Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Long Covid Is A Disability That Needs Accommodations; Masking Still Beneficial In Some Environments
New England Journal of Medicine: Approving Workplace Accommodations For Patients With Long Covid — Advice For Clinicians
How does long Covid, also called post-acute sequelae of Covid-19, differ from other chronic illnesses? And what are your ethical and legal responsibilities in approving workplace accommodations? (Doron Dorfman, L.L.B., J.S.D., and Zachary Berger, M.D., Ph.D., 6/8)
The Washington Post: A Middle Ground On Masking In Health-Care Settings
Should hospitals and other health-care facilities maintain mask requirements, even though they have long been dropped in virtually all other settings? (Leana S. Wen, 6/8)
Dallas Morning News: Medical Debt In Dallas-Fort Worth Is Unbearable. Something Needs To Change
Medical debt in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a critical issue that needs to be addressed now. Our D-FW community suffers from one of the nation’s highest levels of medical debt, as a recent article by Kaiser Health News states. As a result, many families struggle to pay their medical bills and face costly interest payments or, worse, bankruptcy. (Chuck Bernal, 6/9)
The Star Tribune: A Necessary Boost For Nursing Homes
Before COVID-19, PioneerCare had about 325 employees on its payroll. But at one point, as inflation took its toll and other businesses competed for employees, "We were down to 185 for a while. It was pretty scary," said CEO Nathan Johnson. (6/8)
Stat: Your Health Insurance May Not Meet State Minimum Requirements
In 2017, the Massachusetts state Legislature passed a law to ensure ease of access to birth control. It says there should be no copay for hormonal birth control prescriptions. It also allows women to fill a 12-month prescription at once. Infertility care has similar protections. The state mandates that plans cover “medically necessary expenses of diagnosis and treatment of infertility” if the insurance provides other pregnancy-related benefits. This includes comprehensive coverage of even costly treatments such as in vitro fertilization. However, health plans covering 57% of Massachusetts residents, and a similar rate nationally, don’t have to comply with state laws like these. Why? Because many companies are “self-insured.” (Shira Fischer, 6/9)
