Latest KFF Health News Stories
Despite Growing Public Support For Police Reform, Senators Hit Partisan Gridlock Over Legislation
Senate Democrats said that the Republican-crafted bill falls far short of what is necessary for true reform and that they will block the measure, while the Republicans said Democratic senators are grandstanding for political points.
HHS Gives Morehouse School Of Medicine $40M To Fight COVID-19
In other administration news: President Donald Trump taps appointees to the Census Bureau; CMS creates a new Health Informatics office; and a VA telemedicine office spent nearly $39 million during the pandemic.
Judge Upholds Trump’s Transparency Policy That Would Force Hospitals To Reveal Negotiated Prices
The American Hospital Association argued that the administration did not have the legal authority to force facilities to reveal prices that were negotiated with insurers. The outcome of the negotiations have long been closely guarded by both sides, but the Trump administration sees transparency as a way to force down health care costs.
Doctors Concerned Rural Health Care Will Be Affected By Trump’s Visa Freeze
“You need these H-1B physicians who are willing to go to Alabama, Georgia, you know, parts of the beltway that just don’t have enough doctors,” said Mahsa Khanbabai, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The health care worker exemption in the order only applies to people who are caring for COVID patients or doing research on the coronavirus.
‘I Don’t Kid’: Trump Stands By Statement That He Ordered A Testing Slowdown
White House advisers say that President Donald Trump was joking when he told a Tulsa, Oklahoma, campaign rally: “I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please.’” The president insists he was serious though. “I don’t kid. Let me just tell you. Let me make it clear,” Trump told reporters Tuesday.
Trump’s Arizona Rally Draws Bigger Crowd Than Tulsa Despite COVID Surge In State
Arizona on Tuesday reported a record 3,600 new infections, but President Donald Trump’s supporters still turned out to his latest campaign rally. Trump hit many of his talking points, including railing against mail-in voting and doubling-down on a racist term for COVID-19.
Four top federal health officials — Dr. Anthony Fauci, CDC Director Robert Redfield, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn and assistant secretary for health at HHS Brett Giroir — were grilled by lawmakers Tuesday on the state of the federal response to the coronavirus crisis.
U.S. Cases Now Back To Where They Were At Previous Peak Of Pandemic In The Spring
There have only been two days previously that the U.S. logged higher case counts than what was reported on Tuesday. Yet states continue to push forward with their plans to reopen.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
COVID-19 Cases Rising Across Globe As Nations Ease Lockdowns
Global pandemic developments are reported out of Brazil, Saudi Arabia, India, Spain, Sweden, Britain and other countries.
In Minnesota, No Major Hike In COVID-19 Cases After Protests
More coronavirus news from Kansas, Iowa, South Carolina, Texas, Rhode Island, Florida, Washington, D.C., and other areas across the U.S.
‘SOS COVID-19’: Virus Spreads Through Jails, Prisons And Immigration Detention Facilities
A federal judge in Oakland, California, points to a “significant failure of policy and planning” at San Quentin prison, while Arizona reports more than 1,100 cases of the virus among county jail inmates, state prisoners and federal immigration detainees.
Calif. State Budget Deal Avoids Big Cuts In Health Care, Education
Meanwhile, the state is coping with a surge in coronavirus cases as it struggles with social distancing and mask-wearing.
Unwelcome Realization In New York: Despite Gradual Reopening, Things Won’t Go Back To Normal Soon
New York City restaurants in particular have been hard hit by the lack of workers and the residents who are moving out. News outlets also report on the impact of the pandemic on housing, the courts and commuting in New York.
As COVID-19 cases spike in states like Texas and Arizona, local leaders stress the importance of wearing masks in public. But those pleas have been met with mixed reactions. Other news on the mask habits of men, police officer and office workers is reported.
Recent Outbreaks Hearken Back To Early Days When Virus Was Silently Brewing At Large Gatherings
The big surges were centered around things like choir practices and weddings in the early days. But after the nation shut down, it was places like nursing homes and detention facilities where social distancing was near impossible that bore the brunt of the pandemic. Now as people flood back into bars, strip clubs and casinos, the patterns from March have returned. In other public health news: safely using a public bathroom, the challenge facing movie theaters, new rules for schools, and more.
LGBTQ Advocates Sue To Block New Trump Administration Rule
The rule aims to remove “sex discrimination” protections for transgender people from laws that govern health care.
Police, Regardless Of Race, Have Implicit Bias Against Black People, Studies Have Found
Some advocates suggest that the police department should reflect the racial makeup of the community it’s supposed to be serving. But studies have shown that the race of a police officer doesn’t fully negate the implicit bias toward Black people. In other news on racism and disparities: protests call for more action on police reform, doctors discuss bias in the medical field, Latinos demand an apology from the Florida governor, and more.
Patchwork Of Glitchy, Little-Used Contact Tracing Apps Hobbles Efforts To Safely Reopen
Contact tracing is viewed as crucial to safely reopening, but the apps that have been rolled out to aid those efforts aren’t proving to be effective. Certainly none of them are ready for a major rollout, experts say. In other news on reopening: restaurant safety measures, work place changes, child care and playgrounds.
Experimental Sickle-Cell Treatment So Far A Success; Psychedelics Could Help PTSD
In other health news: cancer screenings; tick populations; anorexia; and more.
