Category: Health Industry

How Germany Averted An Opioid Crisis

Doctors are less likely to prescribe opioids in Germany and quicker to notice if a patient is at risk of abuse. And, for those who do experience addiction, treatment is easier to come by.

Bruising Labor Battles Put Kaiser Permanente’s Reputation On The Line

Kaiser Permanente just avoided a nationwide strike by thousands of workers, but now faces a new strike threat Monday. The labor battles are exposing the health care giant to scrutiny from lawmakers, health care advocates and others who accuse it of no longer living up to its nonprofit ideals.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Elections Matter

Key Democratic wins in 2019 state elections in Virginia and (probably) Kentucky could have big implications for health care in general and Medicaid in particular. And in the Democratic presidential primary, Elizabeth Warren is catching flak from all sides over her “Medicare For All” plan. This week, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Caitlin Owens of Axios and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Laura Ungar, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month.” For “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.

As UVA Scales Back Lawsuits, Pain For Past Patients Persists

Patients were thrilled last month when UVA announced it would scale back lawsuits and provide more financial assistance, but the excitement has waned.

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.

Sen. Grassley Questions UVA Health On Findings From KHN Investigation

A letter from the Senate Finance Committee Chairman questions the University of Virginia Health System about its financial assistance policies, billing practices and its prices.

Sen. Grassley Questions UVA Health On Findings From KHN Investigation

A letter from the Senate Finance Committee Chairman questions the University of Virginia Health System about its financial assistance policies, billing practices and its prices.

‘Fear Of Falling’: How Hospitals Do Even More Harm By Keeping Patients In Bed

In what experts call an “epidemic of immobility,” older hospital patients remain stuck in bed, their movements tracked by loud and ineffective bed alarms, losing muscle mass that’s key to their health and daily functioning.

Surprise Settlement In Sutter Health Antitrust Case

Sutter Health has reached a tentative settlement in an antitrust suit brought by the California Attorney General’s Office. Details have not been made public.

Think ‘Medicare For All’ Is The Only Democratic Health Plan? Think Again

The Democratic presidential candidates have hit hard on health care, but generally the debates have centered on what kind of system candidates propose. The candidates’ ideas on many other issues, such as mental health and gun safety, have attracted much less attention.