Category: Kaiser Health News

In a Fractious Rerun, GOP Rivals Haley and DeSantis Debate Health Care. Trump Sits It Out.

The fifth debate of the 2024 GOP presidential primary season took place days before Iowa Republicans will caucus to determine their pick for the top of the party’s ticket. The front-runner, former President Donald Trump, once again did not participate.

Delicate Labor-Industry Deal in Flux as Newsom Revisits $25 Minimum Health Wage

In spite of labor concern about any rollback, Gov. Gavin Newsom is revisiting California’s planned $25 minimum wage for health workers less than three months after approving the measure despite an uncertain price tag. The projected $4 billion first-year cost forms part of the state’s estimated $38 billion deficit.

Delays in State Contracts Leave Montana Health Providers Strapped

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is months behind in paying organizations contracted to connect people to care. The interruption is likely to have lasting effects, even after the state catches up.

Mammography AI Can Cost Patients Extra. Is It Worth It?

Artificial intelligence software to aid radiologists in detecting problems or diagnosing cancer has been moving rapidly into clinical use, where it shows great promise. But it’s a turnoff for some patients asked to pay out-of-pocket for technology that’s not quite ready for prime time.

California Offers a Lifeline for Medical Residents Who Can’t Find Abortion Training

Abortion restrictions in 18 states have curtailed access to training in skills that doctors say are critical for OB-GYN specialists and others. A new California law makes it easier for out-of-state doctors to get experience in reproductive medicine.

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“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week.

Rising Malpractice Premiums Price Small Clinics Out of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

Even in states where laws protect minors’ access to gender-affirming care, malpractice insurance premiums are keeping small and independent clinics from treating patients.

There’s a New Covid-19 Variant and Cases Are Ticking Up. What Do You Need to Know?

The covid-19 virus is continually changing, and a recent subvariant, the JN.1, is rapidly climbing the charts.

Listen to ‘Tradeoffs’: How the Loss of a Rural Hospital Compounds the Collapse of Care

Six years ago, the hospital in Fort Scott, Kansas, shuttered, leaving residents in the small community without a cornerstone health care institution. In the years since, despite new programs meant to save small hospitals, dozens of other communities have watched theirs close.

States Begin Tapping Medicaid Dollars to Combat Gun Violence

The Biden administration is allowing states to use money from the insurance program for low-income and disabled residents to pay for gun violence prevention. California and six other states have approved such spending, with more expected to follow.