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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Advocates Call for 911 Changes. Police Have Mixed Feelings.

KFF Health News Original

Though most California counties are experimenting with dispatching health professionals rather than law enforcement to respond to people experiencing mental health crises, powerful police unions fear defunding.

Malpractice Lawsuits Over Denied Abortion Care May Be on the Horizon

KFF Health News Original

Physicians and attorneys say it’s a question of when — not if — a pregnant person dies from lack of care in a state with an abortion ban, potentially setting the stage for a malpractice lawsuit that could pressure providers to reconsider delaying or denying care.

Medical Exiles: Families Flee States Amid Crackdown on Transgender Care

KFF Health News Original

As more states restrict gender-affirming care for transgender people, some are relocating to more welcoming destinations, such as California, Illinois, Maryland, and Nevada, where they don’t have to worry about being locked out of medical care.

California’s Homelessness Crisis Is Homegrown, Study Finds

KFF Health News Original

University of California researchers found at least 90% of adults experiencing homelessness became homeless while living in the state, and many suffer depression and anxiety living without stable housing.

Doctor Lands in the Doghouse After Giving Covid Vaccine Waivers Too Freely

KFF Health News Original

Richard Coble issued vaccine waivers to patients in at least three states without examining them. He was exposed by a Nashville TV station that bought a waiver for a Labrador retriever named Charlie.

California Schools Start Hatching Heat Plans as the Planet Warms

KFF Health News Original

State researchers offer recommendations on how schools can become more heat-resilient in the face of global warming. Proposed changes to state law could make it easier to build shade structures.

Foster Kids in Casino Hotels? It Happened in Rural Nevada Amid Widespread Foster Home Shortages

KFF Health News Original

A nationwide decline in foster home spots has led to dire situations in some rural areas, including northeastern Nevada, where a state social worker has been pleading with community leaders to help address a shortage that left officials housing children in casino hotels.

On the Brink of Homelessness, San Diego Woman Wins the Medi-Cal Lottery

KFF Health News Original

Annie Malloy, of San Diego, is among the first to receive a new housing move-in benefit from Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. It’s an effort to help homeless and near-homeless people who might otherwise rack up huge medical bills.

Fraudsters Are Duping Homeless People Into Signing Up for ACA Plans They Can’t Afford

KFF Health News Original

Homeless people are being fraudulently enrolled in health plans on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, induced with cash payments from insurance agents and brokers. Those who sign up for an ACA plan are disqualified from other forms of free and low-cost care and risk disruption in treatment.