Latest KFF Health News Stories
Sip Wine And Chat About Postponing Motherhood — At An ‘Egg Social’
Fertility doctors around the country are hosting soirees to pitch to mostly affluent women the benefits of preserving their eggs.
Brokers Are Reluctant Players In A Most Challenging ACA Open-Enrollment Season
With federal support slashed for organizations that provided consumers help in making their health plan choices, insurance brokers have to pick up the slack.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ We Have Numbers!
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo discuss the first days of open enrollment for 2018 individual health insurance plans and whether the Democratic gains in Tuesday’s off-off-year elections will have any impact on health care policy in Washington, D.C.
Pressure Builds To Cut Medicare Patients In On Prescription Deals
Medicare officials have been discussing a rule change that would give beneficiaries a share of the secretive fees and discounts that are negotiated for prescription drugs.
Experts Explain Why Lead Found In Fidget Spinners Is No Idle Threat
Feeling fidgety about U.S. PIRG’s latest report? KHN gets experts to weigh in with their thoughts about the findings and consumers’ risks.
Study Gives Mixed Reviews On Laws To Equalize Cancer Patients’ Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Most states have laws that require that cancer patients who get their treatment orally rather than by infusion in a doctor’s office not pay more out-of-pocket. A new study finds that the impact of those laws is mixed.
Obamacare Shopping Is Trickier Than Ever. Here’s A Cheat Sheet.
This year, more than ever, it is important to know your options.
Maine Voters Greenlight Medicaid Expansion, But Governor Says Whoa
A battle brews as Republican Gov. Paul LePage says he won’t implement the Medicaid expansion unless the Legislature funds Maine’s share. Other states, such as Idaho and Utah, are keenly watching.
Breathing Fire: Health Is A Casualty Of Climate-Fueled Blazes
As the planet warms, wildfires such as the latest disastrous blazes in Northern California have increased in frequency and scope. Beyond the environmental effects, people suffer health repercussions that can be disabling and even deadly.
For Active Seniors, Cohousing Offers A Cozier Alternative To Downsizing
Far from a commune or coop, these planned villages are no less about cooperation and community.
California Cracks Down On Weed Killer As Lawsuits Abound
California has listed the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup as a cancer-causing agent and will require warning labels on it starting next year. The company says that the listing is unjustified and that science is on its side.
Medicaid Chief Says Feds Are Willing To Approve Work Requirements
Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tells state officials that she envisions changes that could include work requirements for Medicaid enrollees.
Hospice Workers Who Care For The Dying Don’t Plan Ahead Themselves
Fewer than half of health care workers at a nonprofit Florida hospice had completed advance directives for end-of-life care.
Ohio’s Drug-Pricing Ballot Question Triggers Voter Confusion
Millions of dollars in campaign spending and a media blitz of advertisements muddy public understanding of Issue 2, the Drug Price Relief Act.
Beyond Stigma And Bias, Many Transgender People Struggle With Mental Health
New data show transgender people are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide. Public hostility toward them, including efforts to ban them from public bathrooms and military service, is making things worse, researchers say.
Liquid Gold: Pain Doctors Soak Up Profits By Screening Urine For Drugs
With the nation’s opioid crisis, urine testing has become a booming business and is especially lucrative for doctors who operate their own labs, a Kaiser Health News investigation finds. And dozens of practitioners have earned “the lion’s share” of their Medicare income exclusively from urine drug screens.
Sickle Cell Patients Suffer Discrimination, Poor Care — And Shorter Lives
People with the genetic blood disorder that mainly afflicts African-Americans can live into their 60s with competent care. So why is life expectancy slipping down to around age 40?
Insurer Tries A Soft Touch — Puppies! — For This Year’s Hard Sell Of Obamacare Plans
Open enrollment for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges started last week. Across the country, municipalities, insurers and grass-roots groups are working hard to help folks navigate the hoops.
Big Premium Hike? Blame It On The Kids
Premiums are rising for many reasons next year, and one is that insurers are charging a lot more for teenagers.
House Tax Bill Would Scrap Deduction For Medical Expenses
About 9 million people claimed about $87 billion in medical deductions in 2015.
