Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Despite Supreme Court Win, Texas Abortion Clinics Still Shuttered
Three years after winning a big legal battle, abortion providers still find themselves losing the war when it comes to keeping clinics open across the huge, populous state.
Startup Seeks To Hold Doctors, Hospitals Accountable On Patient Record Requests
Despite laws requiring that health care providers hand over copies of patient records in a timely fashion, many people have trouble getting theirs. Ciitizen, a Palo Alto, Calif., company that helps cancer patients with the task, recently published a scorecard that rates hospitals, doctors and clinics on their compliance with records requests.
White House Unveils Finalized Health Care Price Transparency Rule
The final directive drew swift responses from the hospital and insurance industries. The Trump administration also released a proposed rule that would require health insurers to spell out for all services beforehand just how much patients may owe for their out-of-pocket costs.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Listen: How A Wisconsin Senator Is Trying to Prevent A Vape Flavor Ban
KHN Correspondent Lauren Weber joined Wisconsin Public Radio’s news magazine “Central Time” to discuss Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson’s role in the politics of vaping.
Surgeon General’s Marijuana Warning Omits Crucial Context
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the drug has a “unique impact” on the developing brain — technically true, but neglecting a vital comparison to other drugs, as well as shortcomings in the existing research.
KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Spending Bill Slowdown
It’s November, do you know where your HHS spending bill is? Still stuck in Congress. Meanwhile, lawmakers move ahead on restricting tobacco products for youth while the administration’s proposal is MIA. Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more health news from the week. Also, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg.”
Nursing Home Safety Violations Put Residents At Risk, Report Finds
A federal audit of 19 California nursing homes released today found hundreds of violations of safety and emergency standards, putting vulnerable nursing home residents at increased risk of injury or death during a wildfire or other disaster.
‘An Arm And A Leg’: Mom Vs. Texas In A Fight To Get Kids’ Hearing Aids Covered
Health insurance in Texas didn’t cover hearing aids for kids — which can cost $6,000 and need to be replaced about every three years. So Stephanie Wittels Wachs teamed up with other moms to lobby the Texas legislature for change, and they won.
A Regulatory Haze: Vape Marketers Are Online, Creating New Headaches For Feds
The subculture around vaping has been fueled by social media, and traditional regulations don’t easily address potential pitfalls.
Dialysis Patients Panic As Financial ‘Life Raft’ Becomes Unmoored
An organization that helps nearly 4,000 California dialysis patients pay for their insurance is threatening to cut off aid in January because of a new law that is expected to reduce dialysis industry profits. Patients fear they won’t be able to afford their life-saving treatment.
Listen: Focusing On Health Care Politics
KHN’s Julie Rovner appears on two radio programs to talk about the Democratic presidential candidates’ debate on the future of health care and the current enrollment period for Obamacare policies.
More Vapers Are Making Their Own Juice, But Not Without Risks
It’s easy to buy all the supplies online, and thousands of e-liquid recipes on the internet walk people through all the steps. But experts warn about safety.
Medicaid Tweak Might Offer Means To Improve U.S. Maternal Health
Many pregnant women lose health coverage shortly after delivery. Democratic presidential candidates are eyeing the issue, and some experts say making Medicaid more accessible to new moms could be an answer.
Verma Attacks Critics Of Medicaid Work Requirement, Pushes For Tighter Eligibility
The Trump administration’s top Medicaid official says the effort to thwart these work mandates “stifles innovation.”
Big picture remains hazy, but these numbers add up.
More Adolescents Seek Medical Care For Mental Health Issues
Hospital emergency rooms throughout California are reporting a sharp increase in adolescents and young adults seeking care for a mental health crisis.
Some Academics Quietly Take Side Jobs Helping Tobacco Companies In Court
Faced with lawsuits from sick smokers, tobacco firms argue the health risks were “common knowledge” for decades, and they often pay professors to help make that point as expert witnesses.
Sit, Heal: Dog Teaches Military Med Students The Merits Of Service Animals
Although service dogs are commonly seen at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a retriever mix is a clinical instructor in the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology.
Voters Say Congress Needs To Curb Drug Prices, But Are Lawmakers Listening?
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable, but the odds look grim for Congress to pass significant pricing legislation this year.