Latest KFF Health News Stories
The popular predictive model is often cited by the White House, and has been more conservative in its death estimates than other models. On Monday those scientists adjusted the predictions up for the summer to more than 74,000 deaths. Meanwhile, analysis looking at year-over-year numbers suggests that there are thousands of deaths that are related to COVID-19 but that aren’t being counted.
Supreme Court Sides With Insurers In $12B Case Over Promised Risk-Corridor Funds Under ACA
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the federal government must live up to its promise to shield insurance companies from some of the risks they took in participating in the health law exchanges. Insurers who accused the government of a “bait and switch” claimed they are owed $12 billion.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and others.
Widely Used Surgical Masks Are Putting Health Care Workers At Serious Risk
Because high-end N95 masks are scarce, medical centers are using surgical masks that have been linked to considerably higher infection rates.
Amid Coronavirus Distress, Wealthy Hospitals Hoard Millions
As the coronavirus threatens the finances of thousands of hospitals, wealthy ones that can draw on millions — and even billions — of dollars in savings are in competition with near-insolvent hospitals for limited pots of financial relief.
Lawmaker Pushing Mental Health Reform: It’s ‘More Needed Than Ever’
Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked lawmakers to pare down their legislative wish lists and focus on the state’s coronavirus response. But state Sen. Jim Beall plans to forge ahead with his mental health care proposals, including a measure to create a state mental health parity requirement.
Health Insurers Prosper As COVID-19 Deflates Demand For Elective Treatments
With most nonemergency procedures shelved for now, many health insurers are expected to see profits in the near term, but the longer view of how the coronavirus will affect them is far more complicated and could well impact what people pay for coverage next year.
Consumer Beware: Coronavirus Antibody Tests Are Still A Work In Progress
Public officials are putting high hopes on new blood tests as a means of determining who has developed antibodies to COVID-19, and with those antibodies, presumed immunity. But experts caution the tests are largely unreliable and the science is still catching up.
Alerta al consumidor: pruebas de anticuerpos para COVID-19 todavía se están desarrollando
Funcionarios de la Organización Mundial de la Salud se manifestaron en contra de los planes de algunos países de tener “pasaportes de inmunidad”, que habilitarían a salir y trabajar.
Administration Latched Onto Model That Predicted Far Rosier Outbreak Outcome Than Most Others
The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projected as few as 60,000 American deaths and a tapering off of the outbreak at the end of April. The Trump administration’s response was shaped in part by the more optimistic forecast–and exposes the vulnerability that comes with relying on any one model to predict the future. Meanwhile, media outlets dissect President Donald Trump’s statements during his press briefings even as he announces he’ll be paring them back.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and others.
The suit filed by Gilead Sciences on Friday is the latest twist between the drug company and the U.S. government over patent rights to research that led to the ground-breaking drug Truvada. Other pharmaceutical news reports on an experimental multiple sclerosis medication and bespoke cell therapy for lung cancer treatment.
Officials in California told ABC News they believe domestic violence is increasing but the abused are stuck at home with their abusers and can’t alert authorities. Other public health news is on sexual assaults of children, a shocking recovery after 32 days on a ventilator, hospitalization declines for acute conditions, travel risks, life-saving surgeries, curbside vaccinations for children and when to wear a mask, as well.
House Sidelined By Struggle To Adapt In Social-Distancing Era
Frustration is building amid House Democrats, with many increasingly convinced that Congress is functioning as a shadow of its former self. “We’re basically ill-prepared for the nature of this emergency,” said Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash). Meanwhile, lawmakers face increasing backlash from their constituents, who are struggling to get aid from the government. Meanwhile, experts say Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) plan for states to declare bankruptcy could lead to a prolonged depression.
Hard Science Thrust Back Into Political Conversations As Coronavirus Likely To Dominate 2020 Race
Scientific experts, like experts in general, have fared poorly in the populist atmosphere of the past decade in Europe and the United States. But the pandemic could shift the conversation when it comes to hard facts. In other news on the election, Joe Biden says he wants a much bigger stimulus, many Republicans at the county level favor mail-in-voting, and Republicans worry about President Donald Trump’s approval ratings.
Media outlets report on news from Oklahoma, California, Louisiana, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Indiana, as well.
News on the global pandemic is reported from Italy, Brazil, China, Colombia, Bangladesh, Romania, India, Pakistan, Ghana and South Africa.
In Las Vegas, A City Of Tourism And Leisure, The Economic Toll Has Been Devastating
In Las Vegas, one-third of the local economy depends on the leisure and hospitality industry, more than in any other major metropolitan area in the country. In other economic news, many Americans foresee their jobs coming back when pandemic tapers off, the outbreak exposes the wounds of the Great Recession, a political divide separates some essential workers and more.
Trump Touted His Administration’s Efforts To Secure PPE, But Health Workers Say It’s Far From Enough
“We had very little in our stockpile,” President Donald Trump said in a recent briefing. “Now we’re loaded up. And we also loaded up these hospitals.” Politico talks to health workers around the country to get their front-line take on the situation. In other health-worker news: weary first responders, legal immunity, workplace safety concerns and more.