Category: Kaiser Health News

MDMA, Or Ecstasy, Shows Promise As A PTSD Treatment

MDMA, the psychoactive ingredient in the club drug known as molly or ecstasy, is being tested in combination with therapy as a treatment for severe trauma.

ER Redo: As Rural Hospital Closes, Emergency Care Is On The Blink With Fate Uncertain

The loss of the longtime hospital in Fort Scott, Kan., forces trauma patients to deal with changing services and expectations.

DIY Tech Gives People More Freedom In Managing Diabetes

People with diabetes say they’ve been waiting for years for better technology to manage their chronic condition. Tired of waiting, some tech-savvy, do-it-yourselfers are constructing their own devices using open-source programming instructions.

Despite Failed Promises, Stem Cell Advocates Again Want Taxpayers To Pony Up Billions

California’s stem cell agency, created by a $3 billion bond measure 15 years ago, is almost out of money. Its supporters plan to ask voters for even more funding next year, even though no agency-funded treatments have been approved for widespread use.

Health Plan’s ‘Cadillac Tax’ May Finally Be Running Out Of Gas

The tax on generous health plans — originally envisioned as a way to help pay for the ACA and change consumers’ behavior — has never been implemented, and Congress is considering repeal.

What The Trump Home Dialysis Plan Would Really Look Like

It takes more than an executive order to shift kidney disease patients from dialysis centers to home care. These patients show it takes discipline, skill, will and support.

Among Hurdles For Those With Opioid Addictions: Getting The Drug To Treat It

It can be difficult to get a prescription for buprenorphine, one of the gold standards for treating opioid use disorder. And not all pharmacies stock the drug.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: We Answer Your Questions

You asked about drug prices, the “Cadillac tax” on generous insurance plans and why Americans don’t know that most other countries also have combination public-private insurance systems. This week, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Caitlin Owens of Axios join KHN’s Julie Rovner to answer those questions.

Trump Administration Hits Brakes On Law To Curb Unneeded Medicare CT Scans, MRIs

Critics worry the delays come at a steep cost: Medicare paying for millions of unnecessary exams and patients subject to radiation for no medical benefit.

As States Strive To Stabilize Insurance Marketplaces, Insurers Return

States increasingly expect to see insurers enter or re-enter ACA marketplaces next year. That’s a critical sign that these exchanges are growing less risky for insurers despite ongoing political and legal battles over the ACA.