Category: Kaiser Health News

Older Men’s Connections Often Wither When They’re on Their Own

Older men who find themselves living alone tend to have fewer close personal relationships than older women. They’re vulnerable, physically and emotionally, but often reluctant to ask for help.

An Arm and a Leg: ‘Baby Steps’ in the Fight Against Facility Fees

An extra $99 fee on top of a copay for a checkup didn’t sit right with a listener. Turns out, state legislators across the country aren’t buying it either.

Employers Haven’t a Clue How Their Drug Benefits Are Managed

The Big Three pharmacy benefit managers say they return nearly all the rebates they get from drugmakers to the employers and insurers who hire them. But most employers seem to doubt that.

Asian Health Center Tries Unconventional Approach to Counseling

Facing a dire shortage of bilingual and culturally attuned therapists, an Oakland, California, community clinic serving Asian immigrants has trained staffers in a victim support unit to provide lay counseling.

Poppy Seed Brew Triggers Morphine Overdose, Drawing Attention of Lawmakers

Poppy seeds contaminated with opioids can be used to make a deadly brew, a watchdog says.

Silence in Sikeston: Is There a Cure for Racism?

In the finale of “Silence in Sikeston,” Black residents organize a Juneteenth barbecue. The Department of Public Safety chief encourages officers to attend to build trust. But improving relations between Sikeston’s Black community and the police won’t be easy. Host Cara Anthony discusses the possibility of institutional change in Sikeston.

What’s New and What To Watch For in the Upcoming ACA Open Enrollment Period

This year’s start date in most states is Nov. 1, and consumers may encounter new scams as well as important rule changes.

A Boy’s Bicycling Death Haunts a Black Neighborhood. 35 Years Later, There’s Still No Sidewalk.

John Parker was in first grade when he was struck by a pickup truck driving on Durham’s Cheek Road, which lacks sidewalks to this day. Neighborhoods with no sidewalks, damaged walkways, and roads with high speed limits are concentrated in Black neighborhoods, research finds.

Catholic Hospital Offered Bucket, Towels to Woman It Denied an Abortion, California AG Said

In California, where abortion rights are guaranteed, there’s a loophole. The growth of Catholic hospital systems, which restrict reproductive health care, has left patients with no other option for care. That will be the case for pregnant women in Northern California, with a hospital set to close its birth center.

FDA’s Promised Rules on Pulse Oximeters Unlikely To End Decades of Racial Bias

For decades, the pulse oximeters used in hospitals, ambulances, and homes have underestimated the oxygen needs of darker-skinned patients. The FDA is preparing guidelines to fix that. But will the new rules go far enough?