Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
For Each Critically Ill COVID Patient, a Family Is Suffering, Too
Because loved ones are often kept apart from critically ill COVID-19 patients, the families may be especially vulnerable to symptoms including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder that can be debilitating.
Readers and Tweeters Shed Light on Vaccine Trials and Bias in Health Care
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Scientists Warn Americans Are Expecting Too Much From a Vaccine
Some argue that vaccines capable of preventing any COVID-19 symptoms should qualify for widespread use, but others want much larger trials to prove the vaccines can reduce hospitalizations or deaths.
As Anxieties Rise, Californians Buy Hundreds of Thousands More Guns
Gun sales are surging in California, where handgun-related FBI background checks this spring and summer were up 83% over 2019. Whether pro or con on gun control, experts agree the trend has been fueled by pandemic-related unrest.
Lost on the Frontline: Explore the Database
As of Wednesday, the ongoing KHN-Guardian project is investigating 1,336 deaths of U.S. health workers in the fight against COVID-19. Today we add three profiles, including an addiction technician who had just become engaged, a pediatric licensed practical nurse who relished in her role as a grandmother and a hospital registrar who had planned to take a leave from work. You can explore our interactive database, now containing 247 profiles. It investigates the question: Did they all have to die?
Savvy Patient Fought for the Price She Was Quoted − And Didn’t Give Up
A California woman thought the discount on her coinsurance before an operation sounded too good to be true. Turns out, she was right.
‘No Mercy’ Chapter 5: With Rural Hospital Gone, Cancer Care Means a Daylong Trek
The hunt for good cancer treatment often means miles on the road, time spent waiting and exhaustion from treatment and transit. “The further you have to travel to get care, the less likely that you are going to take that effort to do that,” said Boban Mathew, an oncologist in southeastern Kansas.
Telemedicine or In-Person Visit? Pros and Cons
The volume of virtual medical appointments has exploded during the pandemic as patients and doctors have sought to avoid infection through in-person visits.
For People With Visual Impairments, Truly Secret Ballots Are Elusive
Voters in several states who live with visual impairments must rely on family and friends to fill out their mail-in or absentee paper ballots, compromising their privacy. More states are relying on mail-in and absentee voting to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
If Trump Wins, Don’t Hold Your Breath Waiting for That ACA Replacement Plan
The administration seeks to have the Supreme Court overturn the federal health law but has not explained how it would ensure Americans’ health care coverage.
Verily’s COVID Testing Program Halted in San Francisco and Oakland
Health officials in San Francisco and Alameda counties have cut ties with Verily’s state-funded COVID testing sites amid concerns about data collection and privacy.
North Carolina Treasurer Took On the Hospitals. Now He’s Paying Political Price.
The state hospital association has endorsed Dale Folwell’s opponent after the treasurer sought to force them to accept lower reimbursements from the state employees’ health plan.
Florida Fails to Attract Bidders for Canada Drug Importation Program
No private firms bid on the $30 million contract to set up and operate the state’s plan to bring in cheaper drugs. The setback is likely to delay by at least several months Florida’s effort to become the first state to import drugs under new federal regulations.
COVID Spikes Exacerbate Health Worker Shortages in Rocky Mountains, Great Plains
COVID-19 infections and quarantines are pulling health professionals off the front lines, exacerbating staffing woes that existed in large, rural states well before the pandemic.
Colorado Initiative Would Further Limit Access in Middle America’s ‘Abortion Desert’
Colorado voters will decide whether to ban most abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy, which would eliminate a haven for people seeking to end their pregnancies in the Midwest and Mountain West.
Déjà Vu for California Voters on Dialysis
Californians are again being asked to weigh in on a dialysis ballot measure. This one purports to target patient safety, and dialysis industry giants are once again spending big to defeat it.
Arguing to Undo the ACA. Harming Medicare. Do They Go Hand in Hand?
A Biden campaign ad out this month attacks President Donald Trump for pushing to slash Medicare benefits. A campaign spokesperson said the claim comes from the administration’s support for a legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act that seeks to nullify the entire law.
¿Viajas para el Día de Acción de Gracias? Deberás atravesar la barrera de COVID
En todo el mundo, los feriados nacionales han impulsado la propagación de COVID-19 de manera explosiva. Expertos comparten consejos y sus propias experiencias.
Did Trump Confuse the Public Option With ‘Medicare for All’?
President Donald Trump was off the mark when he said Vice President Joe Biden’s health plan — which includes a public options — will terminate the private insurance of 180 million people.
In Tamer Debate, Trump and Biden Clash (Again) on President’s Pandemic Response
Trump claims the U.S. is “rounding the corner” on COVID, while Biden predicts a “dark winter.” On another front, Trump warns Biden’s health care plan will lead to socialized medicine; Biden promises private insurance isn’t going anywhere.