Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Where Tourism Brings Pricey Health Care, Locals Fight Back
Residents in Colorado ski resort country found relief from high insurance premiums and high hospital costs by joining forces and negotiating prices directly with the local hospital.
If You Smoke Pot, Your Anesthesiologist Needs To Know
Colorado is on the front lines in dealing with how marijuana use affects surgery. Lessons learned on operating tables and in recovery rooms have prompted calls for more research on marijuana nationwide.
Trump Has Blessed States’ Exploration Of Importing Drugs. Will It Catch On?
Colorado, Florida and Vermont — with the support of President Donald Trump — are exploring plans to bring drugs across the border from Canada to help lower costs.
Hickenlooper Expanded Medicaid, Created State-Run Marketplace To Insure Nearly All Coloradans
We wondered how Colorado’s uninsured rate changed during John Hickenlooper’s time in the governor’s mansion and how it compares with the rest of the country.
Medicaid Expansion Boosts Hospital Bottom Lines — And Prices
Colorado officials say hospitals are better off financially after the state expanded coverage to more low-income residents, but that hasn’t stopped them from shifting more costs to other insured patients.
Listen: Teen Vaping Sparks FDA Crackdown
Federal regulators want to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes at retail locations like gas stations and convenience stores.
Dialysis Giant DaVita Defends Itself In Court And At The Polls
Although dialysis provider DaVita Inc. has taken major financial hits this year, including a $383.5 million jury award in response to wrongful death lawsuits, it still rakes in profits. The company faces its biggest threat next month, when California voters weigh in on a ballot initiative that could force it to leave the state.
Pediatricians Put It Bluntly: Motherhood And Marijuana Don’t Mix
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use marijuana because of serious concerns about neurological consequences for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics said on Monday.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Live From Aspen!
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times report from the Spotlight Health portion of the annual Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. They’re joined by Democratic Govs. John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Steve Bullock of Montana.
When Credit Scores Become Casualties Of Health Care
The complexity of health insurance coverage rules, along with market trends that leave consumers open to more out-of-pocket costs, lead to mounting medical debt for consumers.
While Talk About Opioids Continues In D.C., Addiction Treatment Is In Peril In States
The Trump administration has talked about prioritizing the opioid crisis, but states have seen little in the way of new resources. And, in some states, getting into treatment is becoming even harder.
Ten ERs In Colorado Tried To Curtail Opioids And Did Better Than Expected
The collaboration known as ALTO, Alternatives to Opioids, set out to reduce opioid doses in the emergency room by 15 percent. It managed a 36 percent reduction instead.
At Some Veterans Homes, Aid-In-Dying Is Not An Option
Citing fears of losing federal funds, California is the latest state to require discharge of terminally ill residents from state veterans homes if they plan to end their lives with lethal drugs.
An Opioid Remedy That Works: Treat Pain And Addiction At The Same Time
Studies show promising results for a treatment approach that tackles chronic pain and addiction together, but obstacles stand in the way of this integrated care.
In Colorado, A Low-Price Drug Cocktail Will Tamp Down Cost Of Death With Dignity
Advocates want alternatives to drugmaker’s pricey pills for those who choose to die in Colorado and elsewhere.
Colorado Wrestles With Ethics Of Aid-In-Dying As Vote Looms
Proposition 106, on Colorado’s ballot next month, would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to people who have less than six months to live. A recent poll shows strong support for the measure.
Long-Term, Reversible Contraception Gains Traction With Young Women
Implants and intrauterine devices are endorsed by pediatricians, OB-GYNs and health officials as a way to help girls and women space their pregnancies and reduce the risk of having a premature baby.
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.
Election Buzz: With Pot On The Ballot, States Weigh How To Police Stoned Drivers
Blood tests for marijuana aren’t an accurate measure of impairment for drivers, and there isn’t an easy roadside sobriety test for pot yet. The five states where recreational marijuana is on the ballot may be looking to Colorado for its experiences with the DUI problem soon.
Colorado Gun Shops Work Together To Prevent Suicides
Gun shop owners and public health workers in Colorado are finding common ground amid rancor over guns and politics. They are collaborating to reduce suicides involving firearms.
