The KFF Health News Minute is available every Thursday via direct download or the RSS feed.
Nov. 5
Zach Dyer [DYE-er] reads the week’s news: Hospital units treating critically ill kids are disappearing. Plus, many Americans say they’re feeling priced out of healthcare.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Oct. 29
Arielle Zionts [arr-ee-ELL ZY-ence] reads the week’s news: Prescription drugs can be lifesavers, but taking many different meds can be risky. Plus, people shopping for Obamacare plans for next year may see some changes.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Oct. 22
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads the week’s news: Support for “Medicare for All” is at its highest in at least a decade, even though many don’t understand the specifics. Plus, celebrities are getting full-body medical scans, but more screening might not be a good thing.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Oct. 15
Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: If patients can’t afford their bills, hospitals are typically supposed to offer financial aid — but you might have to ask. Plus, as the number of nursing home beds declines, older Americans are seeking alternatives.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Oct. 8
Katheryn Houghton [CATH-er-in HOW-tun] reads the week’s news: Hundreds of thousands of immigrants with legal status have become ineligible for government health insurance. Plus, some states are considering universal coverage to ease consumer health costs.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Oct. 1
Arielle Zionts [arr-ee-ELL ZY-ence] reads the week’s news: If you’re an older patient taking a long list of medications, consider reviewing them with a primary care provider to make sure they’re helping more than hurting. Plus, states are experimenting with Medicaid meal deliveries to cut costs and improve patients’ health.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Sept. 24
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads the week’s news: Many small businesses say they can no longer afford to offer their staff health insurance. Plus, when friends and neighbors act as informal caregivers, they’re unlikely to receive protection for time spent away from work.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Sept. 17
Zach Dyer [DYE-er] reads the week’s news: The high cost of fertility treatment is making some Americans look abroad for help getting pregnant. Plus, a nonprofit in Austin, Texas, is trying to keep its city’s music scenes going by helping artists pay for health insurance.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Sept. 10
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads the week’s news: Laser cataract surgery, which can be pricier, may not be worth the extra cost. Plus, the federal government is pulling funding for test strips that can help users detect fentanyl in drugs in favor of other public health approaches.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Aug. 28
Zach Dyer [DYE-er] reads the week’s news: Violence against hospital workers fuels calls for mandatory staffing rules. Plus, tips on how to find a clinical trial.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Aug. 27
Katheryn Houghton [CATH-er-in HOW-tun] reads the week’s news: A wristband with the words “I Gave Birth” could be a lifesaving tool for new moms, and many homeless people will have to prove they’re working to stay on Medicaid.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Aug. 20
Arielle Zionts [arr-ee-ELL ZY-ence] reads the week’s news: Pediatricians try to persuade more parents to vaccinate their kids amid measles outbreaks. Plus, how hospital monopolies drive up costs for patients and insurers.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Aug. 13
Rachel Spears reads the week’s news: Many people with disabilities fear that a new Justice Department legal opinion could roll back protections that have given them access to in-home care. Plus, some cities are using 911 to respond to mental health distress calls with mobile crisis teams instead of police.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
Aug. 6
Katheryn Houghton [CATH-er-in HOW-tun] reads the week’s news: Some older adults are seeking roommates to help them age in place. Plus, doctors say they shouldn’t be the ones determining if someone is too sick to comply with Medicaid’s new work rules.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
July 30
Zach Dyer [DYE-er] reads this week’s news: Health insurance companies promised to make it easier to get doctor-ordered care, but patients are still waiting. Plus, a common surgery might not be the best way to solve knee pain.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
July 23
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads this week’s news: Coverage disruptions can have fatal consequences when switching health plans. Plus, more states are shaming employers that use your tax dollars to cover health costs for their low-income workers.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
July 16
Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: Some health plans are pocketing their enrollees’ drug discounts, while many Affordable Care Act insurers want to raise rates by double digits next year.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
July 9
Rachel Spears reads the week’s news: When babies receiving infant formula allegedly get sick or die, what happens next is largely up to the companies that make it. Plus, abortions continue to rise four years after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
July 2
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads the week’s news: More Americans than ever are surviving cancer and face lingering mental health issues. Plus, tips to get your health insurance company to pay for a GLP-1 drug.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
June 25
Zach Dyer [DYE-er] reads the week’s news: The U.S. is getting its first new sunscreen ingredient in decades. Plus, at-home cancer tests have their limits.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
June 18
Katheryn Houghton [CATH-er-in HOW-tun] reads the week’s news: New rules that require millions of Americans to work to access Medicaid are stricter than many expected. Plus, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act protects many people’s jobs — but there’s a big catch.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
June 11
Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: More Americans are getting access to physician-assisted suicide as states legalize the practice. Plus, hundreds of people allege medical neglect in ICE detention centers.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
June 4
Arielle Zionts [arr-ee-ELL ZY-ence] reads the week’s news: For some older adults, the risks of certain preventive screenings might outweigh the rewards. Plus, cost spikes for Obamacare plans have consumers seeking cheaper health coverage, which is often less comprehensive.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
May 28
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads this week’s news: Suicide prevention experts argue that improving Americans’ financial well-being could save lives. Plus, the Trump administration proposes looser artificial intelligence safeguards to speed innovation in healthcare.
Can’t see the audio player? Visit kffhealthnews.org to listen.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
