Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cybercrime Hits Medical Providers
Stat: When Health Records Are Held Ransom, Patients Are Often Last To Know
Allison Savage waited years for surgery to remove the elongated bones at the base of her skull that have compressed her jugular artery, making her vision blur and head spin every time she leaned over to garden, fold laundry, or look at her computer. “I have to rest up before I brush my teeth, and I have to rest up after,” said Savage, 54. Covid-19 postponed a second surgery to remove the bone on the right side of her neck; during the 14-month delay, her symptoms became “a nightmare.” “It feels literally like someone is strangling me,” Savage said. (Renault, 5/21)
Axios: Telephones Played A Key Role In Pandemic Telehealth
More than a quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries had a telehealth visit between the summer and fall of 2020 and, for more than half of them, that visit took place over an actual telephone, a KFF Analysis found. "Telehealth" usually conjures the idea of video visits from a computer or a smartphone. However, for many seniors, the telephone was a key connection to care made available during the pandemic. (Reed, 5/20)
