Former Montana Health Staffer Rebukes Oversight Rules as a Hospital ‘Wish List’
A former Montana health department staffer who described himself as the lead author of legislation to scrutinize nonprofit hospitals’ charitable acts said new rules implementing the bill amounted to a hospital “wish list” and that the state needs to go back to the drawing board. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services recently…
Federal Judge Halts Dreamers’ Brand-New Access to ACA Enrollment in 19 States
A federal judge in North Dakota has for the first time — enrollment in Affordable Care Act coverage by people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork, known as “Dreamers.” The move effectively bars those who have qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in those 19 states from enrolling in…
Expanden los recursos para las personas mayores que viven solas
Jeff Kromrey, de 69 años, se sentará con su hija la próxima vez que lo visite y le enseñará cómo acceder a sus cuentas en Internet en caso que sufra una crisis de salud inesperada. Gayle Williams-Brett, también de 69, planea empezar un proyecto que lleva meses posponiendo: organizar toda su información financiera. Michael Davis,…
Six Years Into an Appalachia Hospital Monopoly, Patients Are Fearful and Furious
KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Jerry Qualls had a heart attack in 2022 and was rushed by ambulance to Holston Valley Medical Center, where he was hospitalized for a week and kept alive by a ventilator and blood pump, according to his medical records. His wife, Katherine Qualls, said his doctors offered little hope. In an interview…
Journalists Dig Into Vaccine Debate and America’s Obesity Rates
KFF Health News senior correspondent Arthur Allen discussed the fragility of our vaccine infrastructure on The Atlantic’s “Radio Atlantic” on Dec. 5. Click here to hear Allen on “Radio Atlantic” Read Allen’s “Scientists Fear What’s Next for Public Health if RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ‘Go Wild’” KFF Health News contributor Andy Miller discussed U.S.…
Georgia Said It Would Fix Care for the Disabled Years Ago. It’s Still Not Done.
In recent decades, the Justice Department has sued several states for unnecessarily confining people with disabilities in places such as state psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes and segregated workspaces. Such treatment violates a key part of the Americans With Disabilities Act — as affirmed in the 1999 Olmstead decision from the Supreme Court: that people with…
KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: A Colorful Cast Could Lead Key Health Agencies
The Host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to…
Nursing Homes Fell Behind on Vaccinating Patients for Covid
It seems no one is taking covid-19 seriously anymore, said Mollee Loveland, a nursing home aide who lives outside Pittsburgh. Loveland has seen patients and coworkers at the nursing home where she works die from the viral disease. Now she has a new worry: bringing home the coronavirus and unwittingly infecting her infant daughter, Maya,…
Four reasons to not wait until January to enroll in an ACA health plan
Reasons to enroll in an ACA health plan by December 15? Delaying your enrollment might mean no coverage in January Delayed enrollment might mean missing out on free money If you’re auto-renewing your 2024 plan, you could be surprised on January 1 January out-of-pocket expenses won’t transfer to a plan that starts in February Open…
With Trump on the Way, Advocates Look to States To Pick Up Medical Debt Fight
Worried that President-elect Donald Trump will curtail federal efforts to take on the nation’s medical debt problem, patient and consumer advocates are looking to states to help people who can’t afford their medical bills or pay down their debts. “The election simply shifts our focus,” said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical…