Latest KFF Health News Stories
Supreme Court Delays Ruling On Mississippi’s 15-Week Abortion Ban
The case, in which virtually all abortions would be banned after 15 weeks, is regarded as a major test for new judge Amy Coney Barrett. News is on Black Lives Matters, as well.
CMS Issues Final Rule On At-Home Dialysis Payment Expansion
Other recent actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services penalize safety-net hospitals with excessive readmissions and updated long-term care guidance for Medicaid agencies.
‘Most Deadly Phase’: Birx Contradicts Trump On Election Eve
Dr. Deborah Birx called for aggressive action in an internal memo. Also, President Donald Trump fired up crowds, saying he might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after the election for his stark COVID warnings.
A Pandemic Record: More Than 61,000 Kids Diagnosed With COVID Last Week
Meanwhile, the Republican governor of Massachusetts announced a statewide mask mandate Monday for anyone over the age of 5; the governor of Ohio wrote an open letter asking all residents to come together to fight the “common enemy’; and infections have soared 167% in North Dakota.
Several States Vote On Abortion, Pot, ‘Magic Mushrooms,’ Stem Cells, More
Some of the state initiatives up for vote include: Colorado and Louisiana will consider measures that could chip away at abortion access; Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and Mississippi will vote on new rules for marijuana; California will vote on stem cell research, dialysis clinic rules and more; Oregon will consider legalizing magic mushrooms; and Washington state is asking voters whether they want to require public schools to provide comprehensive sex ed.
Will Violence Break Out? State Leaders, National Guard Prep For Possibility
The deeply divided presidential race has prompted concerns of intimidation at polling places or violence at subsequent demonstrations — no matter who wins the White House.
Pandemic Misinformation Likely To Shape Election Day And Beyond
False information about candidates’ COVID plans, voting safety and other health issues circulating online has proven to be extremely difficult for social media giants to combat.
How COVID Spikes May Impact Election Day Turnout In Key States
A nightmare scenario that state election officials have worried about for months has come to pass: voters will stand together in lines today as the virus is rapidly spreading in most parts of the nation, including the swing states that will decide the presidential and congressional races.
Voters Brace For A Novel Experience At Their Polling Places
Long lines, enhanced safety precautions and a whole lot more uncertainty than usual looms for Americans casting in-person ballots on Election Day.
Last-Minute Court Wrangling Settles Fates Of Thousands Of Ballots
President Donald Trump criticized the Supreme Court’s decision Monday allowing Pennsylvania to count mail-in votes postmarked today. And lawsuits in Texas and Nevada were also decided. Meanwhile, state election officials brace for record absentee ballots sent in by voters concerned for their safety during a pandemic.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Meet Josh. He’s a teenager in Fort Scott, Kansas, who dropped out of high school around the same time the town’s hospital closed. He says those two things are related.
Seniors Form COVID Pods to Ward Off Isolation This Winter
Older adults are deliberating what to do as days and nights turn chilly and coronavirus cases rise across the country. Some are forming “bubbles” with small groups of friends who agree on pandemic precautions and will see one another in person. Others are planning to go it alone.
Feds Approve Fractious Georgia Plan to Change ACA Marketplace
Under the plan pushed by Gov. Brian Kemp, the healthcare.gov website will no longer provide options for Georgia starting next fall, and consumers will need to rely on private brokers, insurance companies, agents and commercial websites.
The Best COVID Warning System? Poop and Pooled Spit, Says One Colorado School
About 6% of large universities with in-person classes are routinely testing all students. For many institutions, that strategy is out of reach. To get ahead of the virus, Colorado State University is experimenting with a combination of sewage monitoring and a lesser-known approach to pool testing.
How COVID Death Counts Become the Stuff of Conspiracy Theories
Experts say President Trump’s claim that COVID deaths are being overcounted is inaccurate. Most agree they are undercounted. Here’s what we know about COVID death numbers so far.
¿Estás internado? Todavía puedes votar en gran parte del país
Al menos 38 estados permiten la votación de emergencia por razones médicas, según la Conferencia Nacional de Legislaturas Estatales. Pero las prácticas varían.
‘His Lies Are Killing My Neighbors’: Swing-State Doctors Target Trump
Furious over Republicans’ handling of the pandemic, Wisconsin health care workers are speaking out against the president — and running for office.
Viewpoints: Policy Lessons On A Vaccine Rollout; Pros, Cons Of Trump’s COVID Treatments
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic topics and others, as well.
Lessons Learned As More Schools Venture Into Reopening
Other education news is from Indiana and California, and also looks at older students being likely transmitters and the stress on parents relying on day care.