Michelle Andrews

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.

Trump Rule Gives Small Companies a New Tool to Help Workers Buy Health Coverage

KFF Health News Original

Instead of taking on the expense of traditional health plans, some small businesses are setting up an “individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement” that allows them to give workers money to put toward comprehensive coverage on the individual insurance market. But consumer advocates are concerned they may shortchange some workers.

Think Your Health Care Is Covered? Beware of the ‘Junk’ Insurance Plan

KFF Health News Original

Millions of people are looking for coverage on the federal and state marketplaces right now. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a comprehensive plan and a “junk” plan with limited benefits and coverage restrictions.

Were You Notified About Missing Tax Forms for Your ACA Subsidy? Blame COVID.

KFF Health News Original

Some consumers who received tax credits to purchase insurance from Affordable Care Act marketplaces report they’ve received letters in error from the government saying they didn’t file the IRS forms to account for how much money they made and how much funding they received from the government.

Workers Fired, Penalized for Reporting COVID Safety Violations

KFF Health News Original

Many workers are resisting what they feel are unsafe, unhealthy conditions as companies restart. A few states have passed laws specifically aimed at protecting workers who face COVID-related safety risks and retaliation for speaking up, but advocates say stronger federal protections are needed.

Lights, Camera, No Action: Insurance Woes Beset Entertainment Industry Workers

KFF Health News Original

Many actors, directors, backstage workers and others in the entertainment industry are often eligible for health coverage through their unions, a model that some experts promote for other gig workers. But coverage is determined by past employment, and many of these professionals aren’t working because of the coronavirus.

COVID + Influenza: This Is a Good Year to Get a Flu Shot, Experts Advise

KFF Health News Original

A robust sign-up for flu shots could help head off a nightmare scenario in the coming winter of hospitals stuffed with both COVID-19 patients and those suffering from severe effects of influenza. Plus, no one knows how flu and COVID might interact if a patient got both.

Is Cuomo Directive to Blame for Nursing Home COVID Deaths, as US Official Claims?

KFF Health News Original

New York’s governor directed nursing homes to take COVID patients. But is it fair to say he “forced” them to do so, or that his directive led to the deaths of thousands of elderly residents? Most public health experts say no.

Lost on the Frontline

KFF Health News Original

“Lost on the Frontline” is an ongoing project by Kaiser Health News and The Guardian that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who died from COVID 19, and to investigate why so many are victims of the disease.

Last Thing Patients Need During Pandemic: Being Last to Know a Doctor Left Network

KFF Health News Original

Health plan network changes occur all the time as doctors retire, relocate or leave networks. Unfortunately, patients may be the last to find out about such changes because there are often few requirements that either providers or insurers inform them.