Category: Kaiser Health News

Sen. Graham Complains That 3 Blue States Get a Third of ACA Funding

Sen. Lindsey Graham insinuates that the law is sending a disproportionate amount of money to New York, California and Massachusetts, all represented by Democrats.

Despite COVID Concerns, Teams Venture Into Nursing Homes to Get Out the Vote

In North Carolina, staffs at nursing homes and assisted living facilities are prohibited by law from helping residents vote. So community members fill the gap, venturing into some of the places hit hardest by the coronavirus.

App-Based Companies Pushing Prop. 22 Say Drivers Will Get Health Benefits. Will They?

Ride-sharing and delivery services such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart are bankrolling California’s Proposition 22, which would keep their drivers classified as independent contractors, not employees. But health benefits? That’s something of a stretch.

The Trump Medicaid Record: Big Goals, Yet Few Successes

The Trump administration sought to shrink the federal-state health program for low-income Americans and give states more flexibility. But Democrats and the courts thwarted most of those efforts.

For Each Critically Ill COVID Patient, a Family Is Suffering, Too

Because loved ones are often kept apart from critically ill COVID-19 patients, the families may be especially vulnerable to symptoms including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder that can be debilitating.

Readers and Tweeters Shed Light on Vaccine Trials and Bias in Health Care

Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Savvy Patient Fought for the Price She Was Quoted − And Didn’t Give Up

A California woman thought the discount on her coinsurance before an operation sounded too good to be true. Turns out, she was right.

‘No Mercy’ Chapter 5: In Rural America, Cancer Care Is Often Far From Home

The hunt for good cancer treatment often means miles on the road, time spent waiting and exhaustion from treatment and transit. “The further you have to travel to get care, the less likely that you are going to take that effort to do that,” said Boban Mathew, an oncologist in southeastern Kansas.

Telemedicine or In-Person Visit? Pros and Cons

The volume of virtual medical appointments has exploded during the pandemic as patients and doctors have sought to avoid infection through in-person visits.

For People With Visual Impairments, Truly Secret Ballots Are Elusive

Voters in several states who live with visual impairments must rely on family and friends to fill out their mail-in or absentee paper ballots, compromising their privacy. More states are relying on mail-in and absentee voting to reduce the spread of COVID-19.