Weekly Edition: May 21, 2021
Stark Racial Disparities Persist in Vaccinations, State-Level CDC Data Shows
Hannah Recht and Rachana Pradhan and Lauren Weber
Black Americans’ vaccination rates still trail all other groups, while Hispanics show improvement. Native Americans show the strongest rates nationally.
What Does Approval of the Pfizer Vaccine for Teens and Preteens Mean for My Child?
Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
The federal government has extended the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to preteens and young adolescents, adding nearly 17 million more Americans to the pool of those eligible to be immunized against covid-19.
Seed Money: Black Entrepreneurs Hope Pandemic Gardening Boom Will Grow Healthier Eating
Chandra Thomas Whitfield
Rapper DJ Cavem Moetavation is pushing beats and beets. A vegan, he’s selling seeds to encourage more people to eat healthier by growing their own food. His efforts are part of a national movement of Black-owned seed companies that merges pandemic-inspired gardening with efforts to expand healthier food options.
Racism Derails Black Men’s Health, Even as Education Levels Rise
Virginia Anderson
Researchers who study health among various racial and ethnic groups, as well as the social factors that influence health outcomes, say the findings suggest that the power of discrimination to harm Black men’s health may be more resistant than previously understood.
To the Bat Cave: In Search of Covid’s Origins, Scientists Reignite Polarizing Debate on Wuhan ‘Lab Leak’
Arthur Allen
Leading virologists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, are demanding a deeper probe into China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology as they try to identify the source of the deadly coronavirus.
Despite Pandemic, Newsom Declines to Boost Local Public Health Budgets — Again
Angela Hart
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has, for the third consecutive year, rejected new state funding for local public health departments. Frustrated legislative leaders and public health officials are trying to change his mind.
Homicides Surge in California Amid Covid Shutdowns of Schools, Youth Programs
Phillip Reese
California endured a brutal spike in homicides in 2020 across large swaths of the state, registering the largest year-over-year increase in victims in three decades. Experts cite as one significant factor a rise in gang violence fueled by pandemic shutdowns of schools, sports leagues and programs for at-risk youth.
As Pandemic Eases, Many Seniors Have Lost Strength, May Need Rehabilitative Services
Judith Graham
A little-discussed, long-term toll of the pandemic is that large numbers of older adults have become physically and cognitively debilitated and less able to care for themselves after sheltering in place.
Aiding Her Dying Husband, a Geriatrician Learns the Emotional and Physical Toll of Caregiving
Judith Graham
When the covid pandemic hit, Dr. Rebecca Elon was thrust into a new role, primary caregiver for her severely ill husband and her elderly mother. “Reading about caregiving of this kind was one thing. Experiencing it was entirely different,” she says.
Why Your Dentist Might Seem Pushy
Daryl Austin
Dentists know how to maximize the profits in your mouth. But sometimes it’s outright fraud — to the tune of billions every year.
‘Kicking You When You’re Down’: Many Cancer Patients Pay Dearly for Parking
Rebecca J. Ritzel
Patients often fork over payments comparable to valet rates to park while receiving care. A recent study found that some of the country’s most prestigious cancer centers charge nearly $1,700 over the course of treatment for some types of the disease.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Roe v. Wade on the Ropes
The newly conservative Supreme Court will hear a case that could overturn the nationwide right to abortion and cause political upheaval. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s abrupt announcement that vaccinated people can take off their masks in most places has caused upheaval of its own. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Colorado Will Pay Hospitals to Close Expensive Free-Standing ERs
Phil Galewitz
The state, concerned about the high cost of care at these stand-alone facilities, is offering hospitals more Medicaid money if they convert them to other uses, such as primary care or mental health centers.
Doctors Now Must Provide Patients Their Health Data, Online and On Demand
Sarah Kwon
A new federal regulation makes it easy to get test results and see what your doctor is recording about your health. One downside: You might not understand what you read.
Watch: Elisabeth Rosenthal on the Covid-19 ‘Infodemic’ and the Media
The journalists talked about how the nation's political divides made some people realize they could spread misinformation for political or financial gain.