Category: states

These Programs Put Unused Prescription Drugs in the Hands of Patients in Need

States and counties look to expand programs that accept donations of unused surplus drugs from places like nursing homes and hospitals and redistribute them to low-income and uninsured residents.

Readers Slam Hospital Monopolies and Blame the Feds for Understaffed Nursing Homes

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

California’s Ambitious Medicaid Experiment Gets Tripped Up in Implementation

The health care insurers, nonprofit organizations, and other groups responsible for implementing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plan to infuse Medicaid with social services say their ability to serve vulnerable, low-income Californians is hamstrung.

Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care

Facing a severe shortage of aides and high costs, people trying to keep aging loved ones at home often cobble together a patchwork of family and friends to help.

Doctors on (Video) Call: Rural Medics Get Long-Distance Help in Treating Man Gored by Bison

A rural South Dakota medic said using an ambulance video system to communicate with a doctor gave him peace of mind as he treated a patient who was seriously injured when gored by a bison.

Explosive DeSantis-Newsom Debate Reflects Nation’s Culture Wars

The two governors exchanged heated verbal barbs when they faced off in a wide-ranging debate that covered various health-related topics, from abortion to gun violence.

‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Freshwater Fish, Yet Most States Don’t Warn Residents

At least 17 states have issued PFAS-related fish consumption advisories, KFF Health News found. But with no federal guidance, what is considered safe to eat varies significantly among states, most of which provide no regulation.

‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Freshwater Fish, Yet Most States Don’t Warn Residents

At least 17 states have issued PFAS-related fish consumption advisories, KFF Health News found. But with no federal guidance, what is considered safe to eat varies significantly among states, most of which provide no regulation.

Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Makes Other Public Assistance Harder to Get

The bottleneck caused by states’ reevaluation of Medicaid enrollees has swept up low-income families that rely on other safety-net services.

‘Everybody in This Community Has a Gun’: How Oakland Lost Its Grip on Gun Violence

A few years ago, Oakland won national acclaim for slashing gun-related crimes. Then the covid-19 pandemic tore through poor neighborhoods, and the murder of George Floyd fueled distrust in police. With guns readily available, violent crime has once again skyrocketed, leaving the community struggling to contain it.