Latest Morning Briefing Stories
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Underinsured Is the New Uninsured
The percentage of working-age adults with health insurance went up and the uninsured rate dropped last year, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week. There isn’t much suspense about which way the uninsured rate is now trending, as states continue efforts to strip ineligible beneficiaries from their Medicaid rolls. But is the focus on the uninsured obscuring the struggles of the underinsured? Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these issues and more.
As More Patients Email Doctors, Health Systems Start Charging Fees
Doctors say billing for email consultations reduces message volume and gives them more free time. The increasingly prevalent practice has also raised fears about negative impacts to patient care.
Abortion Bans Fuel a Rise in High-Risk Patients Heading to Illinois Hospitals
High-risk patients from states that heavily restrict abortion are coming to hospitals in states such as Illinois that protect abortion rights. The journey can mean more medical risks and higher bills.
Why the CDC Has Recommended New Covid Boosters for All
As covid-19 hospitalizations tick upward with fall approaching, the CDC says it’s time for new boosters — and not only for those at highest risk of serious disease. Here are seven things you need to know.
Despite Successes, Addiction Treatment Programs for Families Struggle to Stay Open
Residential addiction treatment programs that allow parents to bring their children along have been recognized for their success. But a mix of logistical challenges and low reimbursement rates mean they struggle to stay afloat.
Watch: In Emergencies, First Comes the Ambulance. Then Comes the Bill.
This installment of InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series delves into the lack of cost protections for patients who find themselves on the hook for an emergency ground ambulance ride.
‘Dr. Google’ Meets Its Match: Dr. ChatGPT
With the rise of generative AI, people who once turned to “Dr. Google” to check on medical symptoms are now turning to chatbots. Researchers say the bots are often more accurate, but urge caution in the absence of any regulations.
Montana State Officials Seek More Control Over Judicial Involuntary Commitments
Health department officials are asking legislators to change criminal commitment laws amid a bottleneck at the Montana State Hospital.
A Father Dreamed of a Home for His Family. Medical Debt Nearly Pushed Them Onto the Streets.
As cities like Denver struggle to make homes more affordable, medical debt keeps housing out of reach for millions of Americans.
Pfizer and Moderna Are Pushing the New Covid Booster. Should You Get It? The CDC Is About to Decide.
Chances are, if you aren’t older, chronically ill, or obese, you don’t need a forthcoming covid vaccine to stay out of the hospital. But it probably wouldn’t hurt.
In Move to Slash CDC Budget, House Republicans Target Major HIV Program Trump Launched
Republicans in Congress have proposed substantial cuts to the budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking aim at one of former President Donald Trump’s major health programs: a push to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S.
Heat-Related Deaths Are Up, and Not Just Because It’s Getting Hotter
Excessive heat contributed to 1,670 deaths nationwide last year, according to federal data — the highest rate in at least two decades. An increase in drug use and homelessness, along with hotter temperatures, were among the reasons.
The Shrinking Number of Primary Care Physicians Is Reaching a Tipping Point
The declining share of U.S. doctors in adult primary care is about 25% — a point beyond which many Americans won’t be able to find a family doctor at all.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Welcome Back, Congress. Now Get to Work.
Congress returns from its summer recess with a long list of tasks and only a few work days to get them done. On top of the annual spending bills needed to keep the government operating, on the list are bills to renew the global HIV/AIDS program, PEPFAR, and the community health centers program. Meanwhile, over the recess, the Biden administration released the names of the first 10 drugs selected for the Medicare price negotiation program.
Most States Have Yet to Permanently Fund 988. Call Centers Want Certainty.
For rural Americans, who live in areas often short of mental health services and die by suicide at a far higher rate than urbanites, the federally mandated crisis phone line is one of the few options to connect with a crisis counselor.
‘Like a Russian Roulette’: US Military Firefighters Grapple With Unknowns of PFAS Exposure
Federal research linking “forever chemicals” to testicular cancer confirms what U.S. military personnel long suspected. But as they seek testing for PFAS exposure, many wonder what to do with the results. There’s no medical treatment yet.
Hollywood’s A-List Health Insurance Is Jeopardized by the Labor Strikes
Hollywood actors and writers who qualify for their union health plans get a very good deal compared with other Americans. But not working during the strike threatens their eligibility in the system.
Even in the Most Depressed County in America, Stigma Around Mental Illness Persists
An estimated 32% of adults in Logan County, West Virginia, have been diagnosed with depression, the highest rate in the United States, according to a recent CDC report.
Cozy Images of Plush Toys and Blankets Counter Messaging on Safe Infant Sleep
Unsafe sleep environments are among the main reasons accidental suffocation or strangulation is a hard-to-solve public health problem.
Mississippi’s Cervical Cancer Deaths Indicate Broader Health Care Problems
Mississippi has among the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the U.S. When low-income women can’t afford regular preventive care, much less gynecological visits, this highly preventable and treatable cancer becomes a killer.
