Category: Health Industry

Watchdog Calls for Tighter Scrutiny of Medicare Advantage Home Visits

Medicare officials defend the use of home visits that often spot medical conditions that are never treated.

Community Health Workers Spread Across the US, Even in Rural Areas

Community health workers are increasingly common in rural areas, where they help patients overcome barriers to accessing care and staying healthy.

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

The nation’s Catholic health systems were largely founded and led by nuns with a mission to serve the sick regardless of their creed or financial means. Today, no nuns run any U.S. Catholic health system, while many of these hospitals pull in billions, according to their financial reports.

No Evidence Trump’s Drug Program for Terminal Patients Saved ‘Thousands’ of Lives

Though the former president has repeatedly hyped the impact of his experimental drug program, there’s no basis for his claims in government data, and medical experts say he’s exaggerating.

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to Medicare

Democrats and conservatives are divided over whether the federal health program for people over 65 should be run almost entirely by the private sector. If Trump retakes the White House, the shift to Medicare Advantage may accelerate.

Dentists Are Pulling ‘Healthy’ and Treatable Teeth To Profit From Implants, Experts Warn

Americans are getting dental implants more than ever — and at costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Experts worry some dentists have lost sight of the soul of dentistry: preserving and fixing teeth.

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: The Campaign’s Final Days

It’s the final days of the 2024 campaign, and Republicans are suddenly talking again about making changes to the Affordable Care Act if former President Donald Trump wins. Meanwhile, new reporting uncovers more maternal deaths under state abortion bans — and a case in which a Nevada woman was jailed after a miscarriage. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Irving Washington, a senior vice president at KFF and the executive director of its Health Misinformation and Trust Initiative.

‘A Pressure Campaign’: Beverly Hills Settles After Allegedly Blocking Abortion Clinic

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a settlement with Beverly Hills after finding city officials pressured the landlord to cancel DuPont Clinic’s lease. It’s the state’s first enforcement action under Proposition 1, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution.

Florida Medical Device Maker Exactech Declares Bankruptcy

The company faces more than 2,000 lawsuits alleging it sold defective knee and hip implants.

Vance Wrongly Blames Rural Hospital Closures on Immigrants in the Country Illegally

Experts disputed the claim by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, noting that a range of other issues — from low reimbursement rates to declining patient use — combine to cause these facilities to shutter.