Category: New Jersey

Meet the People Deciding How to Spend $50 Billion in Opioid Settlement Cash

As settlement dollars land at the state level, state councils wield significant power in determining how the windfall gets spent. And, though they will likely include the most knowledgeable voices on addiction, these panels also face concerns about conflicts of interest and other issues.

Abortion Debate Ramps Up in States as Congress Deadlocks

Abortion is a top issue for state lawmakers meeting for their first full sessions since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

3 States Limit Nursing Home Profits in Bid to Improve Care

Following the devastating impact of covid-19 on nursing homes, state lawmakers want to be sure that government and private payments primarily go to improve care and staffing.

As Schools Spend Millions on Air Purifiers, Experts Warn of Overblown Claims and Harm to Children

A KHN investigation found that more than 2,000 schools have spent millions of dollars for systems, lured by air purifier companies’ claims that experts say mislead or obscure the potential for harm from toxic ozone.

After Accident, Patient Crashes Into $700,000 Bill for Spine Surgery

Generous personal injury coverage on your car policy may not be enough to cover medical bills. Patients can get financially blindsided when auto insurance and health insurance policies differ.

Need Amid Plenty: Richest US Counties Are Overwhelmed by Surge in Child Hunger

Hunger among kids is skyrocketing, even in America’s wealthiest counties. But given the nation’s highly uneven charitable food system, affluent communities have been far less ready for the unprecedented crisis than places accustomed to dealing with poverty and hardship.

Health Workers Resort To Etsy, Learning Chinese, Shady Deals To Find Safety Gear

The shortages are so dire that nursing homes and other health centers are going to extraordinary lengths for masks, gowns and essential materials.

As COVID-19 Lurks, Families Are Locked Out Of Nursing Homes. Is It Safe Inside?

“The awful truth is families have no control over what’s happening,” one advocate says.

California Shies Away From Calls To Eliminate Restrictions On Nurse Practitioners

Many states are dramatically loosening regulations on nurse practitioners as the coronavirus pandemic increases demand for health care workers. But not California.

Needy Patients ‘Caught In The Middle’ As Insurance Titan Drops Doctors

UnitedHealthcare is dropping hundreds of physicians from its New Jersey Medicaid network, separating patients from longtime doctors. Physicians charge the insurer is using its market power to shift business to practices it controls.