Category: Kaiser Health News

Rapper Fat Joe Says No One Is Making Sure Hospitals Post Their Prices

A TV and social media ad offers a reason to check on the enforcement of a sweeping rule that requires hospitals to post information about what they charge insurers and cash-paying patients.

Newsom Pins Political Rise on Abortion, Guns, and Health Care

As California Gov. Gavin Newsom claims the role as the national Democratic Party’s political attack dog, he is trolling red-state governors over their positions on guns and abortion. He’s also making a case for himself — with health care front and center.

EPA Action Boosts Grassroots Momentum to Reduce Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’

Experts say the EPA’s recent declaration that some PFAS chemicals are unsafe at detectable levels in drinking water signals acceleration in efforts to curb exposure to compounds found in nearly every American’s blood.

Covid Sewage Surveillance Labs Join the Hunt for Monkeypox

Wastewater testing has proved a reliable early alarm bell for covid outbreaks. U.S. researchers are now adapting the approach to track the explosive spread of monkeypox.

‘American Diagnosis’: ‘We Need to Be at the Table’: Native-Led Medical Research Aims to Rebuild Trust

Exploitative practices in medical research have contributed to the underrepresentation of Native people in clinical trials. Episode 10 explores the efforts of Indigenous scientists to rebuild this broken trust through tribally controlled research.

After ‘a Lot of Doors Shut in Our Face,’ Crusading Couple Celebrate Passage of Burn Pit Bill

Le Roy and Rosie Torres founded the Burn Pits 360 group that advocated for years for Congress to help veterans suffering from injuries caused by the massive disposal sites on overseas bases. Le Roy came home from Iraq suffering from breathing problems.

Patients and Doctors Trapped in a Gray Zone When Abortion Laws and Emergency Care Mandate Conflict

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, ER doctors say they — and their patients — are trapped between state anti-abortion laws and the federal law requiring that care be delivered in emergency situations. Women’s lives hang in the balance.

Tribe Embraces Recreational Marijuana Sales on Reservation Where Alcohol Is Banned

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota allows people to buy and use recreational marijuana but not alcohol. Some tribal citizens say cannabis is safer than alcohol, meth, and opioids — which have wreaked havoc on the state’s Indigenous communities.

Skin Cancer Is a Risk No Matter the Skin Tone. But It May Be Overlooked in People With Dark Skin.

Black people and those with high levels of melanin in their skin have long been left out of efforts to combat skin cancer. Historically neglected both by sunscreen manufacturers and a medical community lagging in diversity and cultural competency, many people with dark skin tones have not been informed about sun safety or how to monitor their skin for damage or cancer.

A GOP Talking Point Suggests Birth Control Is Not at Risk. Evidence Suggests Otherwise.

Republicans say Democrats are wrong to claim that birth control could be the Supreme Court’s next target. But Democrats have plenty of evidence that it might be.