Latest KFF Health News Stories
Trump Administration Uses Wartime Powers To Be First In Line On Medical Supplies
As states scour the world for masks and other protective medical equipment, the federal government has repeatedly invoked a little-known clause in the Defense Production Act to step to the front of the line for sought-after health supplies.
As The Country Disinfects, Diabetes Patients Can’t Find Rubbing Alcohol
Demand has exploded for rubbing alcohol and alcohol swabs, which are being deployed in the disinfection fight against the coronavirus. Now, people with diabetes who rely on the products for infection control are left scrambling.
Travel restrictions came after the coronavirus had reached the U.S.
Trump Touted Abbott’s Quick COVID-19 Test. HHS Document Shows Only 5,500 Are On Way For Entire U.S.
States urgently need millions of tests, and the game changer they’ve been waiting on falls well short of what is needed, according to government documents obtained by KHN.
California Hospitals Face Surge With Proven Fixes And Some Hail Marys
California is entering the most critical period in its battle against COVID-19, and may need thousands of hospital beds and ventilators to accommodate a surge of critically ill patients. Hospitals are taking extreme measures, such as using 3D printers to make ventilator parts and turning cafeterias into wards.
Under Pressure, Florida Governor Finally Orders Residents To Stay Home
Florida joins more than 30 other states and the District of Columbia that have similarly restricted residents and businesses. Florida was the only state with more than 5,000 coronavirus cases that had yet to act.
Listen: Why It Takes So Long To Get COVID-19 Test Results
KHN’s Julie Appleby talks about the behind-the-scenes steps that can add time to the process of testing for the coronavirus.
California’s New Attack On Opioid Addiction Hits Old Roadblocks
State officials in California have achieved some success in promoting the use of medication-assisted treatment for people with opioid addictions, but they are bumping up against familiar resistance and constraints.
Blood Centers Will Collect Plasma From COVID-19 Survivors In Bid For Treatment
New guidelines issued Tuesday could speed a century-old therapy to those critically ill with the pandemic virus.
Online Coronavirus Tests Are Just The Latest Iffy Products Marketed To Anxious Consumers
Americans are worried about the novel coronavirus, so they are turning to the internet for solutions to stem their fears. Buyer, beware. It could be dangerous.
What Takes So Long? A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Steps Involved In COVID-19 Testing
A common complaint about the testing process is the long turnaround time for results.
‘Red Dawn Breaking Bad’: Officials Warned About Safety Gear Shortfall Early On, Emails Show
As President Donald Trump called the nation “in good shape” to handle COVID-19, a cache of emails released by officials in Washington state show that top public health authorities feared gear shortages and doctor safety in the early epicenter of sickness and deaths.
The Nation’s 5,000 Outpatient Surgery Centers Could Help With The COVID-19 Overflow
A coalition of anesthesiologists wants to repurpose the country’s more than 5,000 surgery centers to serve as emergency overflow amid the coronavirus pandemic. The centers have trained medical staff largely sitting idle, anesthesia machines that could be turned into ventilators, and empty medical space. But obstacles such as federal payment rules, logistics and some skepticism are getting in the way.
Help Wanted: Retired Doctors And Nurses Don Scrubs Again In Coronavirus Fight
As they prepare for an onslaught of coronavirus patients, health officials in New York and other states urge retired medical professionals to rejoin the ranks.
Public Health Officials To Newsom: Lockdown Won’t Work Without Enforcement
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was out front nationally when he ordered nearly all Californians to stay at home to stem the spread of COVID-19. But local officials warn it won’t work without tougher enforcement.
California Lawmakers Struggle To Conduct Business Amid COVID-19 Lockdown
In an interview with California Healthline, the state’s Senate leader, Toni Atkins, makes clear that with social-distancing measures in force it will be difficult to debate and pass complicated budget measures ― but public health, education and public safety will be priorities.
Hospital Suppliers Take To The Skies To Combat Dire Shortages Of COVID-19 Gear
As the coronavirus sweeps the nation, a new survey reveals widespread medical gear shortages while hospitals give up on a fractured supply chain and take matters into their own hands with planes sprinting past cargo ships.
Photo Essay: LA Under Lockdown
Californians are under orders to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus — and the result is that some of Southern California’s best-known spots are shuttered or deserted, from Santa Monica Pier to Olvera Street.
Listen: Front-Line Health Care Workers Face Shortage Of Protective Gear
As California ramps up capacity at hospitals in response to the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers face an inadequate supply of masks.
Baltimore barber Antoine Dow helps bring dignity to young black men whose lives were cut short by gun violence.
