Medicare & Aging 8/26

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

Trump Is Sending Fast, Cheap COVID Tests to Nursing Homes — But There’s a Hitch
By Rachana Pradhan Experts say the administration’s approach with antigen tests could add cost and risk for the most vulnerable patients.

We Put Off Planning, Until My Father-in-Law’s Medical Crisis Took Us by Surprise
By Judith Graham Although the family patriarch did not face a life-threatening emergency, the episode was a reminder that you have to prepare for a real crisis.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Still Waiting for That Trump Health Plan
President Donald Trump keeps promising a comprehensive plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. And he keeps not delivering. Meanwhile, members of Congress and White House officials seem unable to agree on a new COVID-19 relief bill. And Missouri becomes the sixth state where voters approved a Medicaid expansion ballot measure. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.

Readers and Tweeters Defend Human — And Animal — Rights
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Business Is Booming for Dialysis Giant Fresenius. It Took a $137M Bailout Anyway.
By Jordan Rau and Rachana Pradhan Half of the money the Trump administration gave dialysis companies was collected by Fresenius, an international juggernaut with a robust balance sheet, a KHN analysis has found.

Bereaved Families Are ‘the Secondary Victims of COVID-19’
By Judith Graham New research suggests the pandemic’s deaths are taking an enormous toll on surviving family members and worrisome ripple effects may linger for years.

Isolation, Disruption and Confusion: Coping With Dementia During a Pandemic
By Heidi de Marco COVID-19 has upended the lives of people with dementia, limiting their interactions with others and complicating matters for their caregivers.

GOP Senate Ad Misrepresents Montana Governor’s Stance
By Victoria Knight The race between Steve Bullock and Steve Daines reflects a trend in campaigns nationwide. Republicans often paint Democrats as left of the general public and health care has often been one of the issues the GOP highlights in that effort. In this case, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is leaping to conclusions with its claims.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Kamala Harris on Health
The Democratic presidential ticket is complete, with Joe Biden’s selection of California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. Health has not been a major issue for Harris, whose career priority has been the criminal justice system. But expect Republicans to pounce on her on-again, off-again support for “Medicare for All.” Meanwhile, with Congress still in a stalemate over another round of COVID-19 relief, President Donald Trump is trying to use his executive power to do what lawmakers have not — with mixed success. Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Mary Agnes Carey of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.

La pandemia interrumpe una mina de oro: las cirugías de reemplazo articular
By Bernard J. Wolfson Las pérdidas de ingresos en hospitales y centros de cirugía ambulatoria pueden haber superado los $5,000 millones sólo por las cancelaciones de los reemplazos de rodilla y cadera.

Pandemic Hampers Reopening of Joint Replacement Gold Mine
By Bernard J. Wolfson The COVID-19 pandemic brought knee and hip replacements to a virtual halt because they aren’t usually considered emergency procedures. But they are profitable, and hospital systems are now counting on the surgeries to help restore their financial health.

What Seniors Can Expect as Their New Normal in a Post-Vaccine World
By Bruce Horovitz Experts say folks 60 and up must continue to limit exposure in the years to come — even after there is a vaccine for COVID-19.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Democrats in Array (For Now)
In a highly produced, made-for-TV political convention, Democrats papered over their differences on a variety of issues, including health care, to show a unified front to defeat President Donald Trump in November. Meanwhile, COVID-19 continues to complicate efforts to get students back to school, and a federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate anti-discrimination protections for transgender people. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.