KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Open Enrollment Mixing Bowl
Open enrollment for Medicare beneficiaries with private health plans began Oct. 15, to be followed Nov. 1 by open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans. The selection for both is large — often too large to be navigated easily alone. And people who choose incorrectly can end up with unaffordable medical bills. Meanwhile, those on both sides of the abortion issue are looking to Ohio’s November ballot measure on abortion to see whether anti-abortion forces can break their losing streak in statewide ballot questions since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Daily Edition for Thursday, October 19, 2023
Fentanyl, mental health care, use of restraints in hospitals, covid vaccines, homelessness, West Nile, and more are in the news.
Feds Try to Head Off Growing Problem of Overdoses Among Expectant Mothers
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez and Katheryn Houghton
Homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses have driven rising rates of pregnancy-related death in the U.S. This fall, six states received federal funding for substance use treatment interventions to prevent at least some of those deaths.
Under Fire, Social Security Chief Vows ‘Top-to-Bottom’ Review of Payment Clawbacks
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group
Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi was pressed by a House Ways and Means subcommittee to explain why so many poor, disabled, or retired people are suddenly hit with demands that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Suzanne Somers’ Legacy Tainted by Celebrity Medical Misinformation
By Liz Szabo
The popular actress and author, who died this week, also can be remembered as a progenitor of selling dubious medical information to a trusting public.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, October 18, 2023
“Street medicine,” child poverty, drug overdoses, insurance premiums, covid, PFAS, tobacco, and more are in the news.
Abortion Coverage Is Limited or Unavailable at a Quarter of Large Workplaces
By Rachana Pradhan
A KFF survey of employer health benefits shows that 28% of large U.S. companies have limited or no access to abortion under company health insurance.
Covid Relief Payments Triggered Feds to Demand Money Back From Social Security Recipients
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group
Some Social Security beneficiaries say the government is clawing back benefits after they received covid stimulus payments that were supposed to be exempt from asset limits.
Health Care ‘Game-Changer’? Feds Boost Care for Homeless Americans
By Angela Hart
This month, the federal government started paying for treatments delivered outside hospitals and clinics, expanding funding for “street medicine” teams that treat homeless patients. California led the way on the change, which could help sick and vulnerable patients get healthy, sober, and, in some cases, into housing.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Maternal health, covid, Medicare Advantage, open enrollment, mental health parity, Medi-Cal, health worker wages, and more are in the news.
