Michelle Andrews

Student Nurses Who Refuse Vaccination Struggle to Complete Degrees

KFF Health News Original

The Biden administration is requiring workers at health care facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid payments to be vaccinated. For the minority of nursing students who have refused a shot, the new policy could mean they can’t get the training they need in a hospital or other health care venue.

Biosimilar Drugs Are Cheaper Than Biologics. Are They Similar Enough to Switch?

KFF Health News Original

Biologic drugs, made from living organisms, and the cheaper biosimilar drugs that mimic them are more complex than chemical drugs and their generic counterparts. The Food and Drug Administration says biosimilars are as safe and effective as the biologics, and doctors agree — but they are cautious about changing the treatment regimen of patients doing well.

Even in Red States, Colleges Gravitate to Requiring Vaccines and Masks

KFF Health News Original

As students return to campus, schools across the country are taking steps to enforce public health advice to keep people safe from covid. In deeply conservative South Carolina when elected officials tried to stop that, a professor took on the establishment and won.

Sign-Up Window for Free COBRA Coverage for Many Laid-Off Workers Closes This Week

KFF Health News Original

The most recent covid relief law offered federal funding to pay insurance premiums for workers who lost their jobs and opted to keep their workplace insurance through COBRA. But the window to take advantage of the subsidized coverage is closing: Many workers would need to enroll in the program by July 31.

Contraception Is Free to Women, Except When It’s Not

KFF Health News Original

The landmark federal health law required most commercial health plans to cover a comprehensive list of birth control methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration free of charge to female patients. But health plans don’t have to cover every option, and newer methods are not included in the federal list of covered services.

Adolescentes voluntarios se abren paso como futuros profesionales en hogares de adultos mayores

KFF Health News Original

Desde que se puso en marcha en 2006, el programa de desarrollo para la carrera en geriatría ha ayudado a más de 700 estudiantes de secundaria de 10 escuelas de bajos recursos, en la ciudad de Nueva York, a adquirir experiencia práctica en cuidados geriátricos.

Teen Volunteers Get a Foot in the Door for Nursing Home Careers

KFF Health News Original

A group of New York senior living facilities offer teens from 10 underserved schools the chance to volunteer and get free training for entry-level health jobs, career coaching and assistance on college prep.

Covid’s Lingering Effects Can Put the Brakes on Elective Surgeries

KFF Health News Original

Even after recovering from covid, many patients experience respiratory or other problems and, since this effect of the virus is so unpredictable, medical experts aren’t sure when it is safe to undergo elective surgery. But medical experts are setting up guidelines.

Doctors Scramble to Understand Long Covid, but Causes and Prognosis Are Elusive

KFF Health News Original

Medical experts are struggling to define or explain the lingering, debilitating symptoms some covid patients experience. Part of the problem is the wide range of symptoms, but doctors say getting a better understanding will mean tracking patients and their outcomes and establishing clinical trials.

Lots of Health Insurance Help in Covid Relief Law — But Do Your Homework First

KFF Health News Original

Democrats’ $1.9 trillion covid relief package will offer some of the most significant help for Americans to pay for health insurance in a decade. But the temporary provisions are complicated. KHN offers tips for consumers.

The ACA Marketplace Is Open Again for Insurance Sign-Ups. Here’s What You Need to Know.

KFF Health News Original

On Monday, the federal insurance exchange reopened for an unusual midyear special enrollment period. People who are uninsured can buy a plan, and those who want to change their marketplace coverage can do so. Here are some answers about how it works.

After a Decade of Lobbying, ALS Patients Gain Faster Access to Disability Payments

KFF Health News Original

In late December, then-President Donald Trump signed a law that eliminates — only for people with Lou Gehrig’s disease — the required five-month waiting period before benefits begin under the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Gaining SSDI also gives these patients immediate Medicare health coverage.