Latest KFF Health News Stories
CMS To Bolster Some State Reinsurance Programs With $452M Infusion
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to announce, Axios reports, that it will support more than a dozen state programs that pay insurers to help cover the cost of extremely expensive health care needed by some customers, in an effort to keep premiums low for more people.
DeSantis Wrong About Vaccines, Fauci Says; Covid Swamps Georgia Schools
Dr. Anthony Fauci called Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis “completely incorrect” for saying vaccines are merely a “personal choice.” News outlets cover deaths amid surges across Florida. Meanwhile, more than 24,000 positive cases have hit schools in Georgia since the academic year started.
C Is For Covid, As Outbreaks, Mask Rules, Quarantines Impact Schooling
Pennsylvania schools now have a mask mandate, but Utah’s conflicting mask rules frustrate parents. In Indiana’s schools, 7,200 new cases were reported. Unmasked kids are stressing teachers, and some schools opt to buy high-tech air purifiers to battle covid infections, as covid is upsetting education.
Vaccine Mandates Face New Lawsuits, Local Pushback
Health workers in Detroit and Maine filed legal challenges to employee vaccine requirements. State leaders in Arizona and Oregon are also at odds with measures enacted by city governments.
Afghan Refugees At Wisconsin Army Base Embracing Covid Shots
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes “nearly all” of the refugees at Fort McCoy are accepting covid shots. But Fox News notes a case of measles was found among the Afghans, prompting isolations and vaccinations. Separate reports show the mass arrival of refugees in Virginia upset hospital systems.
3 In 4 US Adults At Least Partly Vaccinated Against Covid
The White House revealed that 75% of US adults have had at least one covid jab. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca’s CEO is pushing back against the urgent need for booster shots, even as other experts debate exactly what booster shot regimes that research currently supports.
From Alaska To Idaho And Beyond, Covid Surges Stress Hospital Systems
The situation in Idaho is so bad that the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare acted to allow hospitals to ration health care. In Texas pediatric covid hospitalizations hit a record high, and medical staff in Baltimore are tired out after treating “tens of thousands” of covid patients.
Tragic Covid Benchmarks: 650,000 Dead In US; More 2021 Cases Than All Of 2020
As the American death toll ticked past 650,000 people, the nation also broke another record: 20,146,000 confirmed covid cases in just over 8 months exceeded last year’s total. Altogether, 40 million cases have been reported in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic.
Abortion Decriminalized In Mexico By Its Supreme Court
In a unanimous ruling, Mexico’s Supreme Court justices paved the way for historic changes in the predominantly Roman-Catholic nation. The potential implications of the decision for people in Texas — where abortion access have been severely curtailed — is also in the news.
Texas Governor Defends Abortion Law’s Treatment Of Rape, Incest Victims
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says his state’s restrictive law doesn’t force victims of rape to give birth because “it provides at least six weeks for a person to get an abortion.” He also vowed to “eliminate all rapists.” Fallout from the law continues as three San Antonio clinics shutter and “tip” sites hit setbacks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Perspectives: ZIP Code Determines Longevity; Bill H.R. 3 Will Reform Prescription Drug Costs
Editorial pages tackle these public health issues.
Different Takes: Proof Masking Works; The Case Against Vaccine Mandate Religious Exemptions
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid, vaccine and pandemic effects topics.
Chile OKs Covid Shots For 6 And Older; UK Says No For 12- To 15-Year-Olds
Chile gives the go-ahead to use the Sinovac vaccine on some children; it’s the first Latin American country to take this step. Meanwhile, U.K. health officials have refused to approve covid vaccines for healthy kids ages 12 to 15, based on a rare reaction to Pfizer’s version.
Carbon Monoxide Gas Kills 4, Sends 141 To Hospital In Louisiana After Ida
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports the deaths and hospitalizations came as people without power after Hurricane Ida turned to portable generators. Separately, reports say several local nursing home evacuees died after being relocated due to the storm.
WHO Predicts 40% Rise In Dementia Numbers Worldwide By 2030
The World Health Organization report notes the change is due to aging populations. Kidney patient palliative care, rape’s impact on memory, pediatric brain cancer, air quality alerts in the Bay area and other mental health matters are also in the news.
Decision On Future Of E-Smoking Looms At FDA
Stat reports that although the Food and Drug Administration has just three days to decide which e-cigarette products can stay on sale, it has only reviewed a portion of the makers’ applications it’s gathered. Separately, a study identified unique genes in lung cancers in people who’ve never smoked.
Health Care Workers May Suffer More PTSD, Trauma During Pandemic
Axios reports on how the upticks in covid may boost levels of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by front-line health workers during the pandemic. Separate reports cover struggles to find nursing staff in rural areas of the country and a dip in health care employment numbers during August.
Anti-Mask Fight Politically Charged In Many States You Don’t Hear About
Axios notes that it’s not just Florida and Texas that are struggling when it comes to this form of covid prevention. Meanwhile, Utah’s governor is reportedly walking back from comments he made about “extreme maskers” last week.
Colleges Get Tough With Fines, Restrictions For Non-Vaxxed Students
Politico covers covid prevention efforts at institutions like Quinnipiac University and Rutgers University, which now include fines and threats to disconnect email access for the unvaxxed. Separately, news outlets report on the impact the pandemic is having on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall.
