Latest KFF Health News Stories
Amid COVID Surge, States Make Vaccine Plans
COVID cases are again sharply on the rise across the country, straining hospitals. States are also trying to prepare plans for the distribution of a vaccine.
What If The Doctor Is The One Who Refuses To Wear A Mask?
Some states can hold those doctors accountable, but Georgia isn’t one of them. Also, the pandemic’s emotional toll on health care workers and the impacts of unconscious bias in health care.
Calif. Hospitals Reportedly Refused To Accept Some COVID Patients
The Wall Street Journal reports that hospital systems in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange and San Bernardino counties rejected or delayed transfers because the patients were uninsured, on Medicaid or had other insurance problems, according to documents and emails from California’s Emergency Medical Services Authority. Also in the news, hospitals are setting up programs to treat long-term COVID patients.
COVID Patients Suffer Long-Term Effects
The consequences of COVID-19 are becoming better understood.
Study: Early Treatment With Arthritis Drug Tocilizumab Reduces COVID Deaths
The reduced death rate was greatest in patients admitted to the ICU within three days of developing symptoms. Two other smaller studies showed no benefits. News is on expected shortages of antibody treatments, as well.
Nebraska’s Medicaid Waiver With Work Requirements Approved By CMS
Meanwhile, the agency wants to approve its operations to more nimbly handle emergency waiver requests.
Vaccine Development Gets Down To The Details
Vaccine approval standards and clinical trial protocols are the nitty-gritty focus in the race to develop a COVID vaccine. Also, news on how other countries are doing with their vaccine development.
Biden Leads Trump On Key Issues, Including Health Care, New Poll Shows
The survey, by The New York Times and Sienna College, finds that voters strongly favor former Vice President Joe Biden’s position on revamping health insurance programs and his plan to combat the coronavirus. In other election news, Hispanics are focused on health care as they consider their presidential choices, and former President Barack Obama is set to hit the campaign trail for Biden.
How Trump Uses HHS For Election Help
A mass marketing campaign to “inspire hope” about COVID-19 and a plan to mail $200 pharmacy gift certificates to millions of seniors are among the ways the Trump campaign is using the Department of Health and Human Services to generate support.
Agencies’ Actions Varied From Desultory To Defiant
Across the federal agencies, the response to the COVID-19 epidemic has been haphazard, but the FDA is showing signs of standing up for scientists.
Trump Takes Aim At Liberal Cities, Considers Slashing COVID Funds, HIV Funds, Newborn Screenings
Politico reports that Trump is targeting New York, Portland, Seattle and Washington D.C. News on federal funding also looks at underfunded health care on reservation areas in New Mexico.
Little Progress On A COVID Stimulus Bill
A Tuesday deadline passed with no bill in Congress, but negotiations continue on an economic relief package. Also, other news from Congress affecting health care.
‘It Is A Really Dangerous Time’: Most States Battling Rapid COVID Surge
Public health experts say the next two months will be critical as a majority of U.S. states report spikes in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. In one hopeful piece of news: two studies find that coronavirus death rates are going down.
Far More Americans Have Died Of COVID Than Counted So Far, CDC Finds
A CDC analysis of deaths in 2020 that exceed typical annual statistics finds that the number of fatalities due to COVID-19 is nearly 300,000 — far higher than the confirmed tally of over 220,000.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kodak Says It Will Make Drug Ingredients Despite Loan Snafu
In July, the company struck a $765 million deal with the federal government. However, it was put on hold after the Securities and Exchange Commission announced a probe into the handling of the deal.
Study Suggests Sick Leave Law Helps Reduce COVID Spread
The research in Health Affairs examined whether emergency sick-leave provisions provided in a coronavirus relief bill cut the number of reported new COVID-19 cases. News outlets also look at treatment options for the virus.
For Hospitals, Normal Is A Long Way Off
With COVID cases once again surging, hospitals don’t expect to be back to normal until 2022. In other industry news, private equity-backed dermatology groups got COVID relief funds, and Cardinal Health shareholders are urged to void a huge bonus for the CEO.
UK To Infect Healthy Volunteers In Risky Approach To Speed Up Vaccine Development
Imperial College London researchers developing a government-funded COVID-19 vaccine will start human challenge testing — a controversial method that deliberately exposes people to a virus.
3 Digits To Remember In A Mental Health Crisis: Law Creates 988 Hotline
The Federal Communications Commission aims to have the hotline operational by July 2022. In related news, suicides among U.S. troops are rising and the pandemic continues to impact Americans’ mental health.
