Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: Health Care Is On The Line Again; Sizzle Won’t Sell The Vaccine
Editorial writers express views on these public health topics and others.
Editorial writers focus on these pandemic topics and others.
COVID-Sniffing Dogs Will Scan Travelers At Finland Airport
News reports are also from England, Italy, and Japan.
Perspectives: Patients Can’t Make Health Care Decisions Without Knowing How Much Everything Costs
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Pharma Execs Balked At Trump Administration’s Plan To Send $100 Cash Cards To Seniors
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
New York City Raises Alarm About More Cases In Orthodox Jewish Communities
Media outlets report on news from New York, Maine, District of Columbia, Virginia, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin and more.
Colleges Helped To Spread COVID
Just what you’d think would happen, bringing college kids back to campus helped to refuel the spread of the coronavirus, a study says.
Drone Delivery Of COVID Tests Tried
Nine months into the pandemic, we’re still talking about faster delivery of coronavirus tests; now it’s drones.
Can Kids Trick-Or-Treat Safely? CDC Says They Should Stay Home.
Now for something really scary. “Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses,” the CDC says in just-released guidance that recommends avoiding traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating. Meanwhile, families try to figure out how to celebrate Thanksgiving during a pandemic.
House OKs Bill To Halt Antitrust Immunity For Insurers, But Passage Unlikely
Similar bills have been considered in recent years, but none came to fruition. Also: Sam’s Club will offer telehealth subscriptions; Amazon expands virtual health care for employees; and more.
Study: N95 Face Masks Can Be Sterilized Simply
As shortages of N95 face masks persist, a study finds used ones can be sterilized with ultraviolet-C light. Another study finds 70% of Chinese-made N95s fail.
Trump Chides Biden For Wearing Mask; Former Pence Aid Blasted For Siding With Biden
The president has also mocked the Biden campaign’s strict adherence to public health officials’ guidance on social distancing. Presidential election news is on GOP voters against Trump, an upcoming rally in Virginia, key topics of the first debate and more.
Lawmakers Call For Investigation Of Pentagon’s Reported Diversion Of Coronavirus Relief Funds
The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon chose to use money Congress allocated to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus” to defense contractors for things like body armor and dress uniforms.
Johnson & Johnson First To Enter Final Trial Stage For A Single-Dose Vaccine
Four COVID-19 experimental vaccines are now in Phase 3 of clinical trial testing, but Johnson & Johnson’s candidate is the only one that could be delivered in one shot instead of two.
Suspect Pleads Not Guilty Of Sending Ricin-Laced Letter To Trump
The Canadian woman is charged with threatening President Donald Trump. She is also suspected of sending letters containing ricin to Texas jail employees.
COVID Survivors May Lose Insurance Or Pay Much More If ACA Is Overturned
The law guarantees the ability to buy health insurance and bans insurers from denying coverage or charging more to people with preexisting conditions such as diabetes, cancer — and potentially COVID-19. Any change would affect the almost 7 million people in the United States who have already had the coronavirus.
Health Crises Grow At Immigrant Detention Centers
Hundreds of detainees and staff are being tested for COVID-19 amid an outbreak at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California. And Mexican authorities say they will investigate claims that immigrant detainees were subjected to unwanted gynecological procedures at a rural Georgia hospital.
Trump Expands Ban On Racial Sensitivity Training For Federal Contractors
On Tuesday, the president expanded his ban on “efforts to indoctrinate government employees with divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies” by extending it to government contractors and the military.
FDA Proposes Harder-To-Clear Guidelines For Emergency Vaccine Approval
Draft guidelines submitted by the FDA to the White House propose standards for authorizing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine that match ones set for regular vaccine approval, The Washington Post reported. The agency’s move aims to reassure the public about vaccine safety and lowers the chances that one might be cleared before the Nov. 3 election.
