Latest KFF Health News Stories
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the two votes to watch in the highly anticipated abortion case, focused on whether the benefits from the legislation–which requires abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges–would be the same in all states. The question hearkens back to the Texas measure that was knocked down by the Supreme Court in 2016. Meanwhile, Roberts took the unusual step of chastising Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for saying that the Supreme Court justices will pay the price for their decisions.
As the number of coronavirus cases reached 11 in New York, officials sought to reassure transit riders that it remains safe to travel. Media outlets look at how local and state officials are handling the outbreak as more states confirm cases.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
During A Pandemic, States’ Patchwork Of Crisis Strategies Could Mean Uneven Care
If a coronavirus pandemic were to hit the U.S., only 36 states have blueprints for “crisis standards of care” to sort out who gets what kind of medical care amid scarce resources. And not all the plans are of high quality. That means health care providers in some states will be better prepared for a crisis than others — but all could face tough decisions.
As Coronavirus Cases Grow, So Does Scrutiny Of Nursing Home Infection Plans
Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, calls on state and federal health inspectors to focus on how facilities keep infections from spreading, especially in areas that have reported coronavirus cases.
Media outlets report on news from Illinois, Hawaii, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, Washington, California, Alabama and Tennessee.
Virginia Governor Signs Bill Banning Discredited Practice Of Conversion Therapy For Minors
Gov. Ralph Northam, a pediatric physician, said “No one should be made to feel they are not OK the way they are — especially not a child.” Virginia became the 20th state to ban the practice.
‘Wellbeing Of Maine Children Prevailed’: Voters Decide To Keep Vaccine Requirements
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills had strongly encouraged voters to not reject the new law, which eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions. Opt-out rates in Maine had reached the sixth highest in the nation.
Media outlets take a look at the global response to the coronavirus outbreak.
So You’re Returning Home From A Coronavirus Hotspot. What Do You Do Next?
Without strict guidance, a lot of people are guessing at what to do. Experts say it’s indicative of the problems with the response from both local and federal officials. “I feel like we’re on a high-speed train, and they’re making decisions based on where we are right now on that train and not where we’re going to be in an hour,” said Lawrence Gostin, of Georgetown University.
In a sign of the rosier tone President Donald Trump is striking, he promised a vaccine “soon,” but experts say it could be up to 18 months away.
Vaccine Costs Throw Wrench In Congressional Emergency Funding Plans
“We want to make sure — you know, we want to make sure that it either, with the vaccine, that no one, no one, whatever their income, avoids getting the vaccine because they can’t afford it,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Meanwhile, senators press Trump officials over the administration’s response to the outbreak.
Meanwhile, authorities announced that the first virus-related deaths tied to the Washington state nursing center occurred days earlier than previously known, well before residents had been quarantined in their rooms. Officials say the Seattle area is poised for an explosive uptick in cases much like the early days in Wuhan, China.
Más inspecciones en hogares de adultos mayores a medida que crece el coronavirus
En los últimos tres años, 9.372 hogares, es decir el 61%, han sido citados por problemas con la higiene u otras normas de prevención y control de infecciones.
Unlike in the past, researchers who become partners with patients aren’t usually the ones to break the news when a trial ends. Now, patients are more likely to see it on social media or in the 24-hour news cycle. Other public health news reports on a new CRISPR treatment for blindness, dementia, exercise’s impact on immunity, LBGTQ discrimination, diet soda, and Ebola.
Louisiana Anti-Abortion Case Goes Before More Conservative Supreme Court
The realigned Supreme Court could erode Roe v. Wade with a decision on a law requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges to nearby hospitals. Opponents say complications are extremely rare. News on the health issue is from Mississippi and Ohio, as well.
It’s hard for WHO to get an official count on those infected–and thus the mortality rate associated with coronavirus–because the symptoms present as mild in so many patients. But experts are still working hard to figure out exactly how bad the outbreak will be in the end, with many guessing it will be less severe than the 1918 Spanish pandemic, but worse than the swine flu of recent years. Meanwhile, social media giants are attempting to wage a war against misinformation online and experts continue to warn against panic-buying medical supplies.
In response to rising criticism about testing access and delays, Vice President Mike Pence said that any American can get tested. But right now the United States doesn’t actually have the capacity to test millions–and the ability to do so could still be weeks away.
In a country with a health insurance system “designed to make you think twice to seek care every time you get a runny nose, fever and cough,” many are worried about the costs of getting tested, despite the fact that it’s crucial to containing the outbreak. The federal government and states are trying to figure out ways to ease that burden.
Opinion writers weigh in on issues surrounding coronavirus.