Latest KFF Health News Stories
To Curb Unintended Pregnancy, States Turn To IUDs — In The Delivery Room
States are contemplating whether access to IUD through post-delivery procedures could be an important step in curbing unintended pregnancies.
Researchers Unlock Mystery Of How Zika Spreads In Human Cells
Zika virus infection changes both viral and human RNA, affecting the body’s immune response, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego.
California Man Dies After Apparent Failure Of Artificial Heart Compressor
The FDA confirms it is looking into more than one problem with the compressor, which is used to power patients’ artificial hearts.
Video Highlights: Health Care On The Debate Stage
Video highlights of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton’s discussion of health issues in the third and final debate on Oct. 19, 2016.
West Virginia Grapples With High Drug Costs
Climbing drug prices are taking a toll on West Virginia’s budget, some state legislators say. Expensive drugs fuel an increase in Medicaid spending, which leaves less money for schools and roads.
An Idea Borrowed From South Africa: Ordinary Citizens Fill Gaps In Health Care
A New York group seeks to show that a health coach who is also a neighbor can help patients and save money.
Burwell Says Upcoming Enrollment Efforts Are Pivotal For Health Law
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell announces that federal officials expect the number of people picking plans will grow by 1 million this year to nearly 14 million people, but she acknowledges that rising prices and fewer insurers are challenging the marketplaces.
Emergency Room Use Stayed High In Oregon Medicaid Study
A new study on Oregon’s famed Medicaid experiment eight years ago shows no decline in emergency room care even after two years of coverage.
New California Law Will More Finely Parse Health Data On Asians
Advocates hope better data will help ethnic communities.
Big Raises For Many Home Care Workers Won’t Necessarily Help Senior Citizens
A $15 minimum wage will almost double what many home care workers are paid but won’t solve other problems.
Organ Donation And The Opioid Epidemic: ‘An Unexpected Life-Saving Legacy’
So far this year, more than one in four donations in New England are from people who died after a drug overdose — a much higher rate than in the U.S. overall, though it’s not clear why.
Are Blues’ Plans Benefiting Unfairly From Program To Offset Cost Of Sicker Patients?
Other insurers complain that Blue Cross Blue Shield plans have bloated overhead costs and reap too much from the Obamacare risk-adjustment fund, paid for by insurers. The companies deny it.
7 Insurers Alleged To Use Skimpy Drug Coverage To Discourage HIV Patients
The plans sought to discourage costly HIV patients by not including their drug needs in formularies or requiring high cost sharing, a Harvard Law School group says in a complaint filed with HHS.
Staying Out Of The Closet In Old Age
Many aging gays and lesbians who have lived openly for decades are finding that the world of assisted living and nursing homes can be decidedly less accommodating.
Scarcity Of Mental Health Care Means Patients — Especially Kids — Land In ER
Research released by the American College of Emergency Physicians highlights how gaps in mental health care play out in the emergency room with longer stays and difficulties in securing follow-up care.
Frustration Runs Deep For Customers Forced To Change Marketplace Plans Routinely
Doctor and hospital switching is a recurring scramble for these consumers who face rising premiums and plan exits.
Officials Warn Some Older Marketplace Customers To Switch To Medicare
The government is sending emails and letters to some seniors to warn them that if they are eligible for Medicare and stay on the health law’s exchange, they will have to repay any subsidies they receive and if they miss their Medicare enrollment opportunity, they will face a life-long penalty.
How Narrow Is It? Gov’t Begins Test Of Comparison Tool For Health Plan Networks
This fall, the tool will be available in four states with hopes of expanding it to other states in the future.
Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration
The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom.
Report: States Increase Cost Controls To Manage Medicaid Growth
Medicaid enrollment and total Medicaid spending are projected to rise more slowly for 2017, but states’ tab will grow faster as the federal government begins to taper its funding for Obamacare expansions, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports in its annual 50-state survey.
