Category: Kaiser Health News

As California Welcomes Ukrainian Refugees, Counties Fall Short on Interpreters

As Ukrainians settle in California, many are tapping Medi-Cal. But in some counties, particularly Sacramento, the health department doesn’t have enough interpreters.

Medi-Cal’s Reliance on Prisoners to Make Cheaper Eyeglasses Proves Shortsighted

In California, where inmates manufacture glasses for Medi-Cal, enrollees and providers can wait months for their orders. Now, state lawmakers are considering allowing clinics to order from private labs as well.

A 63-Year-Old Transgender Woman Is Caught in Montana’s Birth Certificate Dispute

Montana is one of a handful of states that bar transgender people from changing the sex on their birth certificates. Health professionals say that gender marker should be erased completely.

A 63-Year-Old Transgender Woman Is Caught in Montana’s Birth Certificate Dispute

Montana is one of a handful of states that bar transgender people from changing the sex on their birth certificates. Health professionals say that gender marker should be erased completely.

Colorado’s Efforts Are Not Enough to Solve Its Ozone Problem

Some health experts said measures underway by state and federal officials won’t lower ozone pollution to safe levels across nine counties of Colorado’s Front Range.

In America, Cancer Patients Endure Debt on Top of Disease

Medical breakthroughs mean cancer is less likely to kill, but survival can come at an extraordinary cost as patients drain savings, declare bankruptcy, or lose their homes, a KHN-NPR investigation finds.

Vaccine and Testing Delays for Monkeypox Echo Failures in Early Covid Response

Public health officials say monkeypox is not as dangerous as covid and can be handled well with current treatments and if those at risk use caution. But the rollout of vaccines has been slow and led to angst among some at-risk people.

The Push for Abortion Lawmaking After ‘Dobbs’ Is Unique, Legal and Political Experts Say

The surge of calls for special legislative sessions to pass abortion laws is an unusual occurrence in modern U.S. history, according to experts — one caused by the Supreme Court’s decision to give states more power to regulate abortion.

Digital Mental Health Companies Draw Scrutiny and Growing Concerns

Consumers who have trouble getting in to see a therapist are turning to online behavioral health providers that offer quick access. But there’s limited research on their effectiveness.

The Search for Scarce Formula Is Worse for Rural Families on WIC

Constraints imposed by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, that prevent recipients from using benefits to buy formula across state lines weigh on families as the nationwide formula shortage drags on.