The Latest Breaking News from KFF Health News

Proposed federal law would put limits on use of $50 billion in opioid settlements

Lawmakers want to ensure the funds are actually used to fight the addiction crisis, not "as a piggy bank for other projects."

WEKU · Jan 22, 2024

In this Oklahoma town, almost everyone knows someone who's been sued by the hospital

U.S. hospitals face growing scrutiny over aggressive debt collection tactics. At one community hospital, few patients get financial aid when they can't afford to pay. Many more are taken to court.

WEKU · Jan 19, 2024

'I'm not safe here': Schools ignore federal rules on restraint and seclusion

Federal officials have long warned that restraint and seclusion in schools can be dangerous and traumatizing for children, but school districts often fail to report incidents as required by law.

WEKU · Jan 16, 2024

More patients are losing their doctors – and their trust in the primary care system

In Rhode Island, safety-net clinics are under new pressures as clinicians retire or burn out. Patients report that it's harder to find care, and they're losing connections to familiar doctors.

WEKU · Dec 22, 2023

In 2023, opioid settlement funds flowed to states. Here's how it's going

Some $1.5 billion flowed to local government coffers this year, sparking debates about transparency and how to spend the money. Here are 5 takeaways from a year's worth of reporting on the issue.

WEKU · Dec 21, 2023

When a quick telehealth visit yields multiple surprises beyond a big bill

For the patient, it was a quick and inexpensive virtual appointment. Why it cost 10 times more than she expected became a mystery.

WEKU · Dec 19, 2023

Can family doctors deliver rural America from its maternal health crisis?

More than half of American counties don't have an obstetrician. Family physicians, working in teams with proper support, could be the answer to the crisis in rural obstetric care.

WEKU · Dec 18, 2023

‘They see a cash cow’: Officials overseeing billions in opioid settlements are deluged with product offers from companies hoping to cash in

As $50 billion in opioid settlement dollars land in government coffers, a swarm of businesses are positioning themselves to profit from the windfall.

Fortune · Dec 18, 2023

With bison herds and ancestral seeds, Indigenous communities embrace food sovereignty

Native Americans are returning to raising buffalo and plants that tribes have grown for millennia. It's a way to reconnect with historic traditions, and to bring healthy eating to their communities.

WEKU · Dec 9, 2023

California expands insurance access for teens seeking therapy on their own

A new California law will allow low-income teens on Medicaid to get therapy without parental approval. That's already allowed for teens on private insurance. But the change aroused opposition.

WEKU · Dec 8, 2023