Police Suspect Arson at Wyoming Site of Clinic That Would Provide Abortions

KFF Health News Original

A building slated to become the site of Wyoming’s sole provider of procedural abortions caught fire early Wednesday. Investigators suspect arson at the site that has been the focus of weekly rallies.

As ‘Trigger Law’ Looms, New Clinic Preps to Provide Abortions in Conservative Bastion

KFF Health News Original

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.

This Rural, Red Southern County Was a Vaccine Success Story. Not Anymore.

KFF Health News Original

Meigs County in Tennessee reported one of the highest covid-19 vaccination rates in the South for much of the past year. But those reports were wrong because of a data error that has surfaced in other states, such as West Virginia and Montana, as well.

As Red Cross Moves to Pricey Blood Treatment Method, Hospitals Call for More Choice

KFF Health News Original

The nation’s largest supplier of platelets is moving to a method it says is easier for hospitals, but one that sharply raises costs, leading some centers to demand more options.

Estados todavía deben usar el dinero federal que recibieron para zanjar disparidades de salud por covid

KFF Health News Original

A un año de recibir millones del gobierno federal, los estados apenas han comenzado a pensar cómo utilizar el dinero que recibieron para zanjar la desigualdad en salud que generó, y agravó, la pandemia.

States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle Covid Health Disparities

KFF Health News Original

A year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded states and local health departments $2.25 billion to help people of color and other populations at higher risk from covid. But a KHN review shows public health agencies across the country have been slow to spend it.

How the Test-to-Treat Pillar of the US Covid Strategy Is Failing Patients

KFF Health News Original

The federal “test-to-treat” program was designed to be a one-stop shop for people to get tested for covid and to receive treatment. But as covid cases rise again, many communities have no participating locations, and website bugs make it difficult to book an appointment at the biggest participant.

The Pandemic Exacerbates the ‘Paramedic Paradox’ in Rural America

KFF Health News Original

Emergency medical services are a lifeline in regions with scarce medical care. But paramedics, trained to respond to patients with life-threatening injuries, are in short supply where they’re needed most.

As US Nears 1 Million Covid Deaths, One Hard-Hit County Grapples With Unthinkable Loss

KFF Health News Original

The United States is nearing 1 million deaths from covid — an almost incomprehensible number of lives lost that few thought possible when the pandemic began. Pennsylvania’s Mifflin County offers a snapshot into how one hard-hit community, with over 300 dead, is coping.

Tennessee Offers to Expand Dental Schools as Medicaid Coverage Stretches Need

KFF Health News Original

As states expand Medicaid’s dental benefits, they’re running up against a shortage of dentists willing to work on those patients, especially in rural communities. So Tennessee is helping dental schools expand and offering to pay off student loans for those who work in high-need areas.

Delays for Autism Diagnosis and Treatment Grew Even Longer During the Pandemic

KFF Health News Original

Despite increased public awareness, research advances, and wider insurance coverage for autism therapies, children often wait months — in some cases more than a year — to get an autism diagnosis and begin intervention services. The waits can be longer for Black and Latino children, and families in rural areas are also disadvantaged, without access to providers.

At a Tennessee Crossroads, Two Pharmacies, a Monkey, and Millions of Pills

KFF Health News Original

Prosecutors say opioid-seeking patients drove hours to get their prescriptions filled in Celina, Tennessee, where pharmacies ignored signs of substance misuse and paid cash — or “monkey bucks” — to keep customers coming back.

Missouri Tried to Fix Its Doctor Shortage. Now the Fix May Need Fixing.

KFF Health News Original

Five states have created “assistant physician” licenses that allow medical school graduates to practice without completing residency training. But a federal indictment in Missouri of one assistant physician has some original supporters trying to rein in the medical specialty.

Two Years In, Covid Leaves Montana Public Health Officials Feeling ‘Watched’

KFF Health News Original

Montanans engage in plenty of spirited political disagreements. But debates about covid-19, public health, and personal liberties have reached a fever pitch, tugging at tightknit towns and making some residents wonder how their communities will survive.