Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Promising Greater Safety, A Tiny Widget Creates Chaos For Tube Feeders
A standard connector for feeding tubes was supposed to improve patient safety by preventing accidental misconnections to equipment used for IVs or other purposes. But critics say the design instead could keep patients from real food and inadvertently creates a host of new risks, including for vulnerable premature infants.
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.
Watch: The House Approved H.R. 3, The Pelosi Drug Bill. What Does That Mean?
KHN’s Emmarie Huetteman appeared on PBS NewsHour to discuss efforts on Capitol Hill to curb the cost of prescription drugs.
San Francisco Hopes To Improve Care For People With Mental Illness Living On Streets
Dr. Anton Nigusse Bland, a veteran of public health psychiatry, was appointed by San Francisco’s mayor earlier this year to a newly created job: director of mental health reform. His main task is to improve mental health and addiction treatment for people experiencing homelessness.
In The Fight For Money For The Opioid Crisis, Will The Youngest Victims Be Left Out?
The opioid epidemic is intergenerational, with tens of thousands of babies born every year dependent on opioids. Advocates worry that settlement dollars resulting from lawsuits against the drug industry might not benefit these children.
Californians Without Health Insurance Will Pay A Penalty — Or Not
Californians must have health insurance starting next year or face a hefty tax penalty. But, as with the now-defunct federal tax penalty for being uninsured, some people will be exempt.
Some Rejoice Over New California Health Insurance Subsidies. Others Get Shut Out.
There’s something new in this year’s Covered California open-enrollment period: Consumers are learning whether they will qualify for new state-funded financial aid. The results are mixed, with some scoring hundreds of dollars per month and others nothing.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Legislate-A-Palooza
The House passed legislation that would give federal workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave. The measure appears headed for passage in the Senate, and President Donald Trump has promised to sign the measure into law. Meanwhile, House and Senate lawmakers have a tentative deal on surprise medical bills, but don’t count on a compromise just yet. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News join guest host Mary Agnes Carey of KHN to discuss this and more. And for “extra credit,” the panelists offer their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.
‘An Arm And A Leg’: Can They Freaking Do That?!?
Introducing a new segment on “An Arm and a Leg” podcast: “Can They Freaking Do That?!?” We take your most vexing medical bill questions and hunt down information and experts who can help.
Battling The Bullets From The Operating Room To The Community
St. Louis trauma surgeon Dr. Laurie Punch is on a mission to stop the bleeding of her patients and the violence-plagued communities around her. But the single mom worries she and her 7-year-old will have to move from their home, where bullets buzz in her backyard.
The Health Care Promises We Cannot Keep
Family caregivers pledge to fulfill their loved ones’ end-of-life wishes. But too often circumstances change, and they must break their word and guard against breaking hearts ― including their own.
Cuando el hijo adolescente maltrata a los padres: el secreto y la vergüenza dificultan buscar ayuda
Si bien la investigación es limitada, una revisión de 2017 de varios trabajos sobre el tema halló que la violencia de hijos a padres es un problema grave que suele no reportarse.
Nueva York es el estado con el número más bajo de suicidios. ¿Por qué?
En 2017, 1.4 millones de adultos intentaron suicidarse, y más de 47,000 lograron acabar con su vida, convirtiendo al suicidio en la décima causa de muerte en el país, según los CDC.
When Teens Abuse Parents, Shame And Secrecy Make It Hard To Seek Help
Most domestic assault offenders are adults, but about 1 in 12 who come to the attention of law enforcement are minors, according to a 2008 study by the U.S. Justice Department. In half of those cases, the victim was a parent, most often the mother.
Among U.S. States, New York’s Suicide Rate Is The Lowest. How’s That?
Suicide rates across the country have been rising for 20 years. That’s true in New York, too, but even so, its rate is about half that of the country as a whole.
Books, Binders, Bleed-Control Kits: How School Shootings Are Changing Classroom Basics
School districts around the country, including in Texas, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas, now require bleeding-control kits and training at their public schools in this era of mass shootings.
Supreme Court Seems Sympathetic To Insurers In Obamacare Case
Justices from the right and left ask whether Congress needs to keep its promises.
Estados buscan frenar el vapeo adolescente con un clásico: más impuestos
El debate llega cuando los estados enfrentan el aumento del consumo adolescente. Casi el 28% de los estudiantes de secundaria reportaron haber vapeado en 2019.
‘Food Pharmacies’ In Clinics: When The Diagnosis Is Chronic Hunger
It’s hard to manage chronic conditions without a steady source of healthy food. That’s why more health care providers are setting up food pantries — right inside hospitals and clinics.
Wildfire, Floods, Extreme Heat: California Prepares For Climate Change
Kate Gordon, director of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Planning and Research, is tasked with identifying and mitigating the risks of climate change in California. She spoke to KHN about how that work intersects with health, and how residents can get involved.