mass Shooting, Texas Community Grapples With Fallout
Santa Fe, Texas, was a mental health care desert until a 17-year-old gunman killed 10 people at the local high school in 2018. Now the city, which sits in a rural stretch between Houston and Galveston, has a resiliency center, where anyone affected by the shooting can get free counseling. But even with an influx of mental health care, the community struggles with the aftermath.
Abortion Is Just the Latest Dividing Line Between the Twin Cities of Bristol and Bristol
The community of Bristol straddles the border between two states with very different abortion laws. Tennessee prohibits most abortions at about six weeks and will soon ban them nearly outright. Virginia allows them at least through the second trimester. To maintain abortion access in the area, staff at a clinic on the Tennessee side of the state line are helping open a clinic about a mile down the road on the Virginia side.
Nurse Midwives Step Up to Provide Prenatal Care After Two Rural Hospitals Shutter Birthing Centers
Dozens of Iowa hospitals have closed their birthing units. A team of University of Iowa nurse midwives can’t reopen them, but they’ve found a way to provide prenatal checkups and other crucial services in two towns.
The Search for Scarce Formula Is Worse for Rural Families on WIC
Constraints imposed by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, that prevent recipients from using benefits to buy formula across state lines weigh on families as the nationwide formula shortage drags on.
Two Tennessee Abortion Clinics, Awaiting High-Court Ruling, Grapple With Uncertainty
The landmark Roe v. Wade decision could soon be overturned. Two Knoxville-based providers of reproductive health care wonder how — and if — they will continue to serve their patients.
At a Bay Area ‘Test-to-Treat’ Site, Few Takers for Free Antivirals
In carrying out the federal covid-19 “test-to-treat” initiative, California is targeting the uninsured by outfitting 138 testing sites with screenings for free antiviral drugs. But as of mid-June, fewer than 800 people had been prescribed the medicines. And two-thirds of those undergoing screenings are insured.
Tacos y pollo al curry: Medi-Cal ofrece comidas preparadas en un experimento de atención médica
El programa ayuda a personas con diabetes y otras afecciones a comer más sano y a aprender sobre alimentos saludables. Busca mejorar la salud y reducir costos en atención médica.
Taco Bowls and Chicken Curry: Medi-Cal Delivers Ready Meals in Grand Health Care Experiment
California has embarked on an ambitious five-year initiative to improve the health of its sickest Medicaid patients by introducing nontraditional services. In the Inland Empire, where many residents have diabetes, one health plan is diving into the experiment by delivering healthy, prepared meals to those lucky enough to get them.
As ‘Trigger Law’ Looms, New Clinic Preps to Provide Abortions in Conservative Bastion
A Wyoming clinic slated to open this summer would be the only one in the state to provide procedural abortions and the closest option for some people in surrounding states. But its fate is uncertain now that the Supreme Court looks poised to strike down Roe v. Wade.
Bison Pastrami, Anyone? Preschool Assistant Makes Sure Kids Get to Know Indigenous Foods
Fawn Youngbear-Tibbetts wants youngsters to connect with their Native American culture and eat more nutritious foods.
On the Steps of the Supreme Court, Tears and Glee, Bitterness and Smiles
In the nation’s capital, abortion activists and lawmakers weigh in on the leaked ‘Roe v. Wade’ draft court opinion.
Downsized City Sees Its Health Care Downsized as Hospital Awaits Demolition
A 124-year-old hospital in a midsize Rust Belt city in Indiana will soon be torn down, despite protests from residents and city officials decrying the loss of local health services. The Catholic hospital system said it is downsizing the 226-bed hospital because of a lack of demand for inpatient care, as the organization has been building new hospitals in wealthier suburbs.
Clínica de abortos en la frontera de Texas enfrenta desafíos legales y culturales únicos
La ley sobre el aborto de Texas, una de las más restrictivas del país, ha puesto a mujeres que viven cerca de la frontera ante dilemas de salud críticos.
Abortion Clinic on Texas-Mexico Border Faces Unique Legal and Cultural Challenges
Just as Texas has tightened its laws surrounding abortion, Mexico has gone the opposite direction, compelling people to seek potentially less-safe procedures south of the border.
Se desploma la asistencia a eventos de vacunación contra covid en Los Ángeles
A medida que las infecciones por covid han ido disminuyendo, también lo ha hecho el interés en las vacunas, a pesar de que estas dosis son altamente efectivas para evitar enfermarse de gravedad y morir a causa del virus.