Latest KFF Health News Stories
White House Considering New Slimmed-Down Covid Paid Leave Plan
The Build Back Better plan included 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers, and reports suggest the White House may again be considering a scaled-down version. Stateline and Modern Healthcare report on time off and raises for incentivizing frontline workers.
Biden At-Home Test Program Accused Of Impacting Supply Chain
Pharmacists and state officials are reportedly critical of the Biden administration’s billion-test plan for impacting the existing network for supply and distribution of covid tests. A poll in The Hill said over 60% of U.S. adults who’ve tried to get an at-home test have had difficulty.
Universal Covid Shot Underway, But It May ‘Take Years,’ Says Fauci
Media outlets cover developments in covid vaccines, including research into a “pan-coronavirus” shot that can tackle multiple variants of the virus. Moderna, meanwhile, warns that omicron will be a persistent problem this year and that its targeted vaccine won’t be ready before summer.
Mast Cells, Clues From ‘Chemo Brain’ May Help Unmask Long Covid
Reports in Stat and St. Louis Public Radio show how researchers are trying to uncover the secrets behind what causes long covid, with its lingering post-infection effects. Another study shows pulse oximeter readings are an unreliable tool for measuring covid’s severity across ethnic groups.
Omicron Might Have Peaked, But The Pandemic’s Not Over — Nor Is Delta
News outlets remind us that 1) delta covid, more severe if less infectious than omicron, is still a persistent threat; 2) the omicron surge may be fading in places, but the pandemic isn’t done amid still-spotty immunity; and 3) omicron isn’t “over,” and the effects of covid on health and care will linger through 2022.
Moderna Begins Trial Of HIV Vaccine
The vaccine is based on the same mRNA technology used to create its covid vaccine. On Thursday, it administered the first doses to volunteers at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, news outlets reported.
Future Crises Will Be Just As Bad If HHS Doesn’t Fix Problems, Watchdog Warns
A GAO report Thursday said the Health and Human Services Department is at “high risk” of mismanaging future pandemics because of “persistent deficiencies” in how it has dealt with this one.
With So Much At Stake On High Court, Time Is Of The Essence For A Nominee
The White House has signaled that it intends to move quickly on naming a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. President Biden has said he intends to choose by the end of February, Politico reported, but his history of missing deadlines has caused concern among Democrats.
Since the start of November, 14.5 million Americans have signed up for health insurance using Affordable Care Act exchanges, the Biden administration says.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Opinion writers examine these covid related issues.
Denmark Decides The Pandemic Is Over
In a move that seems to brand covid an endemic problem, Denmark is going to drop all restrictions and label the virus not a threat to society. England has also lifted restrictions, with recent omicron surges fading, though a report shows the U.K. is suffering racial disparities in vaccines and deaths.
Research Roundup: Covid; Diabetes; BRCA Genes; TB; And More
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Michigan Wants To Investigate Eli Lilly For Excessive Insulin Pricing
The state Attorney General is seeking court approval to investigate the drugmaker, accusing it of overly-high prices that have a “devastating impact” on diabetes-sufferer’s lives. Meanwhile, legal marijuana bills are advancing in Delaware, Mississippi and South Dakota.
Study Finds A Cancer Drug Could Help Quash HIV Infections
Pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, may be able to flush out HIV from immune cells in people who’ve controlled their infections. Among other news, a Gilead anti-cancer drug may have hit a serious safety snag in trials, and out-of-pocket expenses for hepatitis B drugs have been rising.
Study Says Gas Stoves Leak All The Time, Threaten Public Health, Climate
Though the study is small-scale and based only on California data, the findings are striking — with permanent leaks from stoves and fittings even when turned off. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration is being called on to ban BPA in plastics that are in contact with food.
Labor Department Scolds 30 Insurers For Not Covering Mental Health Needs
A government report released Tuesday doesn’t name specific companies but mentioned at least one “large service provider.” One of the most common violations was limitations or exclusions or coverage of therapy for autism, Modern Healthcare reported.
Biden’s Health Worker Covid Vaccine Deadline Arrives
Workers in health care industries in about half the states have until today to get their first shot under the Biden administration’s mandate; Montana’s governor is seeking exemptions where losing staff may jeopardize health care access. And pushback against military vaccination mandates continues.
Omicron Now 99.9% Dominant Variant, Causes More Daily Deaths Than Delta
U.S. daily average deaths from covid are exceeding the peak reached during the height of the earlier delta surge, as data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the omicron variant is now accounting for 99.9% of all new cases.
