Latest KFF Health News Stories
Promises Made To Protect Preexisting Conditions Prove Hollow
Experts say the loopholes would allow states to bypass some protections for people with preexisting conditions.
Huecos en las promesas de proteger la cobertura de condiciones preexistentes
Expertos en políticas de salud que han analizado el texto del proyecto de salud del Senado, aseguran que la legislación no siempre garantizaría la atención de personas con condiciones preexistentes.
Seesawing Family Income Threatens Kids’ Medicaid Coverage In Texas
Critics point to the state’s aggressive eligibility checks as an example of what can go wrong when states have flexibility and add a reason to worry about GOP efforts to overhaul the program.
Unable To Arrest Opioid Epidemic, Red States Warm To Needle Exchanges
The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition has advanced a local shift from a tough-on-drugs approach to harm-reduction philosophy. Other red states signal they may follow suit.
People In Recovery Worry GOP Medicaid Cuts Would Put Treatment Out Of Reach
In Pennsylvania alone, 124,000 people received drug or alcohol addiction treatment through Medicaid. Republicans in Congress want to cut Medicaid by as much as $800 billion over the next decade, leaving people in recovery wondering what will happen to their treatment.
Zika en América: la saga de una mamá hispana
Lo primero que hizo María Ríos cuando nació su beba es chequear el tamaño de su cabeza. Fue entonces cuando supo que sus miedos se habían hecho realidad: la niña había nacido con microcefalia, una consecuencia del zika.
Zika In America: One Mother’s Saga
So far, 72 affected babies have been born in the continental U.S. One young mother, infected in Mexico last year, and her infant face an uncertain future in rural Washington.
In Texas, Abstinence-Only Programs May Contribute To Teen Pregnancies
Across the U.S., the number of teenagers having babies has hit a record low — it’s down to about 1 out of every 45 young women. That trend hasn’t extended to certain parts of Texas, however, where the teen birth rate is still nearly twice the national average.
Medical Responses To Opioid Addiction Vary By State, Analysis Finds
The study also found that the largest percentage of medical coverage claims related to opioid abuse and dependence nationally come from older patients — those ages 51 to 60.
As Insurance Options Shrink, Families Are ‘Holding Our Breath’
One of two insurers in this tiny state has announced it will not be back in the marketplaces next year, leaving customers concerned about the prices they will pay.
Protected But Priced Out: Patients Worry About Health Law’s Future In Arizona
Corinne Bobbie has a love-hate relationship with the Affordable Care Act. As the GOP tries to repeal the law, the experiences and fears of voters like Bobbie could determine a politician’s fate.
‘My Life Is Very Full’: People With Disabilities Worry About GOP Medicaid Cuts
The Obamacare replacement bill passed by House Republicans would cut Medicaid by $834 billion over a decade. That has people with disabilities scared that services that allow them to live independently, such as job training and transportation, will disappear.
Recovery On The Reservation: Montana Sisters Help Peers Stop Using Drugs
A grass-roots effort to corral Montana’s meth crisis hinges on the idea that people who are successful in conquering addiction are uniquely qualified to coach others.
‘Health Care’ = Fighting Words In Montana
A question about the Obamacare repeal bill turned into a rumble in the Montana special election — portending tough times ahead for Republicans.
Tab For Single-Payer Proposal In California Could Run $400 Billion
A state Senate panel considering the measure said money for existing public programs could cover half the cost. But the rest might have to come from new taxes — a serious political obstacle.
New York State Wants Its Prescription Drug Money Back — Or Else
A new law gives Medicaid regulators power to threaten drugmakers with cost-effectiveness scrutiny unless they grant additional rebates.
Secret Sauce In Maine’s Successful High-Risk Pool: Enough Money
Before the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges began, Maine had an “invisible high-risk pool” in place. Republican lawmakers are pointing to it as a success — but it was better funded by a vast margin than the high-risk pools in the House replacement bill.
CMS Gives States Until 2022 To Meet Medicaid Standards Of Care
The Trump administration has given states three more years to meet federal standards aimed at helping elderly and disabled Medicaid enrollees receive services without being forced to go into nursing homes.
Parents Of Sick Children Fear Trap If States Have Say On ‘Preexisting Conditions’
“I’m not going to risk my son’s health on the political whims of Jefferson City,” says one Missouri father, whose son requires about $20,000 to $30,000 in medical care expenses a year. The new GOP health bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act lets states decide whether or not insurers must cover people with preexisting conditions, such as birth defects.
Pseudoscience Fuels Fear Behind Minnesota Measles Outbreak
An outbreak of 34 cases of measles has hit Minnesota’s densely populated Somali-American neighborhoods, where 6 in 10 children are not vaccinated against the virus.
