KFF Health News

As hot days become more extreme and common, California education researchers are urging that school districts be required to develop heat plans to keep students safe, just as they have policies for severe storms and active shooters.

Drug use has become a major public health crisis, but effective treatment remains hard to find. It does exist, though.

Democratic lawmakers say they agreed to fine Californians without health insurance on the condition the state use that money to lower costs for residents purchasing coverage on the state exchange. They say Gov. Gavin Newsom has reneged on the deal.

As hospitals squeeze Democratic leaders in Sacramento for more money, health care finance experts and former state officials warn against falling for the industry’s fear tactics. They point to healthy profits and a recession-era financing scheme that allows rich hospitals to take tax money from poorer ones.

Driven largely by fentanyl, drug overdoses in California now kill more than twice as many people as car accidents, more than four times as many as homicides, and more than either diabetes or lung cancer.

The number of young adults going without sex was rising even before COVID-19 made dating harder and riskier.

Pandemic stresses led to millions more Americans seeking treatment. At the same time, there has long been a shortage of mental health professionals in the United States.

Some seniors got dozens of COVID tests they never ordered. Bad actors may have used seniors' Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, investigators say.

Marijuana-related medical emergencies have landed hundreds of thousands of people in the hospital. Millions are dealing with psychological disorders linked to cannabis use, according to federal research. But regulators have failed to keep up.

Be sure to open your mail and respond to any official request for personal information. And be aware that updating your information could push you off Medi-Cal if your income has risen or if you have access to other insurance.