Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Win For Nurses, Patients: California Ends Emergency Staffing Waivers
San Francisco Chronicle: California Nurses Declare Victory In Battle Over How Many Patients They Must Handle In COVID Era
Nurses are cheering California’s decision to end emergency waivers to hospitals and nursing homes, which have allowed the institutions to require nurses to care for more patients than state law allows at any one time. Hundreds of nursing homes and more than 100 hospitals received the waivers since the program began in December, when surging cases of COVID-19 led to a severe nursing shortage up and down the state. Nurses staged protests when the waivers were announced, saying exceeding the cap on nurse-to-patient ratios put patients in danger. (Asimov, 2/2)
Modern Healthcare: California Ends Fast-Tracked Hospital Staffing Ratio Waivers
The California Department of Public Health on Monday imposed stricter requirements on its staffing waiver requirements. Effective Feb. 1, the state's public health department stopped accepting expedited requests for staffing waivers, instead requiring hospitals to follow the standard waiver process. All existing staffing waivers will expire Feb. 8, unless the public health department deems there is an "unprecedented circumstance" for that hospital, according to a letter sent to general acute care hospitals. (Christ, 2/2)
In other health care industry news —
The Washington Post: Why The U.S. Still Has A Shortage Of N95 Masks
Officials initially discouraged most people from buying medical masks such as N95s and KN95s, to try to protect the supply for health-care workers. Doctors and nurses have used individual medical-grade masks for far longer than recommended as shortages have continued during the pandemic. Although federal officials have not changed their guidance on medical masks, experts’ suggestions are prompting questions about whether and how to access these face coverings as the variants threaten the country’s progress against the virus. (Iati, 2/2)
Modern Healthcare: Most Consumers Hit With High Bills After Just One Healthcare Visit, Study Says
Healthcare costs exceeded $400 during at least one month for more than a quarter of Americans in 2017, ballooning far above the amount Federal Reserve estimates that most U.S. consumers have saved for surprise expenses, according to a new study in Health Affairs. By analyzing office, inpatient and pharmacist reports, study authors found that most consumers incurred the majority of their care costs in just two months of the year. Of the 18 million people studied using the 2017 IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database, researchers found that 83% of enrollees paid an average of $954 in out-of-pocket healthcare costs, while 17% reported no out-of-pocket healthcare costs. (Tepper, 2/2)
Modern Healthcare: 5G Installed At Seattle VA Medical Center
The Veterans Affairs Department plans to test how 5G internet connectivity can improve care delivery and hospital processes through a pilot at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The VA is working with telecommunications company AT&T on the project through a public-private partnership, AT&T announced Tuesday. AT&T has already installed 5G infrastructure indoors throughout the Seattle VA Medical Center and plans to deploy 5G millimeter wave spectrum and technologies that use 5G this year. (Kim Cohen, 2/2)
