Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: CDC Worsens Covid Confusion; Is Religion Really A Barrier To Polio Shots?
Los Angeles Times: The CDC Loosened Its COVID Rules. Who Fills In This Public Health Vacuum?
“We have been waiting for three summers for some higher authority to tell us how to navigate Covid. There is none,” wrote the directors of an overnight camp one of our children attended. “There is no local, state or federal authority mandating that we do anything in terms of Covid and our unique congregate-living environment. ...We’ve been left to our own devices.” (Wendy Netter Epstein and Daniel Goldberg, 8/17)
The New York Times: Religion Is Not A Real Barrier To Polio Vaccination
Polio has re-emerged in New York. The virus was identified in late July in an unvaccinated Rockland County man and has since been detected in wastewater samples in at least two counties. It’s too early to tell whether a limited outbreak — or worse, a full-blown epidemic — is brewing, but experts have been concerned about the virus spreading in communities with low vaccination rates. (Jeneen Interlandi, 8/17)
USA Today: Do Our Elected Leaders Know How It Feels To Choose Between Food And Medicine? I Do
Like so many others, the exorbitant cost of my medications and health care has pushed my family into poverty and, at times, endangered my life. I have several serious health conditions that require medication, including an irregular heartbeat due to atrial fibrillation. I also have high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease. (Angelina Scott, 8/16)
CNN: Insulin Rationing Killed My Son. Here's What Needs To Be Done
On February 7, 2018, my son Jesse Lutgen, 32, was found dead in his home. Unbeknownst to me, he'd been rationing his insulin, after losing his full-time job and health insurance the previous November. Jesse had looked into Obamacare marketplace health plans for coverage, but he simply could not afford a policy on his part-time pay from a local YMCA. (Janelle Lutgen, 8/16)
Modern Healthcare: Partnering With Higher Education To Diversify The Staffing Pipeline
Increasing the diversity of America’s professional workforce is becoming more important in all industries, but especially so in healthcare, where having employees who better reflect the population can improve care outcomes. I am encouraged to see the progress that health systems are making on this front, but there is still much more work to do. (Sherri Neal, 8/16)
Stat: Medical Error: An Epidemic Compounded By A Culture Of Silence
Dire as it has been, the pandemic brought an unexpected paradigm shift: States suspended malpractice liability. Doctors could say aloud, “I think this treatment hurt my patient” without shame or fear. (Antonio Dajer, Christie Lech and Lucy Willis, 8/17)
