Category: Kaiser Health News

Children’s Vision Problems Often Go Undetected, Despite Calls for Regular Screening

Eye exams for children are required under federal law to be covered by most private health plans and Medicaid, and many states mandate school vision screenings. But a federal survey finds that a quarter of children and teens are still not getting the recommended tests.

A Deep Dive Into the Widening Mortality Gap Across the Political Aisle

Research out this week examines how an area’s political environment can affect its mortality rate.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Good News for Your Credit Report

In July, credit reporting bureaus will start taking paid medical debt off people’s credit reports. Here’s what you need to know.

Some People in This Montana Mining Town Worry About the Dust Next Door

Residents of a Butte neighborhood are concerned about the dust from a nearby open-pit mine that can coat their homes and vehicles. In a city where past mining left a legacy of soil and water pollution, is the air unsafe, too?

Patients Seek Mental Health Care From Their Doctor But Find Health Plans Standing in the Way

Despite a consensus that patients should be able to get mental health care from primary care doctors, insurance policies and financial incentives may not support that.

Misinformation Clouds America’s Most Popular Emergency Contraception

At a moment when half of U.S. states stand poised to outlaw or sharply curtail abortion services, the nation’s most popular emergency contraception brand rests in the unlikely stewardship of two private equity firms.

California Wants to Slash Insulin Prices by Becoming a Drugmaker. Can it Succeed?

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed spending $100 million to make insulin affordable to millions of people with diabetes under a new state generic drug label, CalRx. But state officials haven’t said how much the insulin will cost patients or how the state will deal with distribution and other challenges.

They Thought They Were Buying Obamacare Plans. What They Got Wasn’t Insurance.

Some consumers who think they are signing up for Obamacare insurance find out later they actually purchased a membership to a health care sharing ministry. But regulators and online advertising sites don’t do much about it.

Addressing the ‘Trust Factor’: South Carolina Researchers Tackle Health Disparities Using Genetics

A new genetic research project underway in South Carolina aims to reduce health disparities between Black and white residents — such as cancer and cardiovascular disease rates — that have long ranked among the nation’s worst. But researchers face the challenge of recruiting 100,000 participants who reflect the diversity of South Carolina. And history isn’t on their side.

She’s 31, Has Stage 4 Kidney Cancer — And Talked Openly About It in a Job Interview

Katie Coleman’s friends warned her not to tell prospective employers about her cancer diagnosis, fearing it would jeopardize her chances of being hired — even though it’s illegal for employers to discriminate because of a medical condition.