Latest California Healthline Stories
Listen: The Hidden Cost Of Health Systems Gobbling Up Rural Hospitals
Corporate health systems have been purchasing community hospitals, and that can have both positive and negative implications for patients in rural areas.
Something Far Deadlier Than The Wuhan Virus Lurks Near You
There is a virus that has already sickened at least 13 million Americans this winter, hospitalizing 120,000 and killing 6,600 people. You may even know of it.
Medi-Cal Benefits Eliminated A Decade Ago, Such As Foot Care And Eyeglasses, Are Back
Budget cuts in 2009, sparked by the Great Recession, eliminated many needed health care services, like regular foot care for people with diabetes to minimize the risk of amputation. The restored benefits also include eyeglasses, speech therapy and hearing exams.
Bloomberg On Health Care: Translating His Mayoral Record To The National Stage
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg uses health care as a key message in his Democratic presidential primary run.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: SCOTUS Punts On ACA Case — For Now
The Supreme Court said it won’t hear an expedited case that threatens to overturn the Affordable Care Act. That means the future of the ACA will continue to be a top political issue through the November election. Meanwhile, a major doctors’ group endorses “Medicare for All.” Sort of. And both sides in the abortion debate mark the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Caitlin Owens of Axios join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, for extra credit, the panelists suggest their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Despite New Doubts, ‘Hotspotting’ Help For Heavy Health Care Users Marches On
Gov. Gavin Newsom has earmarked nearly $600 million in his 2020-21 state budget plan to provide intensive care management to high-needs, high-risk patients around the state. The programs are similar to an initiative in Camden, New Jersey, that was called into question by a recent study finding hospital readmissions dropped, but at only about the same rate as patients who didn’t receive the same kind of intensive services.
Patients Want A ‘Good Death’ At Home, But Hospice Care Can Badly Strain Families
Fewer Americans are dying in a hospital, under the close supervision of doctors and nurses. That trend has been boosted by an expanded Medicare benefit that helps people live out their final days at home in hospice care. But as home hospice grows, so has the burden on families left to provide much of the care.
In-Home Teeth-Straightening Business Is Booming ― But Better Brace Yourself
SmileDirectClub and other startup companies say they provide teeth-straightening services for what can be thousands of dollars less than office-visit care. But critics worry about what happens if the treatment goes wrong.
How Fast Can A New Internet Standard For Sharing Patient Data Catch Fire?
The web-based standard FHIR — pronounced “fire” — could hasten the day when we can view our full medical histories on a smartphone screen. Tech giants are hungry for a piece of the pie, but obstacles remain.
Diagnosed With Dementia, She Documented Her Wishes. They Said No.
Across the U.S., people with early dementia are signing new advance directives to confirm their end-of-life wishes while they still have the ability to do so. But doctors say the documents may offer a false sense of security.