Latest KFF Health News Stories
Lawsuits Ask: Who’s To Blame For COVID Deaths At Nursing Homes?
There’s no database of case filings, but a COVID-19 complaint tracker posted on the website of the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, which is headquartered in Virginia, shows 55 wrongful death lawsuits filed against long-term care facilities across the country as of early September.
The Invention That Saved Halloween 2020: A Candy Chute?
The creator, a Cincinnati dad, says the chute will allow his family to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters without getting closer than 6 feet. Also, the CDC warns against attending Thanksgiving parades and large indoor gatherings; a woman is Tasered for not wearing a mask at a middle school football game; and narcissism’s impact on COVID behaviors.
Researchers Eye Florida After Schools Open Without Resulting COVID Surge
Also in school news, a Maryland elementary school is open for the kids who need it most; heading back to school brings new financial stressors for families; what some colleges are getting right; and more.
California Governor Signs Bill Allowing State To Make Generic Drugs
Gov. Newsom signed the bill that gets the state of California into the business of making insulin and other generic drugs. The hope is it will lower prices.
FDA Pauses Inovio’s Vaccine Trial
Inovio didn’t explain why the Food and Drug Administration issued the partial hold except to note the delivery device used in administering the shot. Also other news on vaccine progress.
Panel Urges Less Sugar Consumption
And in other research news: the promise of ECMO in COVID treatment, fecal transplant effectiveness and putting a motion sensor on a toothbrush.
Teens Twice As Likely To Test Positive For COVID Than Younger Kids
The report, out Monday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at more than 277,000 cases among kids ages 5 to 17 whose illness was diagnosed from March to September.
Survey: Employers OK With Larger Government Role, Expanding Medicare
A survey says most employers would favor a larger government role in keeping drug prices and hospital prices down.
As Evictions Loom, Does CDC’s Temporary Ban Go Far Enough?
The “porous and confusing” nationwide ban on evictions only lasts through the end of 2020. In other news on the pandemic’s economic toll: losing health insurance.
Barrett’s Dim View Of High Court’s Ruling On ACA Mobilizes Democrats
The Supreme Court nominee’s essay — written before she was appointed a federal judge — says Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion upholding the federal health law “pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning to save the statute.” In other news about the fight over the court, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris criticizes Barrett, and a new survey suggests Americans don’t want to see the decision that legalized abortion overturned.
Mail-In Voting Battles Escalate In States, Courts
Pennsylvania Republicans are appealing a case to the Supreme Court, as state officials and voters continue to struggle with plans for people to vote safely during a pandemic.
House Dems Unveil $2.2 Trillion Relief Plan, Including Stimulus Checks
The White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reopened discussions, yet the House Democrats’ plan would likely face stiff opposition in the Senate. The relief plan also includes help for the devastated airline industry.
More Insurers Making Patients Pay For Virtual Care
In other health care industry news, a home-health nurse was fired for arguing with a family that called COVID a hoax.
Health Care In Tonight’s Presidential Debate?
The coronavirus pandemic is certainly going to be a topic during the debate, but other health care issues are also expected to come up. In more election news related to health: President Trump plans a rally in Wisconsin.
Trump Getting ‘False’ Information From Atlas, Redfield Overheard Saying
Referring to Dr. Scott Atlas — the member of the coronavirus task force who is currently believed to have President Donald Trump’s ear — CDC Director Robert Redfield said during a phone call made on a commercial flight heard by NBC News that, “everything he says is false.” Dr. Anthony Fauci also voiced concerns about the advice Atlas is delivering to the president.
States To Get 100M Rapid COVID Tests, Trump Announces
While governors will decide what to do with the additional tests, the White House is urging that they be used to help reopen schools. Meanwhile, documents reveal efforts from CDC senior officials to downplay the risks of kids returning to in-person classes, The New York Times reports.
Computer Systems Fail At Major Hospital System After Ransomware Attack
Computers at Universal Health Services facilities — which has more than 400 locations, primarily in the U.S. — began to shut down over the weekend in what is described as one of the largest medical cyberattacks ever.
‘A Mind-Numbing Figure’: COVID-19 Has Killed 1,000,000 People So Far
The United States is the source of 20 percent of those worldwide deaths. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres called the world’s grim milestone “agonizing.” Global public health experts warn that the number will only climb as infections surge again in many nations.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health issues and others.
