Category: Kaiser Health News

California Leaders Tussle With Health Industry Over Billions of New Dollars for Medi-Cal

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to pull funds earmarked for new investment in Medi-Cal to help plug California’s $45 billion deficit. A state budget passed June 13 by the legislature largely endorsed Newsom’s plan. Voters could settle the matter in an industry-backed initiative that has qualified for the November ballot.

‘We’re Flying Blind’: CDC Has 1M Bird Flu Tests Ready, but Experts See Repeat of Covid Missteps

Three months into the U.S. bird flu outbreak, only 45 people have been tested. Laboratories that are the foundation of diagnostic testing have yet to get approval to detect the bird flu virus. They say their path forward has been slowed by miscommunication and uncertainty from the CDC and FDA.

Experts: US Hospitals Prone to Cyberattacks Like One That Hurt Patient Care at Ascension

Clinicians working for Ascension hospitals in multiple states described harrowing lapses, including delayed or lost lab results, medication errors, and an absence of routine safety checks to prevent potentially fatal mistakes.

A Tale of Two States: Arizona and Florida Diverge on How To Expand Kids’ Health Insurance

Both Florida and Arizona want to expand eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but their approaches to charging low-income families premiums for the coverage showcase the nation’s ideological divide on helping the disadvantaged.

¿Cómo Se Dice? California Loops In AI To Translate Health Care Information

State officials want to use artificial intelligence to translate public health care and social services documents and websites, which they say will speed up translations, save money, and improve Californians’ access to critical information. But some IT and language experts worry AI may introduce errors in wording and understanding.

Older Women Are Different Than Older Men. Their Health Is Woefully Understudied.

The White House has launched an initiative on women’s health. Studying the health of older women, a largely neglected group in medical research, should be a priority.

Montana Creates Emergency ‘Drive-Thru’ Blood Pickup Service for Rural Ambulances

The network is aimed at helping rural patients, who face higher rates of traumatic injuries and death but may not live near a hospital with a stockpile of blood.

Montana Creates Emergency ‘Drive-Thru’ Blood Pickup Service for Rural Ambulances

The network is aimed at helping rural patients, who face higher rates of traumatic injuries and death but may not live near a hospital with a stockpile of blood.

Americans With HIV Are Living Longer. Federal Spending Isn’t Keeping Up.

Advances in medicine mean more people are living longer with HIV. But aging with HIV comes with an increased risk of health complications, and many worry the U.S. health care system isn’t prepared to treat this growing population.

California Lawmakers Preserve Aid to Older, Disabled Immigrants

Lawmakers passed a budget that rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to save nearly $95 million by eliminating in-home support services for qualifying older, blind, and disabled immigrants lacking legal residency. Advocates say Newsom’s plan would have cost more in the long run. Newsom has not indicated whether he’ll veto.