Latest Morning Briefing Stories
More Mobile Clinics Are Bringing Long-Acting Birth Control to Rural Areas
Small-town doctors may not offer IUDs and hormonal implants because the devices require training to administer and are expensive to stock.
Harris Backs Slashing Medical Debt. Trump’s ‘Concepts’ Worry Advocates.
The Biden administration has taken significant steps to address a problem that burdens 100 million people in America, but gains would be jeopardized by a Trump win, advocates say.
Millions of Aging Americans Are Facing Dementia by Themselves
In a health care system that assumes older adults have family caregivers to help them, those facing dementia by themselves often fall through the cracks.
California Hospitals Scramble on Earthquake Retrofits as State Limits Extensions
California legislators for years have granted extensions on a 1994 law requiring hospitals to retrofit their buildings to withstand earthquakes. Gov. Gavin Newsom in September vetoed an extension for all hospitals but signed a bill granting relief to rural and “distressed” hospitals and some others.
Extended-Stay Hotels, a Growing Option for Poor Families, Can Lead to Health Problems for Kids
Extended-stay hotels are often a last resort for low-income families trying to avoid homelessness. But hotel living can lead to — or exacerbate — various physical and mental health issues for children, say advocates for families and researchers who study homelessness.
Abortion Emerges as Most Important Election Issue for Young Women, Poll Finds
A KFF survey found significant shifts among women voters since late spring — all in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Watch: Biggest Dangers and Health Concerns From Hurricane Milton
KFF Health News’ Céline Gounder shares advice on how to prepare before a hurricane.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Yet Another Promise for Long-Term Care Coverage
As part of her presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris has rolled out a plan for Medicare to provide in-home long-term care services. The proposal would fill a longtime need for families trying to simultaneously care for young children and older parents, but its enormous price tag makes it a promise unlikely to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, a growing number of Republican candidates up and down the ballot facing voter backlash over their support for abortion restrictions are trying to reinvent their positions. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, excerpts from a KFF lunch with “Shark Tank” panelist and generic drug discounter Mark Cuban, who has been consulting with the Harris campaign about health care issues.
Older Men’s Connections Often Wither When They’re on Their Own
Older men who find themselves living alone tend to have fewer close personal relationships than older women. They’re vulnerable, physically and emotionally, but often reluctant to ask for help.
Happening in Springfield: New Immigrants Offer Economic Promise, Health System Challenges
Donald Trump put Springfield, Ohio, in a harsh spotlight by spreading misinformation about its legal Haitian population. But what is really happening in this small city is a microcosm of the health care challenges immigration hot spots throughout the country are facing.
Montana Looks To Fast-Track Medicaid Access for Older Applicants
As Montana’s population ages, providers serving low-income seniors say more people aren’t getting the care they need as they wait to get on Medicaid. Montana lawmakers are considering creating a shortcut to that care.
Watch: ‘Breaking the Silence Is a Step’ — Beyond the Lens of ‘Silence in Sikeston’
KFF Health News Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony discusses her reporting for the “Silence in Sikeston” multimedia project, which explores the impact of a 1942 lynching and a 2020 police killing on a rural Missouri community — and what it led her to learn about her own family’s past.
Poppy Seed Brew Triggers Morphine Overdose, Drawing Attention of Lawmakers
Poppy seeds contaminated with opioids can be used to make a deadly brew, a watchdog says.
Asian Health Center Tries Unconventional Approach to Counseling
Facing a dire shortage of bilingual and culturally attuned therapists, an Oakland, California, community clinic serving Asian immigrants has trained staffers in a victim support unit to provide lay counseling.
Employers Haven’t a Clue How Their Drug Benefits Are Managed
The Big Three pharmacy benefit managers say they return nearly all the rebates they get from drugmakers to the employers and insurers who hire them. But most employers seem to doubt that.
An Arm and a Leg: ‘Baby Steps’ in the Fight Against Facility Fees
An extra $99 fee on top of a copay for a checkup didn’t sit right with a listener. Turns out, state legislators across the country aren’t buying it either.
A Boy’s Bicycling Death Haunts a Black Neighborhood. 35 Years Later, There’s Still No Sidewalk.
John Parker was in first grade when he was struck by a pickup truck driving on Durham’s Cheek Road, which lacks sidewalks to this day. Neighborhoods with no sidewalks, damaged walkways, and roads with high speed limits are concentrated in Black neighborhoods, research finds.
What’s New and What To Watch For in the Upcoming ACA Open Enrollment Period
This year’s start date in most states is Nov. 1, and consumers may encounter new scams as well as important rule changes.
Silence in Sikeston: Is There a Cure for Racism?
In the finale of “Silence in Sikeston,” Black residents organize a Juneteenth barbecue. The Department of Public Safety chief encourages officers to attend to build trust. But improving relations between Sikeston’s Black community and the police won’t be easy. Host Cara Anthony discusses the possibility of institutional change in Sikeston.
Even Political Rivals Agree That Medical Debt Is an Urgent Issue
In red and blue states, state lawmakers from both parties are expanding protections for patients burdened by medical debt.
