Weekly Edition: April 3, 2020
Her Genetic Test Revealed A Microscopic Problem — And A Jumbo Price Tag
Liz Szabo
Molecular diagnostics are at the frontier of science, but insurance and billing questions create a minefield for patients.
Medicaid Nearing ‘Eye Of The Storm’ As Newly Unemployed Look For Coverage
Shefali Luthra and Phil Galewitz and Rachel Bluth
The coronavirus outbreak has forced millions out of work and the federal-state health program for low-income people could face unprecedented strains as many states don’t necessarily have the resources or systems in place to meet the demand.
As The Country Disinfects, Diabetes Patients Can’t Find Rubbing Alcohol
Lauren Weber
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.
Fox News’ Jesse Watters Said Travel Bans ‘More Critical In Saving Lives’ Than COVID Testing. He’s Wrong.
Shefali Luthra
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.
Rachana Pradhan
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.
Pandemic-Stricken Cities Have Empty Hospitals, But Reopening Them Is Difficult
Nina Feldman, WHYY
In Philadelphia, New Orleans and Los Angeles, former safety-net hospitals sit empty in the middle of the city. But reopening a closed hospital, even in the midst of a pandemic when health resources are scarce, is not easy or cheap.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: All Coronavirus All The Time
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing changes to the U.S. health system that were previously unthinkable. Yet some fights ― including over the Affordable Care Act and abortion — persist even in this time of national emergency. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Liz Szabo about the latest installment of KHN-NPR’s “Bill of the Month.”
California Hospitals Face Surge With Proven Fixes And Some Hail Marys
Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester
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.
Listen: COVID-19 Stresses Rural Hospitals Even Before They Have A Single Case
KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber appeared on WOSU’s “All Sides with Ann Fisher” to talk about the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on rural hospitals.
Under Pressure, Florida Governor Finally Orders Residents To Stay Home
Phil Galewitz
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.
Temperature Check: Tips For Tracking A Key Symptom Of Coronavirus Contagion
Shefali Luthra
Taking one’s temperature is not as easy as it sounds. For one reporter, the first challenge was finding a thermometer.
‘Essential’ Or Not, These Workers Report For Duty
Heidi de Marco
In Los Angeles County and beyond, people continue to toil through the coronavirus pandemic, often in positions that put them in constant contact with the public. Many are low-wage workers who can’t afford to stop working.
Analysis: He Got Tested For Coronavirus. Then Came The Flood Of Medical Bills.
Elisabeth Rosenthal and Emmarie Huetteman
Hidden costs for ER visits and other fees could cost people thousands of dollars.
Blood Centers Will Collect Plasma From COVID-19 Survivors In Bid For Treatment
JoNel Aleccia
New guidelines issued Tuesday could speed a century-old therapy to those critically ill with the pandemic virus.
With Coronavirus Rare In Rural Florida, Experts Dispute Way Forward
Phil Galewitz
At least 30 states have issued statewide stay-at-home orders. Florida, one of the eight states with the highest number of COVID-19 cases recorded so far, is the only one in that group not to have such an order.
Sheltered At Home, Families Broach End-Of-Life Planning
JoNel Aleccia
Barbara Dreyfuss died March 1 after contracting COVID-19 at a Seattle-area nursing home. Her earlier decision to document her final wishes may offer an example for families as the deadly virus spurs interest in end-of-life care.
Online Coronavirus Tests Are Just The Latest Iffy Products Marketed To Anxious Consumers
Victoria Knight
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.
Should You Bring Mom Home From Assisted Living During The Pandemic?
Judith Graham
Families are weighing the challenges of providing home care with the isolation or potential danger of leaving folks in senior housing or long-term care.
More Than 5,000 Surgery Centers Can Now Serve As Makeshift Hospitals During COVID-19 Crisis
Liz Szabo and Cara Anthony
Under pressure, the federal government announced it will let surgery centers, hotels and even college dorms serve as hospitals to treat an overflow of patients.
COVID-19 Bonanza: Stimulus Hands Health Industry Billions Not Directly Related To Pandemic
Fred Schulte
Congress retreats on long-planned cost cuts to benefit the health care industry with a grab bag full of incentives.
Coronavirus Patients Caught In Conflict Between Hospital And Nursing Homes
Judith Graham
Hospitals need to clear out patients who no longer need acute care. But nursing homes are alarmed at the prospect of taking patients who may have the coronavirus.
What Takes So Long? A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Steps Involved In COVID-19 Testing
Julie Appleby
A common complaint about the testing process is the long turnaround time for results.
Addiction Is ‘A Disease Of Isolation’ — So Pandemic Puts Recovery At Risk
Martha Bebinger, WBUR
People in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction have to weather a new storm of depression, anxiety and isolation during the pandemic, just as the social supports of Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs move online.
‘Red Dawn Breaking Bad’: Officials Warned About Safety Gear Shortfall Early On, Emails Show
Rachana Pradhan and Christina Jewett
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
Cara Anthony and Liz Szabo
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.
Listen: How Hospitals Are Preparing For Surge In COVID-19 Patients
With coronavirus cases growing at a faster rate than anticipated, hospitals are scrambling to boost medical supplies and beds.
California’s New Attack On Opioid Addiction Hits Old Roadblocks
John Glionna
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.
Federal Judge Rules Medicare Patients Can Challenge ‘Observation Care’ Status
Susan Jaffe
Hundreds of thousands of people will be able to appeal hospitals’ decisions to classify them as “observation care” patients instead of inpatients, under a ruling last week in a class action suit.