KHN Weekly Edition: April 22, 2022
Judge’s Ruling on the CDC Mask Mandate Highlights the Limits of the Agency’s Power
Sam Whitehead and Julie Appleby
A recent court decision that overturns one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s few pandemic rules — masks required on public transportation — spotlights how little power remains in federal hands to enforce public health protections.
Anti-Vaccine Ideology Gains Ground as Lawmakers Seek to Erode Rules for Kids’ Shots
Sandy West
Legislators in Kansas are pushing bills to expand exemptions for school vaccines, allowing religious exemptions for all vaccine requirements in the state's schools without families having to provide any proof of their beliefs. Similar bills are being introduced around the nation as the anti-vaccine movement gains traction among politicians.
Attendance Plummets at LA Covid Vaccination Events
Heidi de Marco
Across Los Angeles County, few people are showing up at covid vaccination drives even though nearly 2 million residents remain unvaccinated.
Why Cheap, Older Drugs That Might Treat Covid Never Get Out of the Lab
Arthur Allen
The hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin fiascoes have soured many doctors on repurposing drugs for covid. A few inexpensive old drugs may be as good as some of the new antivirals, but they face complex obstacles to get to patients.
Better Ventilation Can Prevent Covid Spread. But Are Companies Paying Attention?
Liz Szabo
The research is clear that improving indoor air quality is an essential tool in stemming the spread of covid and a host of other diseases. But companies have to be willing to invest.
US Rep. Gaetz’s Diagnosis of What’s Driving Insulin Costs Misses the Root Cause
Victoria Knight and Colleen DeGuzman
A diabetes diagnosis is not always related to a person’s weight or overall health, especially for those with Type 1 diabetes, who are dependent on insulin treatment for life.
Is My Drug Copay Coupon a Form of Charity — Or a Bribe?
Elisabeth Rosenthal
Drug copayment assistance is a form of profitable charity — and, yes, that’s an oxymoron. Amid skyrocketing drug prices, it's understandable that patients desperately need help affording medicine, especially when their health is on the line. But these programs create a mirage that perpetuates our health care system’s reckless spending.
Battle Lines Are Drawn Over California Deal With Kaiser Permanente
Bernard J. Wolfson
A controversial proposal to grant HMO giant Kaiser Permanente a no-bid statewide Medicaid contract is headed for its first legislative hearing amid vocal opposition from a coalition of counties, competing health plans, community clinics, and a national health care labor union.
Washington State Retools First-in-the-Nation Long-Term Care Benefit
Michelle Andrews
The WA Cares Fund program, which would provide workers in the state a lifetime benefit of $36,500, was set to begin collecting money through a payroll tax in January, but it was delayed while lawmakers made adjustments to address equity problems. Now the payroll deductions will begin in July 2023, and benefits will become available in 2026.
Abortion Clinic on Texas-Mexico Border Faces Unique Legal and Cultural Challenges
Colleen DeGuzman
Just as Texas has tightened its laws surrounding abortion, Mexico has gone the opposite direction, compelling people to seek potentially less-safe procedures south of the border.
As Eating Disorders Spike During Pandemic, Rural Treatment Options Lag
Carly Graf
More people have visited emergency departments for eating disorders during the pandemic. Those living in rural areas have limited pathways to treatment.
Heartbeat-Tracking Technology Raises Patients’ and Doctors’ Worries
Darius Tahir
As Google joins Apple in adding heart rhythm sensors to wearable devices, and millions of people gain access to alerts that flag when their hearts might have skipped a beat, cardiologists are wondering what to do with all the information.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Conversation With Peter Lee on What’s Next for the ACA
Amid covid-19, the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade, and a war in Europe, the Affordable Care Act has been flying under the radar in 2022. But this will be a pivotal year for the federal health law. Unless Congress acts, millions of Americans could see their costs for coverage rise dramatically as expanded subsidies expire. At the same time, the end of the public health emergency could boost the uninsured rate as states disenroll people from Medicaid. Peter Lee, who recently stepped down as the first executive director of the largest state-run ACA insurance marketplace, Covered California, has thought long and hard about how the ACA came to be, how it’s been implemented, and what should happen to it now. He joins host and KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of the ACA.
Journalist Puts in a Plug for Better Sleep Cycles During the Pandemic
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.