Latest KFF Health News Stories
Busting Myths About Mental Illness
Mental illness is common — and so are misperceptions about it. These too-often-believed myths can be harmful to you and your loved ones.
Zika Traveling Tips: Some Issues To Consider
Organizations ranging from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Pan American Health Organization offer a range of resources regarding the Zika virus to help keep travelers safe and informed about risks.
Sounds Like A Good Idea? Regulating Drug Prices
Presidential candidates from both parties have proposals they say would help lower the cost of prescription drugs. But most experts say that efforts to regulate prices might not end up saving much money.
Inaccurate Provider Lists A Major Barrier To Care, Study Finds
Research published in Health Affairs shows that new patients were able to get an appointment with a primary care doctor less than 30 percent of the time.
A Young Latina In Baltimore Struggles To Keep Her Family Healthy
Immigration status and low incomes are barriers to health care and health insurance for many.
House Panel Extends Funding For Medicare Program To Help Consumers
The decision runs counter to a Senate committee that voted to strip the $52 million appropriation for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which helps beneficiaries understand their Medicare coverage and helps them with billing issues.
Planear por adelantado para cuidados al final de la vida
Un nuevo beneficio de salud disponible para millones de californianos anima a las personas a discutir opciones con los doctores para cuidados al final de la vida.
Despite Federal Directive, Texas Denies Medicaid Coverage For An Autism Therapy
The state’s Medicaid program quit covering the expensive therapy, called applied behavioral analysis, leaving some families scrambling to afford the treatment.
Gingrich, Kennedy Take On Opioid Addiction — The KHN Conversation
Patrick Kennedy, a former congressman from Rhode Island, and Newt Gingrich, who was once the House speaker, are advancing policies to combat this national crisis.
Advance Planning For Your End-Of-Life Care
A new health benefit available to millions of Californians encourages people to discuss end-of-life care options with their doctors.
Medical Marijuana Linked To Modest Budget Benefits For Medicare Part D, Study Finds
A Health Affairs study determines that Part D spending went down slightly on prescription drugs for which medical marijuana is viewed as a possible alternative.
Study: Brand-Name Drugs’ High Copays Soak Medicare Part D Patients
A study in Health Affairs finds Medicare Part D beneficiaries were charged copays averaging 10.5 times more for Crestor and Nexium than generic drugs would have cost them.
Consumers’ Sunscreen Picks Don’t Always Track With Doctors’ Advice, Study Says
Researchers examined shoppers’ reviews of sunscreen products on Amazon.com and found that their the ratings often were based on scent, texture and performance, but didn’t necessarily take into account whether the products were consistent with dermatologists’ recommendations.
Unintended Consequence: Blood Banks Could Feel The Squeeze From Zika Advisories
Public health officials are wrestling with how to safeguard and maintain blood bank reserves in the face of concerns that the Zika virus can be spread through transfusions.
If You Want To Spend A Bundle On Your Bundle Of Joy, Go To Northern California
A new study shows that Sacramento and San Francisco are the two most expensive places to give birth among the nation’s 30 largest metropolitan areas. One possible reason: consolidation of hospitals and doctors.
For This Man, Reducing Gun Violence Is A Life’s Mission
Garen Wintemute, an ER doctor, gun violence researcher and advocate of tighter firearms restrictions, finds opportunity in the wake of mass shootings like the one that struck an Orlando night club last month.
Medicaid, Private Insurers Begin To Lift Curbs On Pricey Hepatitis C Drugs
Over the past few months, Massachusetts, Florida, New York, Delaware and Washington have lifted restrictions on the expensive medications, and private insurers around the country are also making the changes.
Young Adults Can Face Challenges To Health Enrollment
Even as the administration focuses on getting more young adults into marketplace coverage, many enrollment specialists say that this group has some difficulty transitioning from family plans or Medicaid.
American ‘Stem Cell Tourists’ Don’t Have To Travel Abroad, Study Says
Treatments marketed as everything from anti-aging applications to therapies for degenerative diseases are increasingly available at commercial clinics in the U.S., but their growing numbers raise ethical and regulatory concerns in the scientific community.
5 Things To Know About The Supreme Court’s Texas Abortion Decision
It was a big win for pro-abortion rights advocates, but abortion opponents are not daunted. Stay tuned for how it will affect presidential politics and the next generation of women voters.
