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.
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?
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.
Evolving Overdose Crisis Shakes Previously Effective Treatments
By Taylor Sisk
The prevalence of synthetic drugs is undercutting a previously effective and widely embraced opioid use disorder treatment tactic. Now, the model pioneered in Vermont a decade ago and adopted at sites nationwide, especially in hard-to-reach rural areas, is being forced to evolve.
Out for Blood: For Routine Lab Work, the Hospital Billed Her $2,400
By Rachana Pradhan
Convenient as it may be, beware of getting your blood drawn at a hospital. The cost could be much higher than at an independent lab, and your insurance might not cover it all.
Daily Edition for Monday, November 20, 2023
Covid and flu, silicosis, Medi-Cal, long-term care costs, drug shortages, mental health, weight-loss meds, and more are in the news.
US Military Says National Security Depends on ‘Forever Chemicals’
By Patricia Kime
PFAS chemicals are found in hundreds of products and weapons used by the U.S. military. Defense Department officials say a blanket ban on these man-made substances would threaten military readiness.
What to Know About Assisted Living
By Jordan Rau
The facilities can look like luxury apartments or modest group homes and can vary in pricing structures. Here’s a guide.
