Backlash to Affirmative Action Hits Pioneering Maternal Health Program for Black Women
By Ronnie Cohen
A San Francisco program offers a $1,000-a-month stipend for pregnant Black and Pacific Islander women, part of an effort to address severe racial disparities in maternal health. But conservative groups have sued to shut down the Abundant Birth Project, part of a national backlash against affirmative action in health care.
1 in 3 People Dropped by Utah Medicaid Left Uninsured, a ‘Concerning’ Sign for Nation
By Phil Galewitz
About a third of the 130,000 people Utah has dropped from Medicaid this year say they now lack health insurance. It’s a glimpse into the fate of people caught up in Medicaid’s “unwinding.”
Daily Edition for Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Long-term care insurance, RSV shot shortage, covid cases, gun violence, AI, fentanyl, and a mystery canine illness are in the news.
A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
By Jordan Rau
Deciding when, or whether, to buy long-term care insurance can be complex. Here’s what to know.
Why Long-Term Care Insurance Falls Short for So Many
By Jordan Rau and JoNel Aleccia
The private insurance market has proved wildly inadequate in providing financial security for millions of older Americans, in part by underestimating how many policyholders would use their coverage.
Anti-Abortion Groups Shrug Off Election Losses, Look to Courts, Statehouses for Path Forward
By Rachana Pradhan
Anti-abortion groups have lost seven consecutive elections on state ballot measures about abortion. They say they’re unfazed and plan to keep focusing on lawmakers and courts to notch wins.
From Hospital to Hospitality: Spin Doctors Brand Getting Sick as an Adventure. It’s Not.
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
At $1,000 a night for a private room, medical centers are offering fancy food and casting health care as a “journey.” Instead of creature comforts, how about helping us feel better?
Watch: A Nation in Transition
KFF Health News editor-at-large for public health Céline Gounder discusses how families of transgender youth are uprooting their lives due to anti-trans policies and their ripple effects.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Medi-Cal Expands To Insure All Eligible: Local agencies that get California residents enrolled for Medi-Cal coverage are reaching out to people ages 26 through 49 who are soon going to be eligible regardless of their immigration status. Read more from The Mercury News.
Back Pain? Bum Knee? Be Prepared to Wait for a Physical Therapist
By Mark Kreidler
Physical therapists left the field en masse during the covid-19 pandemic, even as demand from aging baby boomers skyrocketed. While universities try to boost their training programs to increase the number of graduates, patients seeking relief from often debilitating pain are left to wait.
