Latest California Healthline Stories
Family Caregivers Find Support on #dementia TikTok
The TikTok hashtag “dementia” has billions of views. Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias have been using the site to swap tips and share the burdens of life with dementia.
Kids’ Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows
A youth mental health crisis and a shortage of therapists and other care providers who take insurance are pushing many families into financial ruin. But it’s rarely acknowledged as medical debt.
Centene Gave Thousands to Georgia Leaders’ Campaigns While Facing Medicaid Overbilling Questions
Centene is trying to settle accusations of Medicaid pharmaceutical overcharging in Georgia, and the St. Louis-based company has been giving thousands of dollars to the campaigns of the state attorney general and the governor.
Don’t Drill Your Own Teeth! And Quashing Other Rotten Dental Advice on TikTok
TikTok videos extol doing your own cosmetic dentistry like gluing gems to your front teeth or filing down your teeth. The trouble is social media rarely shows the mistakes or the pain.
After Congress Fails to Add Dental Coverage, Medicare Weighs Benefit Expansion
Medicare can pay for some dental care if it is medically necessary to safely treat another covered medical condition, and federal officials have asked for suggestions on whether that list of conditions should be expanded.
Say What? Hearing Aids Available Over-the-Counter for as Low as $199, and Without a Prescription
The cheaper over-the-counter aids are for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss — a market of tens of millions of people, many of whom have until now been priced out because prescription devices can cost thousands of dollars.
Weight Loss Gadgets Help Consumers Achieve Diet Goals — But It Still Won’t Be Easy
You may have seen the ads that promise weight loss and better health — phone apps, rings, and other devices — by giving you data on how your body reacts to food, exercise, and sleep. Is this information enough to help consumers achieve their goals?
Will Covid Spike Again This Fall? 6 Tips to Help You Stay Safe
Recent research suggests that the covid virus is mutating to better dodge people’s immune defenses. It could soon evade monoclonal antibodies used to treat covid. KHN examines what public health officials believe is on the horizon and how best to fight the disease.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Finally Fixing the ‘Family Glitch’
The Biden administration has decided to try to fix the so-called “family glitch” in the Affordable Care Act without an act of Congress. The provision has prevented workers’ families from getting subsidized coverage if an employer offer is unaffordable. Meanwhile, Medicare’s open enrollment period begins Oct. 15, and private Medicare Advantage plans are poised to cover more than half of Medicare’s 65 million enrollees. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read.
New Generation of Weight Loss Medications Offer Promise — But at a Price
People now have at their disposal more medicines that are effective at reducing weight, but none can counter obesity alone. One big problem: Insurance coverage remains spotty, and the costly drugs may be needed long term.