Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Counterfeit N95 Respirators Removed From Hospitals
Fox News: Washington Hospitals Pulling Fake N95 Masks Off Shelves: 'We're Horrified'
Hospitals across Washington state were alerted Friday to pull select N95 masks off their shelves and send them for analysis after an investigation uncovered knockoffs, said the state’s hospital association. The fake masks closely resemble N95 masks manufactured by a company called 3M. The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) and other hospital executives told reporters on a call Monday that 3M’s masks are typically in high demand because they come in smaller sizes and allow for a snug fit around the face. (Rivas, 2/8)
Also —
FierceHealthcare: Oscar Health Files To Go Public
Oscar Health has officially filed to go public. The tech-enabled startup insurer filed for its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, where it intends to list its stocks under the ticker OSCR. Details on the plans beyond that were limited. (Minemyer, 2/8)
The Hill: Florida Data Scientist Drops Lawsuit Over Armed Raid At Her Home, For Now
The Florida data scientist who had accused the state of misrepresenting its COVID-19 data dropped her lawsuit, for now, against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for conducting a raid at her home, her lawyer said on Monday. (Coleman, 2/8)
Stat: Hospitals Are Poised For Power In The New Washington
For frontline health care workers at hospitals, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a punishing slog, punctuated by overflowing morgues, patient beds in gift shops, and dire equipment shortages. But for their lobbyists in Washington, the picture couldn’t be rosier. (Cohrs, 2/9)
