More Californians Are Freezing to Death. Experts Point to More Older Homeless People.
Hypothermia deaths have risen in California and across the nation. Experts point to the growing number of older, unsheltered homeless people as a key factor in the trend.
Removing a Splinter? Treating a Wart? If a Doctor Does It, It Can Be Billed as Surgery
Minor interventions are increasingly being rebranded and billed as surgery, for profit. This means a neurologist spending 40 minutes with a patient to tease out a diagnosis can be paid less for that time than a dermatologist spending a few seconds squirting a dollop of liquid nitrogen onto the skin.
Patients Couldn’t Pay Their Utility Bills. One Hospital Turned to Solar Power for Help.
Doctors in Boston got tired of writing letters to utility companies asking for assistance for their medically vulnerable patients who need power and heat to stay healthy. So a hospital decided to share the power its solar panels generate with patients who needed help with their electricity and gas bills.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': A Killing Touches Off Backlash Against Health Insurers
The shocking shooting death of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive in Midtown Manhattan prompted a public outcry about the problems with the nation’s health care system, as stories of delayed and denied care filled social media. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump continues to avoid providing specifics about his plans for the Affordable Care Act and other health issues. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Francis Collins, who was the director of the National Institutes of Health and a science adviser to President Joe Biden.
Watch: ‘Going It Alone’ — A Conversation About Growing Old in America
Judith Graham, KFF Health News' "Navigating Aging" columnist, talks with older adults who live alone by choice or circumstance. They share what it means to thrive in later years.
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Taint Rural California Drinking Water, Far From Known Sources
Researchers found toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water wells dotting California’s rural farming regions, far from known contamination sources. The discovery complicates the state’s drinking water problem, which disproportionately affects farmworkers and communities of color.
Federal Judge Halts Dreamers’ Brand-New Access to ACA Enrollment in 19 States
A federal judge sided with 19 states seeking an injunction against a Biden administration rule allowing recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage and qualify for subsidies amid the annual open enrollment period.
