Phil Galewitz

SHUTTERSTOCK

Wash, dry, enroll: finding Medicaid help at the laundromat

State Medicaid and Affordable Care Act programs have long struggled to connect with lower-income Americans to help them access care. Now some are trying an alternative approach: meeting them at the laundromat.

Feb 6

MOHAMED HASSAN/PIXABAY

Schools aren't as plugged in as they should be to kids' diabetes tech, parents say

With continuous glucose monitors, students with Type 1 diabetes no longer have to visit the school nurse for a finger prick. But some parents say it falls to them to keep an eye on blood sugar levels from home or work — even though they may not be able to quickly reach their child when something’s wrong.

Jan 28

SHUTTERSTOCK

US uninsured rate was stable in 2023, even as states’ Medicaid purge began

About 8% of Americans lacked health insurance in 2023, the Census Bureau announced. But its report doesn’t capture the effect of states winnowing their Medicaid rolls by millions of people since the pandemic emergency ended.

Sep 12, 2024

SHUTTERSTOCK

Urgent care or ER? With ‘one-stop shop,’ hospitals offer both under same roof

The hybrid model could save money for patients who would otherwise seek emergency room care for an urgent care-level problem. But the model is backed by private equity and advocates worry hospitals will steer patients to costlier options

Sep 3, 2024

SHUTTERSTOCK

Amid Medicaid ‘unwinding,’ many states wind up expanding

In December, North Carolina joined 39 other states and Washington, D.C., in widening Medicaid eligibility to include adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or $20,783 for an individual. The North Carolina expansion came amid the biggest upheaval in Medicaid’s nearly six-decade history.

Aug 22, 2024

A nurse speaks virtually to Donald Eustes, a patient at Houston Methodist Hospital, from the facility's virtual care center. (Portions of this photo have been blurred to protect privacy.) | PHIL GALEWITZ/KFF HEALTH NEWS

Forget ringing the button for the nurse. Patients now stay connected by wearing one.

Some nurses fear hospitals' use of artificial intelligence technology to cut down on bedside visits could wind up eliminating their jobs rather than supporting them — while harming patients

May 9, 2024

SHUTTERSTOCK

Hospitals cash in on a private equity-backed trend: concierge physician care

Critics of concierge physician practices say they contribute to primary care shortages while catering to the wealthy. Backers say it's better to give world-class care to a few than inadequate care to many.

Apr 9, 2024

Smaller employers weigh a big-company fix for scarce primary care: their own clinics

“Why did we do this? So my employees would not drop dead on the floor,” one grocery chain CEO in Kentucky said.

Oct 31, 2023

AREK SOCHA/PIXABAY

Quick genetic test offers hope for sick, undiagnosed kids. But few insurers offer to pay.

Few hospitalized babies with an undiagnosed illness undergo whole-genome sequencing — a diagnostic tool that allows scientists to quickly identify genetic disorders and guide clinicians’ treatment decisions

Oct 24, 2023