Latest KFF Health News Stories
Warp Speed Adviser’s Role Reduced In Biden Administration
Moncef Slaoui will act as a consultant for four to six weeks, the transition team said Wednesday.
Assault Raises Fears Of Superspreader Event Amid Record Covid Deaths
Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., says lawmakers were held in an area with 300-400 people, some who refused to wear masks. On Wednesday, two more Republicans in the House of Representatives announced that they had tested positive for covid, including one who had voted in person hours earlier.
Police Response Slammed: ‘When Black Folks Are Protesting … They (Are) Shot With Rubber Bullets’
Many civil rights activists say law enforcement showed more restraint and used significantly less force against white protesters at the U.S. Capitol than they have against Black protesters at past events that were far less violent or disruptive.
Biden’s Health Agenda, Nominees Get Big Boost As Dems Win Senate Control
Securing the two Georgia Senate runoffs sets up narrow Democratic control of both chambers of Congress. News outlets examine the implications for the Biden administration’s planned health care policies.
Biden Presidency Confirmed After Deadly Day On Capitol Hill
As a mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol complex, most of the nation watched in horror at the violent and chaotic efforts to overturn an election. Four people died and officers were injured. News outlets report on the mental toll of those events and the contested post-election weeks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Research Roundup: Covid; Clarithromycin; Outpatient Antibiotics
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and other public health topics.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Trump’s ‘Most-Favored Nation’ Plan Might Not See Light Of Day
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
China Blocks Admission Of Investigators, WHO Claims
Media outlets report on news from China, The Netherlands, England, The Philippines, and Egypt.
Saliva Test Approval Taking Too Long, Illinois Lawmakers Say
News reports also look at the slow pace of testing in Pennsylvania, positive test rates rising in parts of North Carolina and an update on South Dakota’s deaths and cases.
Northwell Health Backs Off Lawsuits For Unpaid Bills During Pandemic
The largest health system in New York sued more than 2,500 patients last year. It now says it will rescind any claims that were filed in 2020.
Airlines Push To Lift Many International Restrictions
The airline advocacy groups are also supporting a CDC proposal for universal testing. Public health news is on a new law that ends flying with emotional support animals, pandemic-related changes on campuses and in sports arenas, and more.
Scientists In Nearly 40 Nations Join Study On Covid Brain Abnormalities
The study, which will follow survivors over age 50 or in some places over age 60, will be funded initially by the Alzheimer’s Association.
Basking In The Moment, Pfizer Debuts New Logo
A company that many Americans likely never thought much about until 2020 upgrades its design for the first significant time in 70 years.
Congress Using Covid Test That May Give False Results
The FDA warned Monday that the Curative test poses a “risk of false results, particularly false negative results.” In related news, two more Republican lawmakers have tested positive.
Congress Delivers On Medicare Pay Boost For Primary Care Doctors
The shift to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule comes at the expense of specialty physicians though. Other recent moves by CMS and Texas that impact Medicaid programs are also in the news.
‘This Is Our Early Alarm Bell’: Covid Mutations Could Spread Quickly
As more cases are identified in the U.S. of the virus variant first reported in Britain, health experts warn of another coming wave of infections — especially since young people may be most at risk for contracting it. And worries are raised over whether vaccines will be effective against the South Africa variant.
Worries Over Ultra-Low Temperature Requirement Of Vaccines Play Out
In California, a broken freezer left hospital officials scrambling to disperse over 800 thawed doses. Meanwhile, Florida’s vaccine rollout was also marred by website crashes.
