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Medical Bills Can Shatter Lives. North Carolina May Act to ‘De-Weaponize’ That Debt.

Medical debt is most prevalent in the Southeast, where states have not expanded Medicaid and have few consumer protection laws. Now, North Carolina is considering two bills that could change that, making the state a leader in protecting patients from high medical bills.

Medi-Cal Will Cover Doulas at More Than Twice California’s Initial Proposed Rate

Under a budget passed by California lawmakers, the state will pay nonmedical workers who assist in pregnancy and labor up to $1,154 per birth through Medi-Cal, which is up significantly from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initial offer of $450. Though it’s more than what most other states pay, many doulas say it falls short of the $3,600 they sought.

Will the US Overcome Its Covid Complacency Even as the Threat Returns?

One million Americans have died from covid-19 — far more per capita than in any other developed country. A new variant is doubling case rates in some states, and more than 300 people are dying a day. But our nation’s pandemic response has become mild-mannered and performative, backed by neither money, urgency, nor enforcement.

Tras Uvalde, cirujanos de trauma detallan los horrores de las masacres, y reclaman cambios

En estos años, la profesión médica ha desarrollado técnicas como la rápida evacuación de pacientes para salvar a un mayor número de víctimas de tiroteos. Pero traumatólogos cirujanos entrevistados por KHN dicen que incluso esas mejoras solo pueden salvar a una fracción de los pacientes cuando son heridas infligidas por rifles de tipo militar.

Medicaid Weighs Attaching Strings to Nursing Home Payments to Improve Care

The Biden administration is considering whether Medicaid, which pays the bills for 62% of nursing home residents, should require that most of that funding be used to provide care, rather than for maintenance, capital improvements, or profits.