Knoxville’s Black Community Endured Deeply Rooted Racism. Now There Is Medical Debt.
Despite the end of Jim Crow segregation, its legacy lives on in medical debt that…
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Despite Katie Couric’s Advice, Doctors Say Ultrasound Breast Exams May Not Be Needed
When Katie Couric announced she had breast cancer, she urged women to get a mammogram…
Pese al consejo de Katie Couric, médicos dicen que las ecografías de seno pueden no ser necesarias
Expertos advierten sobre los falsos positivos que puede generar más temor que certezas médicas.
Journalists Talk Medicare and Public Health Infrastructure
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
California Patients Fear Fallout From Third Dialysis Ballot Measure
Californians are facing the third statewide dialysis initiative in five years. The dialysis industry is…
‘Fourth Trimester’ Focus Is Pushed to Prevent Maternal Deaths
Public health investigators found that 53% of maternal deaths happened well after a mother left…
Shopping for ACA Health Insurance? Here’s What’s New This Year
Consumers may find relief in some key changes made by Congress and the Biden administration,…
Readers Boo Medical Debt and Viral Threats in Winning Halloween Haikus
We unmask the winner and runners-up in KHN’s fourth annual Halloween haiku competition — plus…
Say What? Hearing Aids Available Over-the-Counter for as Low as $199, and Without a Prescription
The cheaper over-the-counter aids are for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss — a…
Listen: Why Childbirth Is So Dangerous for Many Young Teens
KHN senior correspondent Sarah Varney talks with NPR’s “Weekend Edition Sunday” about how the abortion…
Comienzan a estar disponibles audífonos de venta libre desde $199
Los audífonos de venta libre cuestan menos en parte porque no incluyen los servicios de…
Don’t Drill Your Own Teeth! And Quashing Other Rotten Dental Advice on TikTok
TikTok videos extol doing your own cosmetic dentistry like gluing gems to your front teeth…
Campaigning Ramps Up as South Dakota Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion
A broad coalition of Medicaid expansion supporters faces off against a smaller group of opponents…
Centene Gave Thousands to Georgia Leaders’ Campaigns While Facing Medicaid Overbilling Questions
Centene is trying to settle accusations of Medicaid pharmaceutical overcharging in Georgia, and the St.…
As Links to MS Deepen, Researchers Accelerate Efforts to Develop an Epstein-Barr Vaccine
Recent leaps in medical research have lent urgency to the quest to develop a vaccine…
Kids’ Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows
A youth mental health crisis and a shortage of therapists and other care providers who…
Listen: Grieving Families Face the Cruelest Bills
KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber talks with NPR’s “Consider This” podcast about her reporting on…
Journalists Dig In on the Fiscal Health of the Nation and Hospital Closures in Rural Missouri
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
Severe Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Panics Reporter Until He Finds a Simple, No-Cost Solution
An industry has grown up around sleep apnea, stirring concerns about overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Mental Health Crisis Teams Aren’t Just for Cities Anymore
In many cities, social workers and counselors are responding to mental health emergencies that used…
Watch: Meet the Latest Fact-Checker — Your Doctor
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with American Medical Association President Dr. Jack Resneck Jr. about…
Nursing Home Surprise: Advantage Plans May Shorten Stays to Less Time Than Medicare Covers
Private Medicare Advantage health plans are increasingly ending coverage for skilled nursing or rehab services…
$80,000 and 5 ER Visits: An Ectopic Pregnancy Takes a Toll Despite NY’s Liberal Abortion Law
If an embryo has implanted in a fallopian tube, ending the pregnancy is imperative to…
Addiction Experts Fear the Fallout if California Legalizes Sports Betting
If California voters approve one or both sports-wagering initiatives on the November ballot, psychiatrists anticipate…
Journalists Dig Into Questions About the 988 Hotline and Inflation Reduction Act
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
Grassroots Work Leads to Vaccination Success in Georgia Refugee Community
Public health officials and resettlement groups across the U.S. have used community organizers to encourage…
El trabajo de base aumenta la tasa de vacunación en la comunidad de refugiados de Georgia
Funcionarios de salud pública y grupos de reasentamiento han utilizado estrategias exitosas y han logrado…
Policies to Roll Back Abortion Rights Will Hit Incarcerated People Particularly Hard
People in jails and prisons are particularly vulnerable to the fallout from the Supreme Court’s…
California Wants to Snip Costs for Vasectomies and Condoms
Most women can already get free birth control. California lawmakers are debating whether to extend…
The $18,000 Breast Biopsy: When Having Insurance Costs You a Bundle
An online calculator told a young woman that a procedure to rule out cancer would…
From Book Stacks to Psychosis and Food Stamps, Librarians Confront a New Workplace
As public libraries morph into support hubs for homeless people with mental illness or addiction,…
‘American Diagnosis’: As Climate Crises Batter the Bayou, Houma People Are Being Displaced
Rising sea levels and severe hurricanes are displacing Indigenous people in Southern Louisiana and harming…
Grants for Seniors
A Guide for Seniors – Information on Financial assistance, healthcare, education, etc. Click here to…
Local Health Officials to Feds: Where’s the Rest of Our Monkeypox Vaccine?
Los Angeles County is getting 60% fewer doses of monkeypox vaccine than officials expected, after…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Wrapping Up Summer’s Health News
President Joe Biden has signed the Inflation Reduction Act and Congress is gone until after…
For Kids With Kidney Disease, Pediatric Expertise Is Key — But Not Always Close By
A study published in JAMA leads to questions about the uneven distribution of pediatric nephrologists…
Indiana’s New Abortion Ban May Drive Some Young OB-GYNs to Leave a State Where They’re Needed
Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indiana OB-GYN, was publicly vilified for providing an abortion to a…
More Communities Are Giving Flavored Tobacco the Boot. Will California Follow?
San Jose and Sacramento this summer joined scores of other California cities and counties that…
Readers and Tweeters Place Value on Community Services and Life-Sustaining Care
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Abortion Is Shaking Up Attorneys General Races and Exposing Limits to Their Powers
Abortion access is shaping races for legal office across the country, from local district attorneys…
Critics Worry Government Surveillance of HIV May Hurt More Than It Helps
Some people living with HIV and some state health officials are raising concerns about part…
Watch: Why the Public Health System Is Having Trouble Containing Monkeypox
KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber appeared on CBS News’ streaming network to discuss “Fighting Monkeypox,…
‘So Rudderless’: A Couple’s Quest for Autism Treatment for Their Son Hits Repeated Obstacles
Amparo and Victor Rios began searching for answers about their son’s development when he didn’t…
Parents Become Drug Developers to Save Their Children’s Lives
Families affected by ultra-rare diseases are starting their own companies to speed the development of…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Drug Price Bill Is a Go in the Senate
Two things happened in Washington this week that were inevitable: President Joe Biden tested positive…
Three Things About the Abortion Debate That Many People Get Wrong
The commonly repeated myths include arguments that only women who are pregnant are affected by…
A Nearly Century-Old Maternity Home for Teens in the South Makes Plans for Expansion
Homes for pregnant girls may seem like a vestige of the past. But they still…
Journalists Reexamine Mental Health Barriers, Gun Control Laws, and Homelessness
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
The Ultimate Internet Safety Guide for Seniors (2022)
The internet can be a scary place, especially if you’re old enough to be able…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Invisible Pandemic
Covid cases are again climbing, but you wouldn’t know it from the behavior of public…
Should You Worry About Data From Your Period-Tracking App Being Used Against You?
After a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was published May 2 suggesting that Roe v.…
Few Eligible Families Have Applied for Government Help to Pay for Covid Funerals
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse many families up to $9,000 in funeral expenses…
No Prison Time for Tennessee Nurse Convicted of Fatal Drug Error
Hundreds of nurses gathered outside a Nashville courthouse to protest RaDonda Vaught’s prosecution for a…
Journalists Recap the Latest on the Supreme Court Leak, Mental Health Care, and Fentanyl Testing Strips
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
After the Pandemic Hit Nursing Homes Hard, California Lawmakers Push to Tighten Licensing Rules
Legislators are proposing an overhaul of California’s licensing system for nursing homes that would make…
States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle Covid Health Disparities
A year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded states and local health…
Estados todavía deben usar el dinero federal que recibieron para zanjar disparidades de salud por covid
A un año de recibir millones del gobierno federal, los estados apenas han comenzado a…
For kids, toothaches become another kind of pandemic pain by Helene Ragovin, Tufts University
ery little has been normal for children these past two years, and some youngsters are…
Record Fines Might Mean California Is Finally Serious About Improving Medi-Cal
California regulators issued record fines against L.A. Care, the state’s largest Medi-Cal managed-care plan, for…
Insulin Copay Cap Passes House Hurdle, But Senate Looks for a Broader Bill
Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) are seeking to craft a compromise that…
Patients’ Perilous Months-Long Waiting for Medicaid Coverage Is a Sign of What’s to Come
The pandemic crisis has overwhelmed understaffed state Medicaid agencies, already delaying access to the insurance…
Travel in the Time of Covid: Getting There Is Easy — It’s Getting Home That’s Hard
The part of my London visit that I didn’t plan was testing positive for the…
ACA Sign-Ups for Low-Income People Roll Out Amid Brokers’ Concerns About Losing Their Cut
The Biden administration unveiled a new special enrollment option aimed at signing up low-income Americans…
Why Nurses Are Raging and Quitting After the RaDonda Vaught Verdict
The former Tennessee nurse faces prison time for a fatal error. Reaction from her peers…
Tech Glitches at One VA Site Raise Concerns About a Nationwide Rollout
The more than $16 billion, decade-long effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs was designed…
Losing Sleep Over the Pandemic? Work Flexibility May Be a Boon for Night Owls’ Health
Many sleep scientists maintain that people who prefer to stay up late could improve their…
Biden Pledges Better Nursing Home Care, but He Likely Won’t Fast-Track It
CMS chief Chiquita Brooks-LaSure says the agency reserves its power to quickly institute new regulations…
Seeking to Shift Costs to Medicare, More Employers Move Retirees to Advantage Plans
Private and public employers are increasingly using the government’s Medicare Advantage program as an alternative…
Calls to Overhaul Methadone Distribution Intensify, but Clinics Resist
The pandemic has shown that loosening the strict regulations on distributing methadone helps people recovering…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Health-Heavy State of the Union
President Joe Biden spent a large portion of his first State of the Union address…
California Governor’s Big Promises on Drug Prices Are Slow to Materialize
Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched several initiatives to cut rising drug prices, but the savings…
$35 Insulin Cap Is Welcome, Popular, and Bipartisan. But Congress May Not Pass It Anyway.
Spun off from the ailing but not-quite-dead Build Back Better legislation, a popular proposal to…
When Teens Blow Off Parents’ Pleas to Get Vaccinated, the Consequences Can Be Deadly
Kennedy Stonum, a 17-year-old high school junior, resisted getting vaccinated against covid-19, as did 20-year-old…
How to avoid mosquito bites? Try wearing clothes with these colors, study suggests
If you want to prevent mosquito bites, the key may be in the clothes you…
Humana Sees COVID-19 Reducing Hospice Patient Counts by Allison Bell
The COVID-19 pandemic killed enough terminally ill people in the fourth quarter of 2021, and…
With a Vaccine Mandate Looming, Nursing Homes Face More Staffing Problems
Missouri has the worst covid-19 vaccination rate for nursing home health care workers in the…
Pharmacies Are Turning Away Immunocompromised Patients Seeking 4th Covid Shot
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly changed its guidance to allow an extra…
I Write About America’s Absurd Health Care System. Then I Got Caught Up in It.
A KHN reporter had written for years about the people left behind by the absurdly…
Farmacias rechazan a pacientes con problemas inmunes que necesitan una cuarta dosis de la vacuna contra covid
Muchas farmacias no saben que los CDC han autorizado la cuarta dosis de la vacuna…
What the Federal ‘No Surprises Act’ Means in California
The new federal law will provide protection against surprise medical bills for between 6 million…
After Miscarriages, Workers Have Few Guarantees for Time Off or Job-Based Help
About a quarter of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Despite the large number of workers…
Después de un aborto espontáneo, trabajadoras no tienen ni tiempo libre ni ayuda de las empresas
El aborto espontáneo, que se produce en una cuarta parte de los embarazos, es la…
With Overdose Deaths Surging, Advocates on the Ground Push for Over-the-Counter Naloxone
Harm-reduction groups say that requiring a doctor to sign off on their orders of the…
Mattresses and Mold Removal: Medi-Cal to Offer Unconventional Treatments to Asthma Patients
In January, California’s Medicaid program will begin offering nontraditional services —such as ridding homes of…
Colorado Hospitals in ‘Critical Condition’ as State Weathers Another Surge
Patients with other ailments are frustrated, and nurses and doctors are stressed and burned out,…
After ‘Truly Appalling’ Death Toll in Nursing Homes, California Rethinks Their Funding
California wants to hold nursing homes accountable for the quality of care they provide by…
Nurses in Crisis Over Covid Dig In for Better Work Conditions
In tough labor negotiations across the nation, here’s what nurses don’t want: “appreciation that is…
Covid Shots for Kids Are Scarce — And Demand Is Mixed — In Rural Montana
Although covid vaccines have been available to children as young as 5 for more than…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Oh, Oh, Omicron
Even before the omicron variant of covid starts to spread widely in the U.S., hospitals…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Politics of Vaccine Mandates
Like almost everything else associated with the covid-19 pandemic, partisans are taking sides over whether…
Insurance Focused on Virtual Visits? The Pros and Cons of a New Twist in Health Plans
New, often lower-cost plans capitalize on the convenience of telemedicine — and patients’ growing familiarity…
How to Crush Medical Debt: 5 Tips for Using Hospital Charity Care
The law says nonprofit hospitals are supposed to offer low-income patients financial assistance. But the…
The Checkup Is in the Mail? Soliciting Letter Carriers to Help Deliver Health Care
Here’s an out-of-the-box idea: Have letter carriers spend less time delivering mail and take time…
Biosimilar Drugs Are Cheaper Than Biologics. Are They Similar Enough to Switch?
Biologic drugs, made from living organisms, and the cheaper biosimilar drugs that mimic them are…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Autumn of Democrats’ Discontent
Congress is back in session with a short time to finish a long to-do list,…
California Moves on Climate Change, but Rejects Aggressive Cuts to Greenhouse Emissions
Drought, wildfires, extreme heat: California lawmakers cast climate change as the culprit in an emerging…
Delta Cutting ‘Like a Buzzsaw’ Through Oregon-California Border Counties
Zoom in on states with overall good vaccination rates and you see a checkerboard effect,…
To Quarantine or Not: The Hard Choices Schools Are Leaving to Parents and Staff
Back-to-school season has fueled immediate covid outbreaks. Instead of beefing up protections, some districts are…
Journalists Discuss Long Covid, Delta Variant, Clinic for Migrants
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week…
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Tips for Fighting Medical Bills from ProPublica’s Marshall Allen
Veteran health journalist Marshall Allen has been exposing health care grifters for years. Now he’s…
Paying Billions for Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug? How About Funding This Instead?
Aduhelm, approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month despite questions about its efficacy,…
Rural Ambulance Services Are in Jeopardy as Volunteers Age and Expenses Mount
Experts say rural communities must find new models to keep emergency services afloat as more…
The WHO Didn’t Reverse Its Position on Kids and Covid Vaccines
The World Health Organization this week updated its guidance on children and covid vaccinations —…
No Vacancy: How a Shortage of Mental Health Beds Keeps Kids Trapped Inside ERs
What’s known as emergency room boarding of psychiatric patients has risen between 200% and 400%…
A Break From Breathlessness: How Singing Helped Me Through Long Covid
Long before covid, music therapists used singing and wind instruments to help COPD and asthma…
Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.
Pressure is mounting on Congress and the Biden administration to make permanent pandemic-inspired rules that…
Trying to Avoid Racist Health Care, Black Women Seek Out Black Obstetricians
Besides shared culture and values, a Black physician can offer Black patients a sense of…
Montana Med School Clash Revives For-Profit Vs. Nonprofit Flap
Two medical schools vie to open in Montana, highlighting the rapid spread of for-profit schools…
With Restrictions Tightening Elsewhere, California Moves to Make Abortion Cheaper
California lawmakers are debating a bill that would eliminate out-of-pocket costs that often prevent people…
Salesforce, Google, Facebook. How Big Tech Undermines California’s Public Health System.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has outsourced his way through the covid-19 pandemic, tasking his private-sector…
Telemedicine Is a Tool — Not a Replacement for Your Doctor’s Touch
The pandemic has demonstrated that virtual medicine is great for simple visits. But many new…
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Sharing Vaccines With the World
The Biden administration is bucking the drug industry and backing a waiver of covid-19 vaccine…
This Small Canadian Drugmaker Wants to Make J&J Vaccines for Poor Nations. It Needs More Than a Patent Waiver.
All agree that covid vaccines are urgently needed to stop the pandemic, but simply waiving…
Relatively Few Drugs Account for a Large Share of Medicare Prescription Drug Spending
Relatively Few Drugs Account for a Large Share of Medicare Prescription Drug Spending Juliette Cubanski Follow…
Want to Delay Social Security? Buy an Annuity First
Annuity products could emerge as saviors in helping to rescue retirees from the “tsunami” of…
Lawmakers Proposes Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program
A member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee said Wednesday that he wants…
Airports Step Up Mental Health Assistance as Passenger Anxiety Soars
As more people return to air travel, tension is mounting in airports nationwide. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson…
The FDA Seeks a New Way to Review Old Drugs Without Causing Prices to Soar
A misguided federal program called the Unapproved Drugs Initiative, which put the FDA’s stamp of…
California Counties a Hodgepodge of Highs and Lows in Vaccinating Vulnerable Seniors
Like many states, California is seeing huge regional variations in covid vaccination rates for people…
Events of 2020 Moved Medical Students to Political Activism
The emergence of an organization for med students motivated by progressive concerns highlights the changing…
Doctor Survived Cambodia’s Killing Fields, but Not Covid
Dr. Linath Lim came to the U.S. as a refugee after slaving at work camps…
Lost on the Frontline: Explore the Database
As of Wednesday, the KHN-Guardian project counted 3,607 U.S. health worker deaths in the first…
When hand-washing can be dangerous to your health
If you’re like most people, you’re washing your hands more often than you used to. …
Food & COVID-19: Your Questions Answered
With so much conflicting information circulating about coronavirus, you may find yourself confused about what will…
Why Some People Have Covid Symptoms and Others Don’t
As you surely know by now, the coronavirus doesn’t look the same in everyone it…
Avoid coronavirus scams: What you need to know
Coronavirus disease (also known as COVID-19) is dominating the news and sending people across the…
Gilead says early results of coronavirus drug trial show improvement with shorter remdesivir treatment
Gilead Sciences said Wednesday preliminary results of a coronavirus drug trial showed at least 50% of…
COVID-19 vaccine tracker
On 11 March, the World Health Organization classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. The…
Early peek at data on Gilead coronavirus drug suggests patients are responding to treatment
Early peek at data on Gilead coronavirus drug suggests patients are responding to treatment
Paycheck Protection Program Out Of Funds, But Could Be Extended
The Paycheck Protection Program has exhausted its $350 billion allocation and is not accepting any…
Treasury to provide automatic stimulus cash to Social Security Recipients
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service reversed their stance late Wednesday that Social Security…
Ford and GE Team up to build Ventilators
The U.S. is short of ventilators. It’s something American manufactures aim to change—rapidly. It is a…
Fake COVID-19 apps can load ransomware, spyware on devices
Security and tech experts have warned that hackers are now resorting to emails and apps…
Forgo 401k Early-Withdrawal Penalty
Calls for fiscal relief involving 401ks are growing louder, with The Wall Street Journal joining the American Retirement…
Carbon Taxes are Coming, Here’s how finance can avoid $1 Trillion in Losses
It’s a carbon tax. A new report by consultants at Oliver Wyman shows that the world’s financial…
How Life and Health Stocks Did Today
Insurance investors delivered a clear verdict today: They’re a bit worried about how a severe acute…
Solving the Mystery of Term Life Settlements
Can a term policy be sold in a life settlement? Yes! Yes! Yes! Like a…
U.S. Consumer Spending could see one-two punch from stocks drop, coronavirus
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The coronavirus outbreak has yet to spread meaningfully to U.S. shores,…
FDA Monitoring 20 Drugs at Risk of Shortage due to Coronavirus
As part of its efforts to ensure the supply of medical products from China during…
SEC Releases Updated List of Fake Regulators
The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday updated its list of fictitious regulators and firms…
How Millenials Could Make the Fed’s Job Harder
WASHINGTON — “They say millennials are lazy,” billboards plastered across 15 major cities declared last…
Elderly Getting Scammed
t’s a story that happens all too often. Angie Kennard’s father had met someone on…
SEC Issues Warning on Coronavirus Investment Scams
The Securities and Exchange Commission is urging investors to be on the lookout for investment…
Powell to Confront “New Risk” to US Economy from China Virus
(Bloomberg) — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has confessed that it’s “very hard” to understand…
CMS PROPOSES 0.93% PAY RATE HIKE FOR MA PLANS IN 2021
The rate hike is part of a broader package of proposed “refinements” for Medicare Advantage…
HHS Congress may transfer millions of dollars in funding to respond to coronavirus
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notified Congress on Sunday that it may…
Social Security Phone Scams on the Rise
In the past week, I have received more than a dozen phony calls on my…
Medicare for All could Die in 2020 as Private Insurers Add Seniors
Health insurers are expected to make it more difficult on Presidential candidates pushing single payer…
California plans to launch own prescription drug label
California wants to become the first state to create its own prescription drug label, Gov. Gavin…
Alicia Munnell’s Social Security Bridge v. Annuities Income Planning Smackdown
More U.S. retirement savers should probably buy ordinary annuities before they retire, but they don’t, and…
Walmart, Doctor on Demand roll out telehealth initiative for employees
Walmart is expanding benefits available through its telehealth program, which offers associates $4 virtual care…
Retirement Savings, Social Security, and Medicare: Changes 2020
When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, it will not only usher in a…
Tenth Circuit Upholds HHS Risk Adjustment Methodology
On December 31, 2019, a three-judge panel of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the methodology…