Latest KFF Health News Stories
As Youth Suicides Climb, Anguished Parents Begin To Speak Out
The suicide rate for children ages 10 to 14 almost tripled in a decade and is still rising. As parents grapple with loss, some turn to activism.
New Federal Rules Will Let Patients Put Medical Records On Smartphones
Patients would have far more control over their health care with complete medical histories stored on their phones, proponents say.
Surging Health Care Worker Quarantines Raise Concerns As Coronavirus Spreads
The number of U.S. health care workers who have been ordered to self-quarantine because of potential exposure to the new coronavirus is rising at an exponential pace. Many experts say something has to change.
Around The Corner: 3D Housing Designed For The Homeless And Needy Seniors
As homelessness among older adults increases, a movement is afoot to use a powerful 3D printer to construct affordable and durable housing.
Pence Leaves Out Key Details About Health Coverage Of Coronavirus Testing
The vice president’s remarks are more proof that health care is complicated.
Despite A Birth By A Colorado Legislator, Paid Family Leave Bill Feels Labor Pains
A Colorado lawmaker giving birth near the start of the state’s four-month legislative session highlighted the lack of comprehensive paid family leave. Yet a bill to add a statewide system that once seemed a sure thing is getting bogged down.
With Coronavirus Lurking, Conferences Wrestle With Whether To Cancel
Concerns over Comic Con in Seattle mount as HIMSS and other huge conferences halt their plans.
On Front Lines, First Responders Brace For Coronavirus ― And Their Own Protection
Emergency medical technicians, ambulance crews and some firefighters are facing new threats from the coronavirus, which could put their normal contingency plans to the test.
Listen: How Paramedical Tattoos Provide Healing
KHN Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony spoke with “The 21st” host Jenna Dooley about an Illinois tattoo artist who is changing lives by inking nails on finger amputees, mocking up belly buttons after tummy tucks and fleshing out lips after dog attacks.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: A ‘Super Tuesday’ For The Health Debate?
The wide field of Democrats vying to face President Donald Trump in the fall has been reduced to two major candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, each with a different prescription for the health system. Meanwhile, Congress and the Trump administration scramble to address the spread of the novel coronavirus. And the Supreme Court agrees to consider the latest case against the Affordable Care Act. Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, Tami Luhby of CNN and Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more.
During A Pandemic, States’ Patchwork Of Crisis Strategies Could Mean Uneven Care
If a coronavirus pandemic were to hit the U.S., only 36 states have blueprints for “crisis standards of care” to sort out who gets what kind of medical care amid scarce resources. And not all the plans are of high quality. That means health care providers in some states will be better prepared for a crisis than others — but all could face tough decisions.
As Coronavirus Cases Grow, So Does Scrutiny Of Nursing Home Infection Plans
Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, calls on state and federal health inspectors to focus on how facilities keep infections from spreading, especially in areas that have reported coronavirus cases.
Insurers Sank Connecticut’s ‘Public Option.’ Would A National Version Survive?
Even in a solidly blue state where voters were demanding relief from high health care costs, the idea of a government-run public option for health insurance faced a “steam train of opposition.”
Analysis: One Sure Thing About COVID-19: No Telling How Many People Have It
In an era when we get flash-flood warnings on our phones and weekly influenza statistics from every state, vital knowledge about the coronavirus outbreak is being kept under wraps.
Maine Voters Consider U-Turn On Vaccine Exemptions
States tried to tighten vaccine requirements last year in the midst of measles outbreaks, but a backlash against a tougher law in Maine put a referendum on the ballot there. Voters weigh in on Super Tuesday.
Corralling Hard-To-Reach Voters With Traveling Voting Machines
In advance of the Super Tuesday primary, California’s Los Angeles County is rotating new touch-screen voting machines among 41 locations, including adult day care centers and jails, to increase voting among populations with historically low turnout.
In An Exchange About Coronavirus, Homeland Security Chief Gets Flu Mortality Rate Wrong
The Homeland Security secretary missed the mark with his estimate of the flu’s annual U.S. mortality rate.
HHS Removed Images Of Condoms From HIV/AIDS Awareness Fliers
For those who are sexually active, condoms are widely recognized as the most effective method for preventing HIV and other diseases, if used correctly. But a fact sheet with “unapproved condom imagery” was taken down from a federal website, KHN has learned.
Failure To Communicate: The Debate On ACA Rages On 10 Years After Passage
Health policy is complicated. As a result, many journalists ― and sometimes policymakers ― have defaulted to talking about its politics. That means opponents often have shaped the debate about the federal health law’s implementation and effects to foment public fear or anger.
Nursing Home Outbreak Spotlights Coronavirus Risk In Elder Care Facilities
The spread of coronavirus disease to a skilled nursing facility in Washington state underscores the risk the deadly new virus poses in elder care facilities, where illnesses caused by more common pathogens, like seasonal influenza, often spread rapidly.
