KHN Weekly: June 18, 2021

Supreme Court Declines to Overturn ACA — Again
By Julie Rovner Justices rule that Republican state officials and individuals did not have standing when they brought a suit arguing that a change in the tax penalty for not having insurance invalidated the historic health care law.

Device Makers Have Funneled Billions to Orthopedic Surgeons Who Use Their Products
By Fred Schulte and Elizabeth Lucas Federal officials say that some of the money changing hands has corrupted doctors and endangered patients.

In Alleged Health Care ‘Money Grab,’ Nation’s Largest Hospital Chain Cashes In on Trauma Centers
By Jay Hancock HCA charges patients an “activation fee” of up to $50,000 for trauma teams at centers located in half its 179 hospitals — and they often don’t need trauma care, an analysis of insurance claims data shows.

Pandemic Swells Medicaid Enrollment to 80 Million People, a ‘High-Water Mark’
By Phil Galewitz More than 80 million Americans with low incomes were receiving health coverage through the federal-state program in January. The program now covers nearly 1 in 4 people nationwide.

More Than 100 Missouri Schools Have Bought ‘Often Unproven’ Air-Cleaning Technology
By Lauren Weber and Sarah Fentem, St. Louis Public Radio Across Missouri, more than 100 schools have spent over $3.5 million — often at the taxpayers’ expense — snapping up ionization and other air-purifying devices in an attempt to keep kids safe from covid-19. But experts warn the largely unregulated technology hasn’t been thoroughly tested in classroom settings and is “often unproven.”

Collecting FEMA Funeral Money Takes Some Tenacity — And Help
By Heidi de Marco A federal program to help with the funeral expenses for people who died of covid is a challenge for grieving family members who aren’t fluent in English or the ways of a bureaucracy.

For Toddlers, Pandemic Shapes Development During Formative Years
By Leah Gullet The pandemic created disruption and family stress that may have lasting effects on young children’s social and emotional development.

The Hard Realities of a ‘No Jab, No Job’ Mandate for Health Care Workers
By Christine Spolar Despite a hearts-and-minds campaign and millions spent in incentives, managers struggle to get staffs vaccinated against covid. Some workers have threatened to quit over the pressure to get a shot, which employers can’t afford.

Not All Experts Are Ready to Vaccinate Kids Against Covid
By Arthur Allen Rare reports of minor heart damage have convinced some scientists that further study is needed before racing to extend covid shots to more children.

Unvaccinated, Homebound and Now Hospitalized With Covid in New York City
By Fred Mogul Across the country, doctors report that those hospitalized with covid now are largely unvaccinated. New York City lags the rest of the nation in vaccinating people 65 and older, and its efforts to reach the homebound and disabled have been late in coming and disorganized.

Being Vaccinated Doesn’t Mean You Must Go Maskless. Here’s Why.
By Bernard J. Wolfson It won’t hurt to remain cautious, even as California reopens for business in response to mass vaccinations and diminishing cases of covid.

It’s About to Get Tougher for Transgender People in Montana to Amend Birth Certificates
By Andrea Halland It will soon take a court order to change one’s gender on a Montana birth certificate. Montana health officials are seeking comment on proposed rules for a law that would affect dozens of people each year.

Violent Colorado Arrest Puts Spotlight on How Police Treat Disabled People
By Leigh Paterson Criminal charges filed against two officers who injured a Colorado woman with dementia don’t address the fact that police often lack the skills to effectively deal with suspects with mental disabilities.

In Mental Health Crises, a 911 Call Now Brings a Mixed Team of Helpers — And Maybe No Cops
By Katheryn Houghton More communities are creating teams of health care providers to respond to mental health crises instead of cops, a shift propelled by nationwide demonstrations against police brutality. But the shapes of those mobile crisis response teams vary because the movement is still in an experimental stage.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: When Your Insurance Company Says No, How to Ask for a Yes
By Dan Weissmann Health care insiders get surprise medical bills, too. One of them shares tips for writing an insurance appeal.

Journalists Discuss New Alzheimer’s Drug, Women’s Alcohol Use, the Hip-Hop and Opioids Link
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.

Corte Suprema se niega a revocar ACA, por tercera vez
By Julie Rovner Por 7 a 2 votos, los jueces ni siquiera llegaron a los méritos del caso, resolviendo que los estados e individuos demandantes, dos personas de Texas cuentapropistas, carecían de “argumentos” para llevar el caso a los tribunales.

Pandemia eleva el número de beneficiarios de Medicaid a más de 80 millones
By Phil Galewitz Las últimas cifras de inscripción al Medicaid muestran que creció de 71,3 millones de miembros en febrero de 2020, cuando la pandemia comenzaba en los Estados Unidos, a 80,5 millones en enero, según un análisis de KFF de datos federales.

Recibir la ayuda de FEMA para funerales de covid requiere tenacidad… y ayuda
By khnalessandrab La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias ofrece hasta $9,000 en reembolso por funeral, pero para los latinos más afectados por covid, aplicar es un laberinto difícil de navegar.

En crisis de salud mental, el 911 ahora no siempre responde con policías
By Katheryn Houghton Cada vez más terapeutas forman parte de los equipos de emergencia. Y en 2022 habrá una una nueva línea específica para crisis de salud mental: el 988.