Latest KFF Health News Stories
Closing of Rural Hospitals Leaves Towns With Unhealthy Real Estate
Dozens of small cities and towns across the United States struggle not just with health care access and the loss of jobs, but also with the burden of what to do with big, empty buildings.
California’s $25 Health Care Hourly Wage Relies on Federal Boost, State Worker Exemption
California’s nation-leading $25 minimum wage for health workers relies on a significant boost in federal funding. It also leaves out thousands of state employees under an agreement that is expected to win approval from state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom in the coming days.
Los Angeles County Approves Medical Debt Relief for Residents
The most populous county in the U.S. is buying up and retiring millions of dollars in residents’ medical debt as part of its plan to tackle a $2.9 billion burden. But some health experts worry the initiative could incentivize hospitals to pursue debtors rather than boost financial assistance to patients.
Therapists Learn How To Help Farmers Cope With Stress Before It’s Too Late
Many farmers have traditionally handled their own problems, whether it’s a busted tractor or debilitating anxiety. “With the older generation, it’s still, ‘Suck it up and get over it,’” says an Iowa mental health advocate and farmer.
US Surgeon General Declares Gun Violence ‘a Public Health Crisis’
Gun violence is the No. 1 cause of death for children and teens in America. Vivek Murthy says the toll extends beyond deaths, as survivors deal with “a lifetime of physical and mental health impacts” and those who witness shootings become traumatized.
An Arm and a Leg: Meet the Middleman’s Middleman
Why are patients facing bigger bills than they expect for out-of-network care? In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” the show explains the hidden mechanics of MultiPlan, a data firm that helps health insurers set these rates and make bigger returns.
Young Gay Latinos See Rising Share of New HIV Cases, Leading to Call for Targeted Funding
Since being diagnosed with HIV in 2022, Fernando Hermida has had to move three times to access treatment. A KFF Health News-Associated Press analysis found gay and bisexual Latino men account for a fast-growing proportion of new diagnoses and infections, showing they are falling behind in the fight against HIV.
Un análisis de KFF Health News-Associated Press halló que los hombres latinos homosexuales y bisexuales representan una proporción cada vez mayor de nuevos diagnósticos e infecciones, lo que demuestra que los están dejando atrás en la lucha contra el VIH.
Medicaid for Millions in America Hinges on Deloitte-Run Systems Plagued by Errors
The technology has generated notices with errors, sent Medicaid paperwork to the wrong addresses, and been frozen for hours at a time, according to state audits, court documents, and interviews. While it can take months to fix problems, America’s poorest residents pay the price.
It’s Called an Urgent Care Emergency Center — But Which Is It?
Suffering stomach pain, a Dallas man visited his local urgent care clinic — or so he thought, until he got a bill 10 times what he’d expected.
Super Bowl Parade Shooting Survivors Await Promised Donations While Bills Pile Up
Families of the people hurt during the Feb. 14 mass shooting are carrying what one expert calls “victimization debt.” In the third story of our series “The Injured,” we learn about the strain of paying small and large medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs.
Los costos médicos para los sobrevivientes del tiroteo son muy altos y no terminarán pronto. Según un estudio de la Escuela de Medicina de Harvard, el gasto médico promedio para alguien que recibió un disparo se eleva a casi $30,000 el primer año.
California Leaders Tussle With Health Industry Over Billions of New Dollars for Medi-Cal
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to pull funds earmarked for new investment in Medi-Cal to help plug California’s $45 billion deficit. A state budget passed June 13 by the legislature largely endorsed Newsom’s plan. Voters could settle the matter in an industry-backed initiative that has qualified for the November ballot.
How Two States Reveal a Deeper Divide on Insuring Kids’ Health
Arizona and Florida lawmakers saw trouble ahead for children in 2023, with states slated — as the covid-19 pandemic waned — to resume disenrolling ineligible people from Medicaid. So, legislators in both states voted to expand a safety net known as the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which covers those 18 and younger in […]
A Tale of Two States: Arizona and Florida Diverge on How To Expand Kids’ Health Insurance
Both Florida and Arizona want to expand eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but their approaches to charging low-income families premiums for the coverage showcase the nation’s ideological divide on helping the disadvantaged.
Experts: US Hospitals Prone to Cyberattacks Like One That Hurt Patient Care at Ascension
Clinicians working for Ascension hospitals in multiple states described harrowing lapses, including delayed or lost lab results, medication errors, and an absence of routine safety checks to prevent potentially fatal mistakes.
Presidential Politics, Polka and Wisconsin
Wisconsin, the land of fried cheese curds and the Green Bay Packers, is one of a half-dozen key battleground states where President Biden is trying to make health care a key issue in his expected November matchup with former president Donald Trump. Biden narrowly won Wisconsin in 2020, after it went for Trump in 2016. […]
¿Cómo Se Dice? California Loops In AI To Translate Health Care Information
State officials want to use artificial intelligence to translate public health care and social services documents and websites, which they say will speed up translations, save money, and improve Californians’ access to critical information. But some IT and language experts worry AI may introduce errors in wording and understanding.
¿Cómo se dice? California recurre a la IA para traducir información sobre atención médica
Funcionarios estatales quieren usar la inteligencia artificial para traducir documentos y sitios web de servicios sociales y de salud pública. Pero expertos en esta tecnología y en idiomas temen que la IA pueda cometer errores en la comprensión de los textos y en su redacción.
Americans With HIV Are Living Longer. Federal Spending Isn’t Keeping Up.
Advances in medicine mean more people are living longer with HIV. But aging with HIV comes with an increased risk of health complications, and many worry the U.S. health care system isn’t prepared to treat this growing population.
