Category: Insurance

Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than a Quarter Million Dollars

For snakebite victims, antivenom is critical — and costly. It took more than $200,000 worth of antivenom to save one toddler’s life after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.

For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes

Medications such as methadone can cut the risk of a fatal opioid overdose in half. Medicaid covers the medication. But as state Medicaid programs reevaluated coverage of each enrollee following a pause in disenrollments during the covid-19 pandemic, some patients lost a crucial pillar of their sobriety.

‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way

Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.

Black Americans Still Suffer Worse Health. Here’s Why There’s So Little Progress

The United States has made almost no progress in closing racial health disparities despite promises, research shows. The government, some critics argue, is often the underlying culprit.

Presidential Election Puts Affordable Care Act Back in the Bull’s-Eye

The outcome of the upcoming presidential election could affect the number of insured Americans, the fate of premium-reducing subsidies, the shape of Medicaid, and the cost of coverage for tens of millions of people.

Voters Fret High Medical Bills Are Being Ignored by Presidential Rivals

Health care hasn’t figured prominently on the campaign trail this fall. These voters wish it would.

Medicare Drug Plans Are Getting Better Next Year. Some Will Also Cost More.

Every year, Medicare officials encourage beneficiaries to shop around for their drug coverage. Few take the time. This year, it might be more important than ever.

California Continues Progressive Policies, With Restraint, in Divisive Election Year

This legislative cycle, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills affirming reproductive rights and mandating insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization, but the Democrat was reluctant to impose new regulations and frequently cited costs for vetoing bills.

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: LIVE From KFF: Health Care and the 2024 Election

The Affordable Care Act has not been a major issue in the 2024 campaign, but abortion and reproductive rights have been front and center. Those are just two of the dozens of health issues that could be profoundly affected by who is elected president and which party controls Congress in 2025. In this special live episode, Tamara Keith of NPR, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Cynthia Cox and Ashley Kirzinger of KFF join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss how health policy has affected the campaign and how the election results might affect health policy. Plus, the panel answers questions from the live audience.

Harris Backs Slashing Medical Debt. Trump’s ‘Concepts’ Worry Advocates.

The Biden administration has taken significant steps to address a problem that burdens 100 million people in America, but gains would be jeopardized by a Trump win, advocates say.