Latest California Healthline Stories
An Arm and a Leg: Why ‘The Pitt’ Is Our Fave New Drama
An emergency room doctor says what the TV show “The Pitt” gets right about hospitals, including why they’re so crowded and the bills so high.
Trump Team’s $500 Million Bet on Old Vaccine Technology Puzzles Scientists
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS said an enormous, noncompetitive flu vaccine development grant to two favored NIH leaders would ensure “transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness.” But their vaccine is in early stages, relies on old technology, and is just one of scores of similar efforts.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': 100 Days of Health Policy Upheaval
Members of Congress are back in Washington, and Republicans are struggling to find ways to reduce Medicaid spending without cutting benefits. Meanwhile, confusion continues to reign at the Department of Health and Human Services. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
Federal Cuts Gut Food Banks as They Face Record Demand
Food banks nationwide are being pinched by record demand, high food prices, and hundreds of millions of dollars in federal budget cuts. As the economy plods onto shaky ground, food bank leaders hope Congress patches the holes by passing a new farm bill.
Fast Action From Bystanders Can Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival. Many Don’t Know What To Do.
In 9 of 10 cases, a person in cardiac arrest will die because help doesn’t arrive quickly enough. With CPR and, possibly, a shock from an automated external defibrillator, survival odds double. But Americans lack confidence and know-how to handle these interventions.
When They Don’t Recognize You Anymore
People with dementia often forget even close family members as the disease advances. “It can throw people into an existential crisis,” an expert said.
When Hospitals Ditch Medicare Advantage Plans, Thousands of Members Get To Leave, Too
Breakups between health providers and Advantage plans are increasingly common. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has allowed whole groups of patients to leave their plans.
Why Cameras Are Popping Up in Eldercare Facilities
Roughly 20 states now have laws permitting families to place cameras in the rooms of loved ones. Facility operators are often opposed.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': On Autism, It’s the Secretary’s Word vs. CDC’s
Tensions between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his employees at the Department of Health and Human Services are mounting, as he made a series of claims about autism this week — contradicting his agency’s findings. Plus, President Donald Trump unveiled an executive order to lower drug prices as his administration explores tariffs that could raise them. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Plus, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews two University of California-San Francisco researchers about an upcoming Supreme Court case that could have major ramifications for preventive care.
Misinformation About Fentanyl Exposure Threatens To Undermine Overdose Response
Fentanyl overdoses occur from ingesting the synthetic opioid. But popular culture has misrepresented the risks to first responders.