Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Keeping Kids Healthy And Sane In A Digital World

KFF Health News Original

Children are spending more time on their devices than ever before, despite evidence that excessive screen time puts their minds and bodies at risk. Parents should set limits and stick to them — and also change their own online behavior, experts say.

Por qué Amazon Alexa puede ser mala para la atención de salud

KFF Health News Original

Las firmas de capital privado y de riesgo están enamoradas de una legión de nuevas empresas que promocionan los beneficios de las visitas médicas virtuales… ¿son buenas?

Un despertar: las camas y aplicaciones para dormir recolectan datos personales

KFF Health News Original

El objetivo de la recopilación de datos, según Sleep Number y otras compañías, es ayudar a los estadounidenses a dormir mejor. Qué opinan los defensores de los consumidores.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The State Of The Abortion Debate — A Deep Dive

KFF Health News Original

For our 100th episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jen Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Sandhya Ramen of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to take a deep dive into the abortion debate, discussing everything from the latest news to the history of the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence as well as how states are trying to further expand or restrict abortion rights and access. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Lauren Weber about the latest “Bill of the Month” installment.

The Unexpected Perk Of My Group Pregnancy Care: New Friends

KFF Health News Original

Group prenatal visits are catching on — they save money and reduce the risk of premature births. It turned out to be the best decision one couple made during their pregnancy.

Your Wake-Up Call On Data-Collecting Smart Beds And Sleep Apps

KFF Health News Original

An array of products — from mattresses and sensors to sleep trackers and apps — are catching consumers’ attention. But privacy experts are concerned about what becomes of all the personal information these products collect.

Oklahoma’s ‘Precedent-Setting’ Suit Puts Opioid Drugmakers On Trial

KFF Health News Original

As states struggle to respond to the national drug crisis, officials around the country are watching Oklahoma. The state’s attorney general says opioid drugmakers helped ignite a health crisis that has killed thousands of residents.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Is ‘Medicare For All’ Losing Steam?

KFF Health News Original

Joanne Kenen of Politico, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest Democratic efforts to push “Medicare for All” in the U.S. House. They also review new initiatives to raise the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21 and new lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s actions on reproductive health. Also, for extra credit, the panelists suggest their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

Heat And Violence Pose Twin Threats For Asylum-Seekers Waiting At Border

KFF Health News Original

For Central American migrants who follow U.S. government rules for pursuing asylum, conditions on the Mexican side of the border are sweltering, filled with anxiety and illness. Few people have a clear timetable for when it will get any better.

A Medical Sanctuary For Migrant Farmworkers

KFF Health News Original

A former farmworker, now a doctor, runs two clinics in California’s Central Valley providing care — often free of charge — for migrants who don’t have money and are deeply worried about the federal government’s hard-line stance on immigration.

Opioid Prescriptions Drop Sharply Among State Workers

KFF Health News Original

New data from the California agency that manages health benefits for 1.5 million public employees, retirees and their families shows that doctors are writing far fewer opioid prescriptions, reflecting a national trend of physicians cutting back on the addictive drugs.

Why Missouri’s The Last Holdout On A Statewide Rx Monitoring Program

KFF Health News Original

For the seventh year in a row, Missouri will retain its lonely title as the only state without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. Fears about privacy violations and gun control scuttled the bill yet again, leaving a pastiche of half-step measures in place to fill the void in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

Escalating Workplace Violence Rocks Hospitals

KFF Health News Original

Incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in health care than in private industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.