Latest KFF Health News Stories
Widespread Hype Gives False Hope To Many Cancer Patients
Doctors and drug developers have a stake in making cancer treatments seem better than they really are.
Pre-Obamacare, Preexisting Conditions Long Vexed States And Insurers
Before the federal health law guarantee that consumers cannot be turned down because of their medical history, it was difficult to balance insurers’ needs to make a profit and individuals’ needs for coverage.
Severe Shortage Of Home Health Workers Robs Thousands Of Proper Care
A critical shortage of home health care workers across the U.S. is denying care for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Health Care Worries Pull Crowd To Conservative Ohio Rep’s Town Hall
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sparked discord at his meeting with his district’s voters Monday when he suggested churches, schools and families are best able to handle the opioid epidemic rather than the federal government.
HHS, States Move To Help Insurers Defray Costs Of Sickest Patients
In a letter to all governors, HHS Secretary Tom Price invited them to consider seeking federal help to set up reinsurance funds that would help cover losses that insurers have because of high numbers of sick patients.
CHIP Offers Families With Seriously Ill Kids More Financial Protection Than ACA Plans
Out-of-pocket costs can rise dramatically for children with chronic health issues if a family changes marketplace coverage, according to a new study.
Reluctant Patients, Hispanic Men Pose A Costly Challenge To The Health System
Many Hispanic men don’t seek medical care soon enough and as the Hispanic population grows, some health care professionals are sounding an alarm.
Health Care In America: An Employment Bonanza And A Runaway-Cost Crisis
The Trump administration has pledged to create jobs and shrink health care spending — almost a contradiction in a country where health care is a roaring engine of the economy.
Going For $1 An Ounce: The Burgeoning Trade In Mothers’ Milk
As a fountain of nonprofit milk banks emerge, one woman’s abundant supply can fill another’s yawning demand. But critics fear that poor women will sell start selling their milk for survival, depriving their own babies of vital nutrients.
A Spoonful Of Kids’ Medicine Makes The Profits Go Up
Even as drug pricing issues continue to draw scrutiny, federal safety regulations and incentives offer drug companies a new avenue to get a sweet return on their development costs.
Drugmakers Dramatically Boosted Lobbying Spending In Trump’s First Quarter
With high drug prices creating widespread controversy, top pharmaceutical companies and their trade group vastly increased their lobbying spending on Capitol Hill.
Marathon Pharmaceutical Drops Out Of PhRMA Following Drug Price Controversy
Two companies that faced criticism for high-priced drugs, Marathon and Mallinckrodt, have dropped out of the PhRMA trade association.
Conservatives’ Goal To Relax Mandatory Health Benefits Unlikely To Tame Premiums
The federal health law requires most insurance plans to offer 10 specific categories of essential benefits. Conservatives would like to get rid of that rule in the hopes of bringing down premium costs.
What Doesn’t Kill You Can Maim: Unexpected Injuries From Opioids
Doctors are beginning to pay attention to injuries, such as brain damage or kidney failure, that can afflict people who survive an overdose.
For Doctors, A Clamp Down On Visas Could Have An Uneven Effect In The U.S.
New research shows that physicians getting H-1B visas account for just over 1 percent of all doctors, but some areas are much more likely to be seeking their services.
California Lawmakers Consider Mandatory Labels On Salon Products To Protect Workers
Bill would require disclosure of potentially harmful chemicals used in hair treatments, nail polish and other substances used in salons.
How To Help Alzheimer’s Patients Enjoy Life, Not Just ‘Fade Away’
Research shows that people with dementia can benefit significantly from efforts to ease communication, improve overall health and other key measures.
San Francisco Seeks To Ban Sale Of Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Tobacco Products
A proposed ordinance would block access to menthol cigarettes, as well as e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco with flavors such as chocolate, cherry or popcorn. Studies show such products are overwhelmingly favored by teenagers and some minorities.
Stalking the ‘Unknown Enemy’: Doctors Turn Scope On Rare Diseases
An NIH-funded network of hospitals uses advanced genetic science and nationwide collaboration to diagnose rare and sometimes undiscovered diseases.
California Hospitals Lose Ground In Quality Of Care, Report Card Shows
The nonprofit Leapfrog Group shows nearly half of California hospitals got a grade of C, D or F in patient safety measures — an increase from two years ago.
