Journalists Discuss Insulin Prices, Gun Violence, Distracted Driving, and More
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
Legislation
341-360 of 780 results
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Shaved Costs, High Risk, Maximum Profits: Regulators Worry About Florida鈥檚 Butt Lift Boom
Social media marketing lures people to South Florida鈥檚 lucrative cosmetic surgery scene with the promise of cheap Brazilian butt lifts. But some researchers, patient advocates, and surgeon groups say that the risks of the procedure are generally not understood by prospective patients, and that an unsafe number of surgeries can be performed per day in office settings, maximizing profits.
By Daniel Chang -
Biden Promises to Fight GOP on 鈥楪utting鈥 Medicaid. Budget Talks Seem Like Another Story.
As many lower-income Americans prepare to lose pandemic-era access to Medicaid, President Joe Biden vowed to stop Republicans from making deeper cuts to lower the national debt. Other changes may still be up for discussion.
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Surprise-Billing Law Loophole: When 鈥極ut of Network鈥 Doesn鈥檛 Quite Mean Out of Network
Billing experts and lawmakers are playing catch-up as providers find ways to get around new surprise-billing laws, leaving patients like Danielle Laskey of Washington state with big bills for emergency care.
By Harris Meyer -
NYC Makes Clear Its Intent to Lead on Abortion Access
Mayor Eric Adams鈥 announcement this year to provide abortion pills free of charge at four of New York鈥檚 sexual health clinics is the city鈥檚 latest move on abortion access. Other jurisdictions are also taking steps.
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After Capping Insulin Copays, Colorado Sets Its Sights on EpiPens
Colorado鈥檚 proposed legislation to cap the copay for the EpiPen is part of a nationwide trend as more states try to shield patients from skyrocketing drug prices.
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California Explores Private Insurance for Immigrants Lacking Legal Status. But Is It Affordable?
Nearly half a million Californians without legal residency make too much to qualify for Medicaid yet they can鈥檛 afford to buy coverage. A state lawmaker is proposing to open up the state鈥檚 health insurance exchange as a first step to providing them affordable insurance.
By Rachel Bluth -
Montana Seeks to Insulate Nursing Homes From Future Financial Crises
Lawmakers are considering creating standards to set Medicaid reimbursement rates. But industry observers wonder whether the move would be too little, too late to bolster a beleaguered industry.
By Keely Larson Senators Have Mental Health Crises, Too
Episode 286When U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment of depression this month, he got an unusual reaction from his colleagues in Congress: compassion. It鈥檚 a far cry from how politicians once kept their mental health issues under wraps at all costs. Meanwhile, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley is stirring up controversy by proposing that all politicians over age 75 be required to pass a mental competency test to hold office. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
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Proposed Medicare Advantage Changes Cannot Accurately Be Called ‘Cuts,’ Experts Say
CMS advanced two proposed changes that could affect Medicare Advantage plans. One would allow the government to recover past overpayments. As a result, it could reduce those insurers鈥 profits, leading them to increase enrollees' out-of-pocket costs or reduce benefits. But it's inaccurate to characterize the changes as "cuts."
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A Law Was Meant to Free Sick or Aging Inmates. Instead, Some Are Left to Die in Prison.
The First Step Act was supposed to help free terminally ill and aging federal inmates who pose little or no threat to public safety. But while petitions for compassionate release skyrocketed during the pandemic, judges denied most requests.
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Senators Say Health Worker Shortages Ripe for Bipartisan Compromise
The Senate鈥檚 top health committee focused on the worsening health care workforce shortage during its first hearing Thursday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, its new chair, boldly promising bipartisan solutions.
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Amid Dire Suicide Rates in Montana, Governor Expands Student Mental Health Screening
Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte announced a $2.1 million grant using federal aid after state lawmakers rejected a bill that would have essentially addressed the same needs of young people at risk of suicide.
By Keely Larson -
California Requires Hospitals to Turn to a Patient’s Next of Kin, Closing a Longtime Loophole
A state law establishes a list of representatives who can make medical decisions for patients unable to convey their wishes. California is late to making the change; 45 other states and the District of Columbia already have next-of-kin laws.
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Republican Lawmakers Shy Away From Changing Montana鈥檚 Constitutional Right to Abortion
Lawmakers in 14 states have passed near-total bans on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. But in some conservative-led states where court rulings determined their constitutions protect abortion, including Montana, politicians haven鈥檛 asked voters to weigh in.
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In California, Democrats Propose $25 Minimum Wage for Health Workers
State Sen. Mar铆a Elena Durazo and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West want to give health facility support staffers a raise. Hospitals, nursing homes, and dialysis clinics are expected to resist.
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Montana鈥檚 Tax-Exempt Hospitals Oppose Increased Oversight by State Officials
As Montana officials seek to make nonprofit hospitals prove the benefits they provide the community justify their tax exemptions, industry leaders propose their own changes 鈥 which state officials say would further limit the state鈥檚 authority.
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Montana Considers Allowing Physician Assistants to Practice Independently
The bill, modeled on laws in North Dakota and Wyoming, is opposed by doctors who say it would let physician assistants practice outside the scope of their training.
By Keely Larson -
鈥楾he Country Is Watching鈥: California Homeless Crisis Looms as Gov. Newsom Eyes Political Future
As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters his second term, his legacy as governor and path forward in the Democratic Party hinge on his making visible headway on California鈥檚 homeless crisis. We lay out the possibilities 鈥 and challenges 鈥 as he unleashes an $18 billion battle plan.
By Angela Hart -
Congress Told HHS to Set Up a Health Data Network in 2006. The Agency Still Hasn鈥檛.
Since 2006, federal officials have been charged with setting up a network to let various parts of the U.S. health system share information during emergencies. It still hasn鈥檛 been built or even planned, even after the communication and data-sharing failures put on display during the pandemic.