KHN Weekly Edition: November 12, 2021
How One Health Center Is Leading Chicago on Kid Covid Shots
Giles Bruce
A health center with clinics on Chicago’s southwest side that serves mostly Hispanic patients has provided the most covid shots to kids in the city by being accessible, (literally) speaking the language of the community and setting up pop-up clinics at schools and parks. It provides a few lessons as the nation gears up to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds.
As Constituents Clamor for Ivermectin, Republican Politicians Embrace the Cause
Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
Hospitals and doctors are facing more demands for ivermectin as a covid-19 treatment, despite a lack of proof it works. In some Republican-dominated states, pushing for ivermectin interventions has become a conservative rallying cry.
As Workers Struggle With Pandemic’s Impact, Employers Expand Mental Health Benefits
Michelle Andrews
Many job-based health plans broadened their mental health and substance use coverage to make sure workers had the support they needed this year as pandemic stress lingered, the annual KFF survey finds. Also, the proportion of employers offering health insurance to their workers remained steady, and increases for premiums and out-of-pocket health expenses were moderate.
A Judge Takes His Mental Health Struggles Public
Mark Kreidler
Tim Fall, a sitting judge in California’s Yolo County, decided to break the silence on his mental health issues with a book published during a campaign year. Depression and anxiety, he says, shouldn’t disqualify candidates from any profession.
As Overdose Deaths Soar, DEA-Wary Pharmacies Shy From Dispensing Addiction Medication
Aneri Pattani
A West Virginia pharmacy cleared a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation. But it shut down anyway, highlighting how the agency’s policies reduce the availability of buprenorphine, an important tool for recovery from opioid addiction.
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Is Open Season for Scammers
Susan Jaffe
Medicare officials say complaints are rising from seniors lured into private plans with misleading information or enrolled without their consent. In response, officials have threatened to penalize the private companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or agents working on their behalf mislead consumers.
Researcher: Medicare Advantage Plans Costing Billions More Than They Should
Fred Schulte
Some insurers pocketed ‘eye-popping’ overpayments, billing records show.
Medicare Enrollment Blitz Doesn’t Include Options to Move Into Medigap
Harris Meyer
TV ads and mailings targeting seniors tout Medicare Advantage plans this time of year, but millions choosing traditional Medicare make a costly and difficult decision about Medigap coverage, which gets much less attention.
Western Boom Cities See Spike in Harmful Ozone
Jim Robbins
Vehicle emissions, oil and gas drilling and climate change have combined to create more days with unhealthy levels of the colorless, odorless gas from Denver to Phoenix.
‘Drinking Through a Lead Straw’ — $15B Approved to Fix Dangerous Water Pipes
Sandy West
The infrastructure bill passed Friday funnels $15 billion into lead pipe remediation. Water quality experts say the cost of getting rid of all lead pipes could ultimately cost $60 billion. Still, some health advocates say the new funding will be transformative in allowing communities such as Houston’s Fifth Ward to fix its pipes.
How Low Can They Go? Rural Hospitals Weigh Keeping Obstetric Units When Births Decline
Charlotte Huff
Many small hospitals have shuttered their labor and delivery units as births decline. For those who resist the trend, some studies suggest that hospitals with low deliveries are more likely to see complications for patients. Doctors and public health experts say there is no magic number to determine when it is best to close an obstetrics unit.
Hormone Blocker Sticker Shock — Again — As Patients Lose Cheaper Drug Option
Sydney Lupkin, NPR News
Kids who need a hormone-blocking drug to delay puberty have lost an off-label option. The nearly identical drug the company still sells costs eight times more.
Texas Providers See Increased Interest in Birth Control Since Near-Total Abortion Ban
Amanda Michelle Gomez
But providers do not expect contraception to blunt the law’s effects.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Why Health Care Is So Expensive, Chapter $22K
Congress is making slow progress toward completing its ambitious social spending bill, although its Thanksgiving deadline looks optimistic. Meanwhile, a new survey finds the average cost of an employer-provided family plan has risen to more than $22,000. That’s about the cost of a new Toyota Corolla. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rebecca Love, a nurse academic and entrepreneur, about the impending crisis in nursing.
Readers and Tweeters Find Disadvantages in Medicare Advantage
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Journalists Follow Leads on Curbing Violence, Improving Psych Care and Crowdsourcing Covid Safety
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.