Latest KFF Health News Stories
Rising Costs Straining US Hospitals As Pandemic Continues
A report in Bloomberg covers how pandemic-era rises in labor costs, plus prices of drugs and supplies mean some hospitals are having difficulty absorbing the costs. A hack of a North Dakota health care billing company, an emergency mental health system in Detroit, and more are also in the news.
Unvaxxed People Threaten Safety Of Vaccinated People, Study Confirms
The peer-reviewed study from the University of Toronto counters the popular narrative that vaccination is purely a matter of choice, Forbes reports. In other news, Arizona outlaws certain vaccine and mask mandates, and a California judge says prison workers don’t need to be vaccinated against covid.
If The Pandemic Put You In The ICU, Data Say Your Family Likely Got PTSD
Media outlets report on a study showing it’s likely that families will report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the months following a member’s ICU treatment — with rates twice that found before the pandemic. Lack of access to patients in lockdowns is blamed.
As Once-Unthinkable Death Toll Nears, Our Brains Literally Cannot Fathom It
The number of Americans who have died from SARS-CoV-2 reached 991,254 on Monday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The Philadelphia Inquirer explains why the human brain just isn’t built to comprehend such large numbers.
2020 Was Awful Year For Teen Suicide
A new study out of Boston compared the number of suicides among children and teens ages 10 to 19 to the average from 2015 to 2019, then analyzed the totals in relation to suicides across all age groups. The results showed that adolescents accounted for a larger share of all suicides in 2020 than they did during the five previous years, NBC and other media reported.
Rare Respiratory Cancers Added To VA’s List Of Illnesses Linked To Burn Pits
The move qualifies more veterans for disability services and compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The agency says it will fast-track filed claims for former service members with health conditions connected to toxic burn pits — which now adds 9 respiratory cancers to the previous list of asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis.
Judge Temporarily Stops Biden From Lifting Border Health Order
The Biden administration’s plan to end the public health rule, known as Title 42, has been blocked by a federal judge who granted requests from Missouri, Louisiana and Arizona. It’s estimated that thousands of migrants have been expelled at the Southern border since the pandemic order was imposed during the Trump administration.
White House Pushes To Make Covid Drug Paxlovid More Accessible
The Biden administration announced a new plan to make Pfizer’s covid treatment more widely available through pharmacies and to educate providers. The antiviral is authorized for high-risk patients who test positive for covid and has been found to decrease hospitalization risk by 90%.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers examine these covid related issues.
A Child Dies As Hepatitis Outbreak Now Affects 12 Countries: WHO
The mysterious outbreak of the liver disease is reportedly affecting 12 countries, with at least 169 cases in children and 17 having had liver transplants. Covid restrictions’ impact on mental health, lack of vaccines in North Korea, collapsing global vax efforts, and ebola in Congo are also in the news.
Homeless Deaths Soar In LA County, Driven By Overdoses
In the year after the pandemic began, deaths jumped 56%. Meanwhile, in New York City, the mayor has proposed $171 million for 1,400 shelter beds to move unhoused people off the streets. Birth control without prescription, gun violence, the “tampon tax,” and more are also reported.
Controversy, Lobbying Around Plan To Ban Menthol Cigarettes
Media outlets cover the final steps in a plan to ban menthol cigarettes, including the efforts of lobbying groups in the White House. Separate reports note tobacco companies have been implying the ban could provoke increased policing in Black communities, driving racism and other problems.
Nurses Will Strike At Stanford Hospital, Starting Today
Reports from the Bay Area News Group say the strike has broad support from eligible nurses, who are striking over burnout and exhaustion at work stemming from pandemic pressures. Stat, meanwhile, covers the ongoing high costs of hospitals relying on travel nursing staff.
Medicare Plans Special Enrollment Options For Some Seniors
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which announced the proposal Friday as part of a proposed rule for Medicare, says Congress gave the agency authority to offer enrollment for exceptional conditions last year.
Conspiracies Show No Sign Of Slowing; Film Claims Covid Is Venom, Not Virus
In other pandemic news, Mississippi has enacted a law that prohibits covid vaccine mandates, Oakland will reconsider having a mask mandate for large indoor gatherings, and more.
White House Has Plan For Wider Access To Pfizer’s Covid Pill
Bloomberg reports on rising accessibility of Pfizer’s paxlovid pill, with the Biden administration set to outline a plan for getting the drug to pharmacies across the U.S. Separately, nasal sprays could be the next weapon to treat the illness, partly because of the way they directly affect sinuses and throats.
Pattern Of Declining NYC Covid Cases Offers Encouragement
Local government data shows that new covid infections in New York City are not following the same trend of big spikes that previous variant surges wrought. Test rates in San Francisco, though, worry officials there.
Immigration Ties Up Covid Relief Bill As Congress Returns
The Biden administration’s plans to lift pandemic border policies is a key sticking point in Congress’ efforts to allocate additional funds to covid mitigation measures. And Texas is suing to halt the Title 42 roll back.
Covid Was Third Leading Cause Of US Deaths For A Second Year
Heart disease, cancer and covid made up the top three killers in 2021, according to a CDC report. With some people not getting vaccinated and the emergence of the delta variant, covid was cited as the underlying cause of more than 415,000 American deaths.
